Increase brewery sales with PLAATO Pro

Insights

Aug 28

Written By Tom Lamont

Increase brewery sales with PLAATO Pro

By Tyler Montgomery, Owner Abettor Brewing Company

Six Months of PLAATO: Reflections on How PLAATO is Growing Our Brewery

Brewer Magazine Article

Just like any other craft brewery, Abettor Brewing Company’s focus is primarily growth partnered with consistency.

As a 10 -facility, space and time find themselves limited, thus adding more brew dates or shaving off fermentation time can be the difference in substantial growth compounding over each brew year.

When we began using PLAATO in January, 2024, we had expectations to increase production volume through better fermentation tracking. Over that half-year period we were pleasantly surprised to discover substantial growth in some of our flagship brands in conjunction with speed and consistency within newer non-beer style products such as our “Old Country” Hard Limoncello Setzer and “Fanny Cole” Hard Cider.

Specifically for the “Old Country,” which we began making in volume in April, we’ve been able to quickly create, package and sell more than 50 bbls to date. While seltzer products do ferment quicker, we’ve been pleased to have more insight into the fermentation of the product allowing us to control sweetness and, in some cases, reach final gravity quicker.

“PLAATO has been used in our brewing rotation with the intention of isolating volatile batches,” explained Abettor Brewing’s Head Brewer Cody Thompson. “Volatile, in a use of the word, meaning batches that benefit from quick readings, including up-to-date temperature, attenuation and gravity. Personally I make it a point to always use this equipment whenever I’m brewing a Hefeweizen/Wheat beer or a Hard Cider — as our strains have been engineered to have specific fermentation stalls and ester production in direct relation to those readings.”

Prior to PLAATO, just as almost all breweries, our readings were analogue samples taken from unitank testing ports. “The equipment has allowed for real-time fermentation and gravity readings which has led the way for a more streamlined process from brew to package,” Thompson said. “The convenience for constant readings and measurements has been extremely useful.”

When we began making hard cider we knew a week’s fermentation would be ideal, but we continually found ourselves locked into a battle of time, consistency and flavor. Many times brew dates would have a quicker fermentation than we were prepared for, which caused a lot of our cider to dry out past our desired point, eliminating sweet elements.

Once we installed PLAATO and began utilizing it on our ciders we could perfectly track our fermentation time and properly land the desired FG to achieve the flavor profile we desired. This has sped up our production volume and cider availability throughout the first half of 2024 and taken a once non-consistent product to a top seller and high-level wholesale option. I estimate we’ll be able to increase cider production over the next 12 months by 120-240 bbls, if not more. This growth in monthly revenue equates to an additional $4,000 wholesale or almost $15,000 in-house sales per batch. What was once a pain to keep up with, using PLAATO has made this opportunity viable.

First and foremost our main focus at Abettor Brewing Company has been craft beer, but with the ever-changing consumer demand we’ve found that the PLAATO has truly made some non-beer options quicker for production which doesn’t take tank space or work hours away from our main focus, but also improving our bottom line significantly as described previously. All elements we utilize to reinvest into our products resulting in our beverages overall quality and consistency.

“The main benefit from PLAATO that I’ve seen is quick and accurate real-time measurements and readings,” concluded Thompson. “This tool has allowed me to allocate fermenter space, production time-span and product testing. Overall, PLAATO PRO has helped me ‘keep my finger on the pulse’ of every brew with which I have used it.”

Learn how PLAATO Pro can help you maintain consistency across every drink profile

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Enhanced Monitoring for Quality and Consistency

Precise Temperature Control: Since temperature fluctuations can ruin off-grain spirits, Plaato Pro's accurate readings ensure optimal conditions throughout fermentation, preventing off-flavors and ensuring consistency between batches.
Early Issue Detection: Real-time alerts about stalled fermentations or temperature issues allow for immediate troubleshooting, minimizing the risk of ruined batches and costly downtime.
Data-Driven Record-Keeping: Plaato Pro logs detailed historical fermentation data. This empowers distillers to analyze trends, replicate successful batches, and constantly improve processes.

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