Methods of transporting decarbonated liquid

Abstract

A method of transporting a decarbonated beer base liquid may comprise packaging said decarbonated beer in package having a non-rigid wall defining an internal orifice wherein said decarbonated beer base liquid is hermetically sealed in said internal orifice. The method may further comprise stacking said packages in a geometrically efficient manner based on a flat-sided geometry of said package, and transporting said stacked packages. Another method of transporting a decarbonated beer base liquid may comprise packaging a decarbonated beer base liquid comprising at least about 0.1% wt ethyl alcohol, at least about 3% wt malt extract solids, and a carbon dioxide level between about zero grams per liter and about 1.5 grams per liter in a package having a non-rigid wall; and transporting said packages.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transporting a decarbonated cereal base liquid, comprising:
 packaging said decarbonated cereal base liquid in a package having a non-rigid wall defining an internal orifice wherein said decarbonated cereal base liquid is sealed in said internal orifice;   stacking said packages in a geometrically efficient manner based on a geometry of said package; and   transporting said stacked packages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cereal base liquid is hermetically sealed in said internal orifice. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said geometry of said package comprises a flat-sided geometry. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said geometrically efficient manner eliminates gaps between said packages when stacked. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting at least one structural stacking divider between a group of said packages. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said decarbonated cereal base liquid comprises at least about 0.1% wt ethyl alcohol, at least about 3% wt malt extract solids, and a carbon dioxide level between about zero grams per liter and about 1.5 grams per liter. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-rigid wall of said package comprises a tetrapack structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said tetrapack structure comprises a multi-layer laminate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said multi-layer laminate comprises:
 a first polyethylene layer;   a paper layer;   a second polyethylene layer;   an aluminum foil layer;   a polyethylene adhesion layer; and   a third polyethylene layer.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each package comprises a seal extending along a seam of the non-rigid wall and providing an oxygen bather. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the seal comprises a sealing strip comprising at least one layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sealing strip further comprises at least one layer of polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sealing strip comprises a layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol sandwiched between layers of polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-rigid wall of said package comprises a flexible retort pack. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said flexible retort pack comprises a gusseted base configured to facilitate a vertical orientation of said package. 
     
     
         16 . A method of transporting a decarbonated beer base liquid, comprising:
 packaging a decarbonated beer base liquid comprising at least about 0.1% wt ethyl alcohol, at least about 3% wt malt extract solids, and a carbon dioxide level between about zero grams per liter and about 1.5 grams per liter in a package having a non-rigid wall; and   transporting said packages.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 stacking said packages in a geometrically efficient manner based on a geometry of said package; and   transporting said stacked packages.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said beer base liquid is hermetically sealed in said package. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said geometry of said package comprises a flat-sided geometry. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said geometrically efficient manner is configured to eliminate gaps between said packages when stacked. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising inserting at least one structural stacking divider between a group of said packages. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises an apparent extract between −1 Degree Plato to 8 Degree Plato, with at least 50% of the apparent extract coming from cereal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises less than about 6 International Bitterness Units. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises less than about 3 International Bitterness Units. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises an ethyl alcohol level of at least 0.5% wt. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises an ethyl alcohol level of at least 1% wt. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid further comprises an ethyl alcohol level between about 3% wt and about 12% wt. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the decarbonated beer base liquid is contained within packages having a volume between about 0.5 liter and about 10 liters.