As the owner of Cru Bottling Systems, we have partnered with hundreds, if not thousands of folks throughout the years. We work towards helping them get up and running to bottle their own product. We founded the company by building our own Gravity Bottle Filler and have since expanded to assist in all aspects of the bottling line. I wanted to share a bit of our experience and expertise and thought a great way to do this would be to share some of the most common questions we have received through the years.
In all of the time we’ve been involved with Small-Scale Bottling, by far the most common question we hear is: “How easy is it do it myself?” Although there are vintners and distillers out there with decades of experience with this type of equipment, as well as those who have no experience, our answer is always the same: “It’s very easy.”
We get asked various questions from all different sized distilleries and vineyards regarding Small-Scale Bottling. For those who don’t have a lot of experience in the bottling process, the thought of taking this on can be daunting. We get it. There are so many questions on an array of topics. Of the many questions we get asked through trade shows, our web site and emails, I’ve taken the most popular ones and wanted to share them with you. Hopefully we can publish a second part to this article to cover some of the more obscure (but still important!) questions that we get. So, in no particular order, here goes:
Q: “How much room does a Small-Scale Bottling line require?”
A: We have many customers who operate their entire bottling line on a single 8’ long bench top. They have very limited space inside of their facility and have easily made it work in a very small footprint. Different manufacturers carry equipment with varying sizes, but typically, an entire Small-Scale Bottling Line can fit on (2) 6’ bench tops. This would include the Bottle Filler, Corker (or Capper), Labeler and Heat Shrinker. Of course, you will need some additional space for unpacking the empty bottles (before filling) and then packing the full ones once completed.
Q: “I have pretty much no experience in bottling. Can I really do this myself?”
A: Absolutely. Small-Scale Bottling equipment is specifically designed to be simple to operate. Try watching any videos (YouTube, etc.…) showing any Small-Scale Bottling in action and you will see for yourself how simple the process is. For instance, with a 4 Nozzle Gravity Filler, the bottles fill themselves automatically and will then automatically shut off when the bottles are full – it cannot overflow. It’s really as simple as that. The cork/cap is then inserted into the bottle by the push of a button. The labeler will also apply the label by simply pushing a button as well.
Q: “How many people will I need to operate a Small-Scale bottling line?”
A: A Small-Scale bottling line can be operated by 1 person. You will be able to move faster if you have a partner helping, but you can easily operate the different parts of the bottling line by yourself, depending on the volume you’re trying to achieve.
Q: “How fast is the equipment?”
A: Faster than you might think. A 4-nozzle Gravity type Filler will fill your 750ml bottles at a pace of 850 bottles per hour, which equates to 70 cases in an hour. The corker will operate at approximately 1,000 bottles per hour. Capping operates at a volume between 500-1,800 per hour, depending on the type of caps used. A Labeler runs at 1,200 bottles per hour while the Heat Shrinker operates at about 1,000 bottles per hour. So, depending on your volume needs, 70 cases an hour for a Small-Scale Bottling line is completely achievable. Of course, you can also add Rinsing/Sparging to this equation as well.
Q: “How do I select correct equipment for my needs?”
A: We think the most important factor in answering this question is the volume that you’re trying to achieve and the labor you have available. This will make the equipment choice very simple. There are different Bottle Fillers out there on the market with varying numbers of nozzles and with different fill speeds. With a little bit of forecasting, you’ll be able to easily figure out which models meet your volume needs and your budget. For example, certain Labelers can apply a single label or a double label to a round bottle if needed, but for a bit more cost. If you know for sure that you will only need a single label, you can definitely save money by buying the single–sided labeler. This being said, there are few semi-automatic options for square or odd-shaped bottles. We have a manual solution for straight-sided and odd-shaped bottles, but after that it skips to a fully automated labeler. Therefore, we usually suggest round bottles with no more than a slight taper to keep your labeling costs to a minimum.
Q: “What are the biggest benefits to bottling myself?”
A: We believe the 2 biggest benefits to bottling your own are simple: cost and convenience. If you’re currently using a co-packer, the cost of a basic Small-Scale bottling line will pay for itself after just a few runs. Co-packers are great and provide a great service to the spirits and wine industries, but if you have the opportunity to bottle yourself, you will definitely save money in a short amount of time. A complete bottling line can start under $7,500.
The other benefit to bottling yourself is the convenience. You’ll be able to bottle whenever you’d like. And you’ll be able to bottle as much or as little as you’d like. It’s up to you. You’ll also be able to keep a close eye on your product – it never leaves your building or your sight.
Q: “Will I need any formal training?”
A: No. This equipment is designed to be very simple to operate. The equipment comes with very basic operating instructions that are easy to follow. Most of our customers are able to get up and running on their own, with very few technical questions directed back to us, but we’re always here to assist just in case.
Q: “When should I consider manual vs automated equipment?”
A: The rule of thumb for moving from manual to an automated system is usually about 10,000 cases per year. However, once an automated system is purchased, many still hold onto their Small-Scale equipment for secondary lines. It can be much easier to bottle a single barrel on the manual line than it is to fire up the larger production line at that point.
Q: What type of pump do you recommend?
A: When it comes to pumping product from your barrel/tote/container to your Bottle Filler, we really like the diaphragm-style pumps. They are very low maintenance, low cost and extremely durable. Diaphragm pumps are safe running dry, which could be significant when liquid supply can be inconsistent. They are also self-priming, which makes your bottle filling session faster. Diaphragm pumps are compact, portable and are chemical and corrosion resistant for the higher proof spirits. And they’re safe – the pneumatic powered pumps are explosion proof since they require no electricity.
Q: What type of maintenance can I expect for Small-Scale Bottling equipment?
A: For Small-Scale Bottle Filling equipment, the maintenance is minimal. Typically, after tens of thousands of filling cycles, a simple O-Ring change might be needed. When you purchase your Bottle Filler, these replacement O-rings are included so that the user doesn’t have to guess which replacement size is needed. The labeling machines, with a mechanical sensor, will need to have the sensor occasionally wiped with a Q-Tip. The models with the optical sensors will never need to be cleaned or adjusted. Pneumatic corking machines will occasionally need fluid topped off (depending on usage), which is easily accessible. The Heat Shrink machines will operate maintenance-free for the life of the unit. Any of these maintenance steps are very simple and easily done by even the most novice of users.
Conclusion
So, there you have it – answers to the top questions regarding Small-Scale Bottling! If you have any additional questions or have any suggestions for our next Q and A article, please reach out to me at steve@crusystems.com, call us at 408-805-1904 or visit our website at crusystems.com. We’d love to help get you up and running – thanks for reading!