Grolsch's brews up tapper bottle for draft beer experience at home

Now you can have Grolsch beer from SABMiller Group straight from the fridge, on tap, at home, as Grolsch Netherlands has developed an innovative, 2-L PET “mini-keg” package that allows consumers to enjoy the full beer experience from their easy chairs. The patented “Cheersch” bottle is drafted from a handy bottle with a reusable tapper kit. Blow-molded on equipment from Sidel Group (www.sidel.com) and patented by Grolsch, the bottle can be resealed and kept inside a home refridgerator door for up to two weeks after opening.

Until now, PET-bottled beer has not been particularly successful in the Dutch market, but the custom Grolsch container's tap-valve stays under high pressure to keep the beer fresh and fizzy. Made from a special PET resin blend perform, the bottle has a custom-made neck design, which was necessary for a snug fit between the bottle, its valve and the tapper. The tap unit is a one-time purchase and needs no electricity to operate. Sidel had responsibility for the whole bottling line including its Eurotronica FM-LT filler, a Rollquattro labeler, Robokombi palletizers and depalletizers and conveyors. Coster (www.coster.co.uk) produces the valve inserter and closure unit.