Packaging Machinery Built for Distilled Spirits

The products, bottles and closures typically seen in the distilled spirits industry allow certain packaging machines to serve the industry well. While every project will be unique in some way, there are several reasons why specific bottle rinsing equipment, liquid filling machines, and even capping and sealing machinery are almost always seen in a distilled spirits packaging line.

Though distilled spirits include a variety of products, most of the liquids are free-flowing, almost water like. Next, most distillers will stay with traditional sizes for their packages, using 50ml, 375 ml, and 750 ml containers along with 1L and 1.75L bottles to present their product to consumers. While the seals or caps used on bottles of distilled spirits may vary a little more than the bottles, common closures include ROPP caps and corks. For these and other reasons, a distiller’s search for packaging equipment will often lead them to the same machinery.

BOTTLE RINSING EQUIPMENT

Bottle manufacturing, shipping, and even storage can result in debris or dust buildup while the containers wait to be put to use on the packaging line. Rinsing machines remove any debris prior to introducing the spirits to the bottle. While air rinsers can be used for many different projects to protect against cross-contamination with other liquids, wet rinsing machines may also be used for distilled spirits. Distillers may choose to rinse bottles with the actual product to protect against cross-contamination as well, as wet rinsing may be a better choice depending on the bottle and material being prepared.

FILLING MACHINES FOR SPIRITS

As noted earlier, distilled spirits are typically free-flowing liquids. For this reason, one of two distinct filling machines will usually be present on a distillery packaging line. The first machine allows distillers to fill each bottle to a specific level, which can boost the appearance of those businesses that use glass or clear containers. The overflow filling machine uses a special nozzle to allow each bottle to the same level regardless of the interior volume of the container. A gravity filler, on the other hand, allows a distiller to fill bottles by volume, even if the fill levels may vary slightly. Both types of liquid filling machines are used extensively in the distilled spirits industry.

CAPPING MACHINES FOR SPIRITS

The type of capping machine placed on a distillers packaging line will depend entirely on the type of closure being used to seal the bottle. For this reason, there is more variation seen in the capping machines than the rinsers or fillers. Two of the most popular machines for the industry, however, are the bottle corking machine and the ROPP capper. Corking machines allow corks, T-corks and similar closures to be pressed into the bottle securely to protect the product. Combined with capsule or shrink sleeves, corks are popular to provide tamper evidence for distilled spirits sent to the shelf. ROPP cappers use special capping heads and an aluminum blank to create threads on the containers as they are being sealed, also providing tamper evidence. Other capping machines such as spindle and chuck cappers may be used for spirits that seal bottles with continuous thread, screw-off type closures.

While other equipment, such as labelers and capsule spinning machines, may be seen on a distilled spirits line, the rinsers, fillers, and cappers built for the industry remain fairly consistent as an efficient and consistent solution for preparing products. Nearly every machine manufactured for distilled spirits can be built in both automatic and semi-automatic formats, allowing both small craft distillers and larger companies to prepare their product with LPS equipment.

For more information on packaging machinery for distilled spirits, visit the Industry Page or contact Liquid Packaging Solutions today to speak with a representative.