Are drinkers ready to join the refill revolution?

Are you ready to take a container along to your local bottle shop to have it re-filled with beer, wine or spirits?

In Britain it is already happening.

Adnams, a brewer, distiller, and wine merchant based in the delightful Suffolk coastal village of Southwold, has introduced refillable beer, wine and gin to its high street stores in a bid to champion sustainability.

The new branded refill bottles for beer, wine and gin will be available in four stores initially.

Adnams Ghost Ship ale will be available via the refill stations, as well as the brewer’s Kobold lager.

Two new wines, an Argentine malbec from Zuccardi and a Marlborough sauvignon blanc from Te Whetu under theTaringi label, are available in 500ml and 1-litre bottles, as well as Copper House Gin.

"Launching a refill option in our stores has been so exciting for us," said Alex Hemen, head of retail at Adnams, which also runs several pubs and hotels, told the Drinks Business.

“It will enable our customers to enjoy our award-winning beers, wines, and spirits in a new, sustainable format, and enhances their purchasing choices.

“Our refill option is kinder to the environment and offers great value too – a perfect combination.”

Angharad Elliman, sales activity manager at Adnams, said: “We are absolutely loving being part of the refill movement and it’s great to see so many of our customers getting on board.”

The Adnams website says: "Our new In-store refill stations offer you the opportunity to purchase a range of Adnams products in a refillable container. We are reducing your waste, not your choice, so this sustainable way of shopping is available on a selection of beers, wines, and spirits.

"Simply visit participating Adnams stores with your empty Copper House Gin bottle or purchase our special refillable bottles for beer or wine and become part of the refill revolution."

"We will also be using KeyKegs to dispense our two wines. The wine is only in contact with the specially designed laminated inner bag. It is never exposed to the propellant gas, so it retains its flavour and quality for much longer. Specialised wine research centres such as the renowned Geisenheim Institute have tested and proved the superiority of KeyKegs against other forms of packaging.

KeyKegs are made from 100% recycled plastic, they are highly recyclable themselves and their compact design means they can be transported more efficiently than glass, cutting Co2 emissions, and reducing secondary waste such as cardboard."

Adnams has been an independent brewer for over 150 years and boasts as "sustainability" ethos. 

In Australia, Mike Bennie reports that his P&V outlet in Sydney is into its fourth year of a recyclable tap/keg wine bottle program. 

So the inner west of Sydney is ready.