Craft Distillers - Gravity versus Overflow Filling

Craft distilleries have been on the rise for some time now. Thanks to deregulation, tax breaks and more, the United States has seen an influx of new distillers and products over the past decade. Liquid Packaging Solutions has worked with distillers large and small over this time period, creating packaging systems for distillers all across the country. When it comes to filling distilled spirits, two filling machines will make up the vast majority of equipment in service.

GRAVITY FILLING MACHINES

Gravity fillers are one of several filling machines that fill bottles by volume. These machines typically use a tank sitting over the fill heads, along with a time-based filling method, to accurately fill bottles to a pre-set volume. For an industry that must often hit certain tolerances, the accurate gravity fill method can be the right choice. For craft distillers, these machines can take on several different forms. Simple tabletop gravity fillers can be manufactured for smaller craft distillers, while other semi-automatic and automatic filling machines can be built for medium to large craft distilleries.

OVERFLOW FILLING MACHINES

While filling to a specific volume can be ideal for craft distillers, many of these products are packaged in clear containers. Instead of filling to a specific volume, an overflow filling machine will fill each bottle to a specific level. The advantage of an overflow fillers is a crisp, clear line when bottles are lined up on the shelf for the consumers. In most cases, the overflow filler will also provide an accuracy that meets the range demands of the distiller. However, this will all depend on the bottles being used and the manner in which they were manufactured. Almost all bottles will be manufactured with nearly identical interior volumes, but before using an overflow filler, a distiller will want to ensure this is the case with their given bottle. If interior volumes are identical or nearly identical, then the distiller can achieve both the volume and the aesthetic desired for a product. Like gravity fillers, the overflow filling machines are available in tabletop, semi-automatic and automatic models.

While both of these filling machines will work for most craft distillers, one may have an advantage over the other when looking at individual projects. To learn more about these two filling machines, or any other equipment manufactured at LPS for the distilled spirits industry, contact a Packaging Specialist today at 1-219-393-3600.