From peak capacity and reduced beer loss to central distribution and longer shelf life
Over the past years, Duotank has equipped several stadiums in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany with tank beer systems. In some stadiums, tank beer was incorporated into the design from the construction stage. At other venues, we converted an existing keg-based setup to tank beer.
Although every stadium is different, we consistently see the same advantages in practice. For breweries, caterers, stadium operators and ultimately consumers, tank beer can make a significant difference.
So why does tank beer work particularly well in a stadium environment?
A stadium is a prime example of a venue with major peaks and troughs in beer consumption. During a football match, concert or other event, a large volume of beer is dispensed within a relatively short period.
Within that period there are moments when demand rises even further. Think of half-time during a football match or an interval during a concert. Thousands of visitors may want a drink at almost exactly the same time.
At those moments, everything has to work. Staff need to focus on serving, beer flow must remain stable, the beer must stay cold and unnecessary beer loss should be kept to a minimum. This is exactly where a well-designed tank beer system comes into its own.
A good example is the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam, where Duotank recently installed new tank beer systems. The installation demonstrates how tank beer can be organised on a stadium scale: large volumes are stored centrally and distributed from the tank rooms through an extensive system to the various dispensing points throughout the stadium.
The Johan Cruijff ArenA has 56 x 10 HL tanks within its tank beer concept. This represents a total tank capacity of 56,000 litres.
A key difference between kegs and tank beer is the available volume. While a traditional keg may contain 50 litres, a stadium installation can use 1,000-litre tanks. One tank therefore represents the same volume as 20 x 50-litre kegs.
During a major event, staff no longer have to continuously disconnect empty kegs and connect full ones. Every keg change takes time, requires internal logistics and can temporarily interrupt beer flow.
Tank beer eliminates many of these actions. Attention can remain where it belongs during peak demand: pouring beer and serving visitors as quickly as possible.
Tank beer can also significantly reduce beer loss. When changing a keg, the newly connected keg and beer line need to be brought back into operation, during which beer may be lost. Kegs may also be changed before they are completely empty, for example ahead of an expected peak in demand.
In a Duotank bag-in-tank system, the beer is contained in an airtight inliner. This flexible inner bag is progressively compressed while dispensing, allowing virtually the entire available volume to be used.
Fewer changeovers therefore mean not only less work, but also fewer moments at which beer can be lost.
There is often a week or more between events in a stadium. This makes the remaining shelf life of connected beer particularly important.
In Duotank's bag-in-tank system, the beer remains sealed from the outside air. Compressed air is used only on the outside of the inliner to push the beer out of the tank; it does not come into direct contact with the beer.
As a result, connected beer can remain usable for considerably longer. Provided the applicable shelf-life and quality requirements are met, beer remaining in the tank can be used at the next event. This helps prevent large quantities of connected beer from being wasted after every event.
Capacity is not only about how much beer is available. It is equally important that the beer reaches the bars reliably.
A central tank beer system can supply multiple bars and dispensing points from one or more tank rooms. Individual bars therefore do not need to manage their own keg stock. At the Johan Cruijff ArenA, the large number of beer lines distributing beer from the tank room to different parts of the stadium can clearly be seen.
This central setup helps maintain a stable and consistent beer flow, especially during extreme peaks. For visitors, that ultimately means fast service and a properly poured, cold beer.
A traditional keg system requires considerable internal logistics. Full kegs have to be transported to the various points of sale before and during an event, while empty kegs have to be collected and removed afterwards.
Central beer tanks can eliminate many of these movements. This means less internal transport, less keg storage around the bars and less physical strain on employees. In large stadiums, where distances between storage areas and points of sale can be substantial, this can provide an important operational advantage.
Large events are all about speed, but speed should never come at the expense of beer quality. A tank beer installation is therefore designed as a complete system: from cooled storage to distribution and dispensing.
The beer remains protected from contact with oxygen inside the airtight inliner. In addition, no CO₂ is added to the beer to push it out of the tank. This helps preserve the beer's original carbonation, flavour and quality.
The system also offers practical benefits in terms of sustainability and working conditions. Duotank uses compressed air on the outside of the inliner to dispense the beer, rather than CO₂ coming into direct contact with the beer.
Because employees need to move and change far fewer heavy full kegs, physical strain is reduced. Less handling also means fewer internal logistical movements. Operational efficiency, sustainability and improved working conditions therefore come together in one system.
For Duotank, the benefits of tank beer in stadiums are not theoretical. Over the years, we have equipped several major stadiums with tank beer installations.
The projects below show how much the scale can vary: from 12 x 10 HL tanks to 56 x 10 HL tanks per stadium.
This experience has taught Duotank a great deal about the specific requirements of stadium installations. Total tank capacity is only one part of the equation. The combination of storage, cooling, distribution, peak capacity and the number of dispensing points ultimately determines how well an installation performs during an event.
That is why, in a stadium, we look beyond the beer tanks themselves and consider the complete tank beer system: from central beer storage all the way to the glass at the bar.
The strength of tank beer in a stadium does not lie in one single advantage. It is the combination of benefits that makes the system so effective.
A stadium requires large volumes in a short period, reliable capacity during extreme peaks and an efficient operation before, during and after the event.
Our stadium projects in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany show how these benefits come together on a large scale. From installations with 12 tanks to projects with more than 50 tanks, every stadium requires a system in which storage, cooling, distribution and dispensing capacity are carefully matched.
Ultimately, the most important result is simple: during those few crucial minutes, thousands of visitors need to receive a properly poured, cold beer as quickly as possible.
That is exactly why tank beer works so well in stadiums.