The bottles are closed with cork and wire hoods similar to closures used for champagne bottles. The cork closures are supplied by Oeneo (www.oeneo.com).
Labels, supplied by Label Graphics Mfg., Inc. (www.labelgraphicsmfg.com), are constructed of paper-backed silver foil with a special film lamination to minimize scuffing. The labels are flexo-printed in six colors and incorporate rotary embossing. Filling, corking, and labeling equipment comes from GAI (www.gai-it.com).
The 750-mL bottles facilitate a unique, old-style, 100% in-bottle refermentation process, overseen by Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver. Using this process, the brewer bottles the beers completely flat. All the carbonation is created within the bottles through refermentation.
The first variety, Brooklyn Local 1, was introduced in March 2007. Others followed. Average retail price of the 750-mL bottled beers is $10 to $15, depending on variety.
"Wiegand-Glas worked with its mold maker to make the mold we designed with their help. United Bottles worked with us and Wiegand-Glas to help insure a smooth as possible ordering process. We have to run bottles in minimum quantity lots and receive them within two months of production,” says Brooklyn Brewery marketing manager Lysandra Gibbs. Consumer reception, she adds, has been terrific.
