Tradition-steeped Viennese brewery banks on filling innovation

The first entry in Krones’ order books labelled “Ottakringer” dates back to November 1992. The 1990s saw the family-run brewery from Vienna take delivery of its first Krones lines. And the two companies have successfully continued their cooperation over more than three decades. The latest consignment that Krones sent to Vienna consisted of a rather special item. When choosing a replacement for their existing line’s centrepiece, Ottakringer opted for a machine featuring a novel filling concept, the Dynafill.

That decision fits in neatly with the family-run privately owned brewery’s business concept, as Tobias Frank, Managing Director and Senior Brewmaster at Ottakringer, points out: “It’s true, we’re very receptive when it comes to efficient innovations and like to stay one step ahead.” And his colleague Rudolf Jilch, Head of Filling and Maintenance, adds: “Yes, we go for that sort of thing time and again!” Of course, it takes a fair bit of courage to invest in newly launched machines, he continues, and you have to ask yourself whether everything will really go without a hitch right from the start. After all, you’ve got to keep the beer flowing. “But in that respect we can rely on Krones. Otherwise we’d probably not have dared to do it,” says Jilch.

Courage rewarded yet again

This was by no means the first time that the Ottakringer Brewery dared to venture into new territory. Sebastian Wittl, product manager for filling technology at Krones, and his colleagues are fully aware of the brewery crew’s enthusiasm for new technologies. “Ottakringer has meanwhile become something like our outpost, invariably receptive to innovations. For example, they took delivery of the first Modulfill Bloc FS-C with a small cleanroom – a canning line featuring an entirely new hygiene concept,” says Wittl. And their courage to opt for the Dynafill has now been rewarded once more, as Tobias Frank tells us: “It turned out to be a stroke of luck that at precisely the time when we needed a new filler anyway the Dynafill’s design was far enough along to smoothly integrate it into an ongoing production process.”

The filler, which is rated at 38,000 bottles per hour and was installed in an existing line, has boosted Ottakringer’s filling operation since late 2022. “It’s a huge advantage for us that the Dynafill’s footprint is smaller than that of a conventional filler/crowner combination with the same output. Space for expansion is at a premium here in the city. So it’s always good when we invest in a replacement machine that frees up some floor space,” says Ottakringer’s Managing Director.

The brewery benefits not only from the Dynafill’s smaller footprint but also from an improved filling process. “Warm filling is now possible, enabling us to save production time and cut energy costs. What’s more, we no longer have to worry about condensation on too cold bottles in summer,” says Rudolf Jilch, listing the advantages provided not least for product quality. And yet another plus: In less than five seconds, the Dynafill fills the bottles and then crowns them straight away. So transfer sections and a separate crowner are no longer needed, which eliminates the risk of particles like dust being carried into the filled but not yet crowned bottles.

Another successful chapter but by no means the last one

Thanks to technical refinements and outstanding teamwork, Krones and Ottakringer have yet again managed to raise beer production to the next level. “Cooperation is excellent, their support is one of the best you can get, worthy of an industry leader,” says Rudolf Jilch. It is quite normal, he continues, that teething troubles are encountered along the way with such a new technology, but as long as we work together, we will overcome them. Sebastian Wittl from Krones’ product management team is also more than satisfied: “With the installation of the Dynafill, we’ve added another highly successful chapter to our mutually supportive, decades-long partnership with Ottakringer.”

Ottakringer is a privately owned brewery run by the family since 1837. But that’s not all: We’re more than a brewery, we’re an event location that is well-known throughout Vienna. Our motto is ‘Beer brings people together!’ Conviviality is a crucial aspect here. And of course, beer takes it up a notch compared with mineral water. Wherever there’s fun to be had, wherever something’s happening in the city, Ottakringer is there. Or as we like to put it: ‘The smiles are on the house!’ Tobias FrankManaging Director and Senior Brewmaster