Packaging from containers

Package from containers moves beer that's already in a cask or keg into other containers. Use it to split a half barrel into sixtels, rack a firkin into pins, or can the contents of a keg. In one run, you can package into your own tracked containers, non-returnable containers and smallpack.

You can scan the containers on both sides, the ones you're packaging from and the ones you're packaging into, with the Breww mobile app or a barcode scanner. You can also choose them from a list.

Starting a packaging from containers

Go to Containers -> Actions & tools -> Package from containers.

To package from one specific container, open that container's page and select Package from container. Breww fills in the container you're packaging from for you, so you only need to choose what you're packaging into.

Adding containers

The first step asks which containers you're packaging from, and the tracked containers step asks which containers you're packaging into. Both steps work the same way, and you can combine these methods:

• Breww mobile app: select Open container barcode scanner and scan each container. After every scan, the scanner shows how many containers you've added and their volume, and tells you straight away if that container can't be used and why.
• USB or Bluetooth barcode scanner: scan into the Scanned containers box. You can also type container codes into this box, separated by commas.
• From the list: search for a container in the dropdown (Which container(s) are you packaging from? or Which containers are you packaging into?) and select it.

For help choosing a scanner, see Label printing and barcode scanning.

You can scan up to 500 codes at once. For a larger run, package the containers in smaller groups.

Every container you add is listed in a table, with a summary underneath. To take a container out, select the remove button at the end of its row. This also removes it from the scanned codes and the dropdown, so it isn't added back.

When a scanned code can't be used

If Breww can't use a code you scanned, it shows the code and the reason, with a button to remove it. This is either an alert with a Remove it button, or a row in the table marked in red. Reasons include a misread label, a pallet or stock label, a code that isn't one of your containers, or a container that's in the wrong state, such as empty when you're packaging from it, full when you're packaging into it, in a delayed release or on a pallet.

The other containers you scanned stay selected, so you only need to remove the problem codes, and rescan any container whose label was misread.

When a container stops being available

A container you've selected can become unavailable before you finish, for example if a colleague packages from it or fills it at the same time. It stays in the table under its code, with the reason and a remove button, and the summary shows how many of your selected containers are affected.

You can't continue to the next step until everything marked in red has been removed or fixed. If you see a message such as "K04 can't be packaged into.", remove that container from the table and try again.

Step 1: choosing what you're packaging from

Add the casks and kegs you're packaging from. These can be your own tracked containers, or non-returnable casks and kegs, which you can scan using their non-returnable barcode.

All the containers you package from together must:

• Hold the same beer
• Be at the same site
• Be at locations with the same bonded status
• Have the same duty status

Breww checks this as you add each container, and highlights any container that doesn't match, with the reason, so you can remove it before you continue. If one of the containers has a duty event that's still being processed, wait a moment and try again.

The summary shows how many containers you've selected and the total volume available to package from.

Next, select at least one of the types of container you're packaging into:

• Have you packaged into your own tracked containers?
• Have you packaged into non-returnable containers?
• Have you packaged into smallpack?

Finally, choose whether to package the Gross volume (the full volume of the container) or the Net volume (only the taxable volume). If you package the net volume, you can only package into smallpack products or products marked as bright.

Step 2: packaging into your own tracked containers

This step appears when you're packaging into your own tracked containers. Add the empty containers you're filling, using any of the methods above.

You can package into any container that is empty at your brewery, as long as there's a product for this beer in that container's size that fits the volume available. The container's recorded site or location doesn't matter, so if you're holding an empty keg, you can use it even if its location in Breww is out of date.

Each container in the table has an As product dropdown. It only lists products that come in that container's type, for this beer or a beer derived from it at packaging. When only one product matches, Breww chooses it for you. When more than one matches, choose the right product for each container. The summary shows how many containers still need a product choosing.

The summary also shows the volume you're packaging, the volume available and how much is left. If you've added more containers than the volume available can fill, the summary turns red and shows how much you're over. Breww allows a very small rounding margin for each container, so container sizes that don't divide exactly, such as three sixtels from a half barrel, don't stop you.

Non-returnable containers and smallpack

If you're packaging into non-returnable containers or smallpack, the next steps ask which product you packaged and how many.

Finishing the packaging

1. On Stock items used, check the stock items used, such as cans, boxes or keg caps. Stock items assigned to the products you've packaged are filled in for you.
2. On Additional details, if any beer is left over, say whether it was lost or is still in one of the containers you packaged from. Then enter When this was done and any Notes.
3. Review the summary, change the Best before date if you need to, and select Complete packaging.

If beer is left in a container you packaged from, that container becomes part-filled. To sell it, assign it to a part-filled product, as described in Using part-filled products.