Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer, is on a continuous mission to blend heritage and tradition with innovation.

While its 17th century heritage secures its place in history as the country’s longest-standing brewer, they aren’t resting on their laurels and are continuing to innovate and break new ground in the 21st century.

The Challenge

Ian Barsby, Head of Beer Quality and Dispense Services at Shepherd Neame, oversees the brewery’s pub estate and free trade.

Among other things, he is responsible for ensuring that every pint pours perfectly from keg to glass. Achieving this is both an art and a science; a combination of frequent cleaning, correct temperatures, flow rates, pressures, equipment and glassware.

Despite years of refinement, Ian still faced challenges when it came to fobbing and  wastage that resulted from keg changes and line cleaning.

Shepherd Neame needed a solution that would continue to maintain the high quality of every pint poured and reduce wastage.

The DFx Solution

In late 2022, Shepherd Neame began discussions with DFx to address these challenges.

Our Intelligent Dispense (ID) system was installed at Jamaica Wine House, featuring 40 taps, and connected to our LiveView Cloud to enable remote diagnostics monitoring and control of the system 24/7.

Intelligent Dispense is our all-in-one dispense system that manages every aspect of beverage dispense, using advanced algorithms and high-resolution sensors to control precisely how product flows through the system from keg to tap.

“That’s what the system seems to have done, it’s kept the beer cold right the way through from the coupler to the tap and we aren’t getting the fobbing that we may have got in other systems. The waste is reduced and the line cleaning is extended because the system prevents bacteria from growing, all in all its been a win win”. 

Game-Changing Benefits:

• Reduced Wastage & Fobbing: The Intelligent Dispense (ID) system maintains a consistent cold temperature from the coupler to the tap, minimising beer loss and improving pour quality.
• Extended Line Cleaning Intervals: The system reduces the need for regular line cleaning, by preventing bacterial growth. This has saved time, money and resources.
• Remote Diagnostics & Technician Efficiency: Technicians can access the system online via our LiveView Cloud, allowing them to diagnose and solve many common issues remotely and thereby avoiding the need for expensive and unnecessary site visits.
• Enhanced Cooling Technology: The system ensures complete cooling from keg to tap thereby significantly improving overall beer quality.
• Energy & Cost Savings: As part of Shepherd Neame’s energy-saving programme, the DFx system contributes to reduced electricity and water consumption, further optimising operational costs.

“That’s just the icing on the cake that gives us a bit more energy saving and obviously helps reduce energy costs… saving on water usage and electricity”.

Implementation & Experience

The transition to the Intelligent Dispense (ID) system has been game changing for Shepherd Neame.

Ian Barsby praised the collaboration, noting how the DFx team actively listened to feedback and implemented suggestions, providing them with a solution that was configured to meet their specific needs.

We design and manufacture our ID systems in-house and we work with our clients to create a bespoke solution for them. We are thrilled to have been able to help Shepherd Neame achieve their goals and be part of their long-standing and continuing history.

In Summary

Shepherd Neame recognises that as Britain’s oldest brewer, it needs to continue to innovate in order to survive, just as it has for the past 300 years.

Implementing DFx Intelligent Dispense is their latest step towards modernising their pub estate. Innovation is crucial to being a market leader in this day and age, our ID system has enabled Shepherd Neame to pave the way for the modern brewer, whilst keeping their tradition of serving a quality product to their customers.

The partnership with DFx has ensured that Britain’s oldest brewer remains at the forefront of modern beverage dispense, enabling them to serve top-quality beer, while reducing waste and achieving greater operational efficiency.

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