Thursday, November 5, 2009

"Jolly Pumpkin and NPBC........."

Sean and I went to lunch at The Jolly Pumpkin, located adjacent to Bower's Inn, on Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City, MI. These restaurants are also owned by the company that owns The Blue Tractor, where Sean is chef.


The company also owns North Peak Brewing Company (NPBC). This is the bottling plant behind The Jolly Pumpkin. Sean was given the Ok to take me in for a tour......


The vats of the "bubbling brew"......

I thought the brewery looked pretty small from the outside (one half of the building is a reception hall), but seemed much larger when inside.


They were set up to bottle Majestic, their wheat beer.


Pallets of bare, empty bottles waiting for "production time".....


This shows the bottles heading towards the label machine.


Same thing but closer, showing how the bottles are "at the gate" and being herded into single file. I'm sure you realize that these words are mine and certainly NOT the real or technical ones used "in the business". LOL


Sean next to the labeling machine.......


From the labeling machine to the washer/sterilizer......


And then to the "filler"........


The bottles then continue their way out onto a line which leads to their being put into their six packs and cases.


Which is VERY close to where they started their little trip. :)


I know this was a very long post, but hope you thought it worthy of a single day. It seemed to make more sense to me to have the whole bottling process in sequence. I found the brewery to be very interesting.

2 comments:

Barb said...

very cool! Not surprisingly, the machines look just like what I've seen at wineries. I guess there aren't that many ways to get liquid into a bottle. :)

Molly Bee said...

Fun! That looks like a great place to go!