AB InBev, through its Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITEC), is introducing PureDraught™, a one-way, polymer keg system that keeps beer fresher up to four times longer than a traditional steel keg and reduces the carbon footprint of shipping beer – all while offering more versatility and variety for bar and restaurant owners.
While beer delivered in a traditional steel keg is still preferred for beers produced and consumed locally or regionally, it produces a number of costly logistical and environmental issues that are magnified when shipped internationally. First, there’s the expense of the keg itself, then shipping it to its destination via ocean vessel, locating and returning it via that same vessel months later, as well as the impact on the global carbon footprint of moving heavy steel kegs across the globe twice. Meanwhile, once the beer is tapped at its destination, the clock starts ticking on the beer’s peak freshness of 7 to 10 days.
AB InBev’s GITEC division offers a solution to both problems with PureDraught™. Using a custom-molded, double-walled, bottle-in-bottle polymer keg, PureDraught™ allows air or gas to be fed into the outer bottle, which keeps its shape and pushes the beer out of the inner bottle. This innovation prevents any air or dispense gas from touching the beer, allowing the beer to remain fresh for 30 days after being tapped instead of just a week.
Further, PureDraught™ comes in 6L, 12L and 18L sizes rather than the standard 30L or larger steel keg size, allowing for more flexibility and less wasted product by bar and restaurant owners. The kegs can be stored and dispensed from upright or on their side on a shelf, making them more versatile.
“For a consumer, PureDraught™ means a fresh beer experience for up to four times longer, since the first time air or gas touches the beer is when it’s poured into their glass,” said Daniel Ingram, Global Director of Draught Capabilities at AB InBev. “For bar or restaurant owners, PureDraught™ means no keg deposits, less waste, right-sized products for beers with slower turnover, more efficient storage, and no reverse logistics of returning a keg – they can simply put the used kegs in their local recycling bin, reducing the carbon footprint of the process considerably.”
“PureDraught™ is a technology that has the potential to transform the consumer experience when enjoying draught beer: superior quality, less carbon footprint and more variety of beers on tap,” said Rodrigo Sozo, Vice President of AB InBev GITEC. “This breakthrough is the result of the vision, passion, resilience and knowledge of our GITEC team – they are our greatest asset and are obsessed with transforming dreams into reality.”
There are no additional costs for a bar to use the PureDraught™ system or the beer in the one-way kegs, and in most markets, the system’s custom keg coupler is provided and connected to a bar’s existing beer and gas lines by AB InBev free of charge.
Currently, PureDraught™ is in use with AB InBev brands in over six countries, including the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, China, Italy and South Korea. PureDraught™ will be rolling out nationwide in the U.S. later this year, providing the best pour of brands like Stella Artois. It also debuted in Colombia and additional areas of Europe, Africa, and Japan this spring.
About AB InBev GITEC
The Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITEC) at AB InBev is the hub of innovation for the company, working across teams and the company’s more than 500 brands to develop new products, processes and technologies. Driven by a team of more than 120 passionate R&D talents from more than 20 countries, GITEC works to revolutionize packaging, make the brewing process more efficient and sustainable, create breakthroughs in how our beers are delivered and dispensed, and to offer new tasting and consumer experiences.
