Krones Builds Its First Sterile Beer Filler

In 1992, German equipment manufacturer Krones built its first machine for sterile beer filling. Using electropneumatic filling valves, it flushed bottles with steam before filling to sterilize them. The system addressed breweries seeking better microbiological shelf stability while avoiding conventional heat treatment of the beer and its possible effects on flavor. This approach protected the filling stage from contamination; sterilizing an empty bottle did not itself remove microorganisms already present in the incoming beer. Successful aseptic packaging also required microbiologically controlled beer and hygienic handling through closure. The machine therefore belongs to the development of alternatives to conventional beer pasteurization, without implying a process entirely free of heat: the bottles were steam-treated. Nor should it be confused with flash-pasteurizing the beer before aseptic filling.