• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint, new study says

October 14, 2014Chris Crowell

Microstar kegs at GABF
A TON of beer at the Great American Beer Festival arrived there via MicroStar kegs, which was a pretty efficient — and sustainable — way to get all of that beer there from all over the country, with few headaches for the breweries.

We’ve written about the shared-asset keg management concept previously. Recently, a study by John Heckman, Ph.D with PE International and commissioned by MicroStar Logistics, showed that by sharing a pool of kegs rather than owning their own, over 200 craft brewers helped reduce their collective carbon footprint by over 3 million kg of Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2013. The study could be used as a benchmark to help the craft beer industry further minimize its carbon footprint each year.

“To put this in perspective, these craft brewers saved the equivalent amount of CO2e emitted by nearly 3 million pounds of coal by working together to reduce their total truck mileage,” Heckman said. “It’s clear that MicroStar’s pooled asset model is inherently more sustainable than the alternative model of a brewer owning their own kegs.”

MicroStar also recently joined the EPA’s SmartWay Program committing to further track and reduce transportation-related emissions and fuel use. Through programs like SmartWay, MicroStar uses the collective leverage of their customer community to increase the adoption of environmentally-conscious tools and approaches by their freight carriers.

“Sustainability is critically important to our customers and the craft beer industry overall,” said Dan Vorlage, MicroStar’s Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. “We’re proud to help brewers achieve their sustainability goals by leveraging our unique model, our scale and our logistics expertise to take empty keg miles off the road. We see these results as just the beginning of what this industry can accomplish.”

PE International is a global provider of integrated solutions for enterprise sustainability with proven software, sustainability databases and unparalleled consulting expertise. With more than 20 years of experience and 20 offices around the globe, PE International works with 2,500 clients including companies such as Bayer, Hewlett-Packard, Interface, Kraft Foods, Siemens, Unilever and Volkswagen.

microstar-close-brothers-001
Export efficiency: New MicroStar partnership will change transatlantic beer transport
Microstar Stone Brewing Co. Keg Logistics
MicroStar keeps growing, adds industry veteran as SVP of operations
microstar logistics pooled kegs program
MicroStar Logistics expanding its Keg Quality Services Center
microstar logistics pooled kegs program
MicroStar Logistics acquires KegCraft, expands network to help craft breweries grow

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ogdendude says

    October 16, 2014 at 8:10 pm

    RT @HughesBrews: Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint: http://t.co/FLZ4GaAgVf via @craftbrewingbiz #craftbeer #sustainability

    Log in to Reply
  2. mrbrewreview says

    October 16, 2014 at 6:54 pm

    Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint http://t.co/wqZkvQ0EYj via @craftbrewingbiz

    Log in to Reply
  3. HughesBrews says

    October 16, 2014 at 11:18 am

    Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint: http://t.co/FLZ4GaAgVf via @craftbrewingbiz #craftbeer #sustainability

    Log in to Reply
  4. RegnierIns says

    October 14, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint, new study says http://t.co/u1sAQ3DCaK @MicroStarKegs

    Log in to Reply
  5. DenverBeerGuy says

    October 14, 2014 at 3:19 pm

    RT @GlobalBevERP: By sharing a pool of kegs, over 200 craft brewers helped reduce their collective carbon footprint #sustainability
    http:/…

    Log in to Reply
  6. GlobalBevERP says

    October 14, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    By sharing a pool of kegs, over 200 craft brewers helped reduce their collective carbon footprint #sustainability
    http://t.co/samYp7Fly7

    Log in to Reply
  7. MSDenmanStreet says

    October 14, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Sharing kegs reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint, new study says http://t.co/u1sAQ3DCaK @MicroStarKegs

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Malt maker Rahr purchases all of eco energy maker Koda
  • Check out XTRATUF’s Legacy boots, perfect for work in the brewhouse
  • Ohio’s Rustic Brew Farm now selling sprouted grain flours
  • How Virginia Beer Co. used the shutdown to overhaul its facility (and keep people employed)

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • virginia-beer-co-renovationHow Virginia Beer Co. used the shutdown to overhaul its facility (and keep people employed)
    January 19, 2021
  • Clean air, clean beer: New Ingersoll Rand oil-less reciprocating air compressors are ideal for breweries (aeration to canning)
    January 18, 2021
  • Non-alcoholic beer brand Athletic Brewing closes $17M+ in funding with famous backers, selects Crafted ERP, eyes big growth
    January 18, 2021
  • Watch: This awareness video on human trafficking from beer wholesaler Markstein Sales will move you to action
    January 14, 2021
  • Distribution updates: Massachusetts brewers celebrate franchise reform, Yuengling goes to Texas with Molson Coors and more from Bell’s, Stone and beyond
    January 14, 2021
  • COVID19 coronavirus mask moneyWhy you need to maximize engagement during a pandemic
    January 13, 2021

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2021 · CBB Media LLC

Continue ...

sponsored by