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  • #46
    Can anyone else comment on what they're using for labeling along with the meheen? What have you learned over the years? What would you like to change about the way you label?


    evan

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    • #47
      Originally posted by evan
      Can anyone else comment on what they're using for labeling along with the meheen? What have you learned over the years? What would you like to change about the way you label?


      evan
      We're using an older ELF labeler, self-adhesive label on a spool. Needs constant reassurance and adjustment but once dialed in, works great. We label prior to filling. Learned how important it is to let your label supplier know which way you want the labels wound on the roll.
      I'm wondering if anyone is label with self-adhesives AFTER filling and, if so, who is your label supplier/what kind of adhesive is on the labels?


      Dave
      Glacier Brewing Company
      406-883-2595
      info@glacierbrewing.com

      "who said what now?"

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      • #48
        Labeling after filling

        We label after we fill on our Meheen, we have a bottle rinser about 4 rows after the capper and then have built a bottle dryer that fits on our Generic Ruby model pressure senistive labeler. The labeler requires lots of TLC but we have modified it to run well and when it is running, it all runs great. I dont know what adhesive is on the labels but it works well. We get our labels from
        Atlas Labels and packaging I am sure Jack Wright of Atlas could tell you what is on them

        Fred Colby
        laughing Dog Brewing

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        • #49
          Hey Fred,
          Don't you have any issues with the label not sticking to a cold, wet bottle?
          dave
          Glacier Brewing Company
          406-883-2595
          info@glacierbrewing.com

          "who said what now?"

          Comment


          • #50
            No not really they are warmed up some and dried off just as they get labels
            we built the dryer out of PVC pipe and a cattle dryer that has so much force it rips the water from the bottles. if you want pictures i can get them to you

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            • #51
              Originally posted by Laughing Dog
              if you want pictures i can get them to you
              Hi Fred. Your bottle drier sounds interesting. I'm interested in seeing pictures. What is a cattle drier?

              Incidentally, we use a World Tandem labeller that labels as the bottles come off the Meheen.

              Cheers!
              -Neil

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              • #52
                Originally posted by Laughing Dog
                No not really they are warmed up some and dried off just as they get labels
                we built the dryer out of PVC pipe and a cattle dryer that has so much force it rips the water from the bottles. if you want pictures i can get them to you
                Hi Fred,
                Yes, I definately would love to see pictures of this gadget. You can send 'em to info@glacierbrewing.com.

                Thanks
                Glacier Brewing Company
                406-883-2595
                info@glacierbrewing.com

                "who said what now?"

                Comment


                • #53
                  Home made Bottle Dryer for Meheen

                  ok here is our bottle dryer it took about 8 different configs to get it right but now it works like a champ the black cannister is the power behind the dryer it came from Sullivan supply and is a livestock or cattle dryer.

                  Fred Colby
                  Laughing Dog Brewing
                  Attached Files

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                  • #54
                    beer wasted

                    How much beer do you guys lose to foam from the Meheen? No matter how well we fine-tune the machine, we end up losing about 15-20 gallons of beer, in a 20 bbl run, as foam in the off-gas tubes. That's about 5% loss. We have the older capacitance-sensor system to detect the fill height. I'm trying to think of something acceptable to do with this beer. Do you think it would affect my beer to add it back into the kettle of the same beer being brewed that day? The beer would be boiled again, but I'm worried of oxidized flavors.
                    Linus Hall
                    Yazoo Brewing
                    Nashville, TN
                    www.yazoobrew.com

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                    • #55
                      Don't be too Maheen

                      That sounds like a lot of loss Linus. Sounds about like twice as much as we lose. Last time we used a bucket to catch the blow off it was about 10-15 gallons on a 30 bbl run. I hate seeing all that beer go down the drain but I would be very hesistant to try to use it. I have tossed around the idea of filling a cornelius keg with it and force carbonating asap after bottling and letting it sit for a week to see how oxidized it tastes. My guess is very oxidized. Good luck
                      Joel Halbleib
                      Partner / Zymurgist
                      Hive and Barrel Meadery
                      6302 Old La Grange Rd
                      Crestwood, KY
                      www.hiveandbarrel.com

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                      • #56
                        Well, we found a creative home for all that blow-off beer. I catch it in corny kegs, and give it to a local pizzaria to use in their pizza dough. He's put a big note about our partnership on the menus, so we get some promotion out of it and it doesn't hurt to have the same beer on tap as well.
                        Linus Hall
                        Yazoo Brewing
                        Nashville, TN
                        www.yazoobrew.com

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Originally posted by lhall
                          Well, we found a creative home for all that blow-off beer. I catch it in corny kegs, and give it to a local pizzaria to use in their pizza dough. He's put a big note about our partnership on the menus, so we get some promotion out of it and it doesn't hurt to have the same beer on tap as well.
                          Good job finding a home for the waste.
                          Cheers & I'm out!
                          David R. Pierce
                          NABC & Bank Street Brewhouse
                          POB 343
                          New Albany, IN 47151

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Trying to find a used machine

                            We are a small craft brewery in England (www.lovibonds.com) moving into bottling from keg/firkin only, think that the Meheen is the machine for us, as with all craft brewerys money is tight and we are trying to find a 4 head machine. Any of you guys have a spare in your store room or know where one is sitting around doing nothing?

                            Thanks, Jason.

                            Jason Stevenson
                            Operations & Logistics
                            Lovibonds Brewery Ltd
                            Henley-On-Thames
                            +44 7743 806626

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                            • #59
                              Hey guys i'm new to this forum and seen this thread on the Maheen. We have a 3 year old 6 head maheen that runs pretty good most of the time. We run it 2 or 3 times a week getting aprox. 60-80 cases a hour. We are interested in putting a labeler eather before or after filling. We end up wasting a couple of cases a run of labeled bottels each run, and really like the set up Laughing Dog has. Can you give me some more info on the labeler, conveyer, drier, etc? I really like the idea of labeling after filling for the fact that we wouldn't be wasting labeled bottles due to foamers or short fills. We use pressure sens. labels on a roll.
                              I have modified the maheen with a bar on the feedin side to keep the bottles straight eliminating missfeeds. We also use silicone on the surface to help with this also. I can post some pics of this tomorrow.

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                              • #60
                                We run 2 new Maheens, both 6 head. The 12oz machine runs about 80 cases/hr which is about the same as the 12yr old one we sold recently. The new one has a pre-evac cycle (and a double evac if you want). The 22oz runs about 100 cases/hr and could go faster if we could keep up. The old 22oz runs about 30cs/hr. We haven't sold that one yet.

                                I've run 5 different Maheens overall and always had a few problems with indexing. Often the side rails need to be adjusted. Sometimes the bottles are just irregular in size and shape and mess things up. Once the machine had just lost its calibration the air to the indexer and had to be adjusted.

                                Whatever the case, I can't stress enough you need to wear eye protection.

                                We have had some problems with the snift valve and CO2 valve sticking (once both failed at the same time and left us chasing the problems for a week!). If you get foaming there are lots of reasons for it, many of which are the beer, some are the machine.

                                Overall I think these are good machines but they do need some love.
                                Jon Hill
                                Atlantic Brewing Co
                                Bar Harbor,ME
                                eatdrinkandbemerry
                                Jon Hill, Brewer
                                Atlantic Brewing Co
                                jon at atlanticbrewing dot com

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