Mac & Jack's Keg Collar Beer Packaging Solution

A Pacific Northwest Craft Brewing Staple

Founded in 1993 by Mac Rankin and Jack Schropp, Mac & Jack’s Brewing Company is a craft brewing staple in the Pacific Northwest. Mac & Jack’s began as a humble home brewery in Jack’s garage and has quickly grown in prominence and popularity over the years, being recognized as the 39^th largest craft brewery in the country in 2010 based on volume sold. They are notably known for their African Amber Ale, which accounts for nearly 95 percent of production. In fact, it’s one of the best-selling craft beers in Washington. Now based in Redmond, WA, the craft brewery is still owned and operated by Mac and Jack and retains a total of 20 employees.

Consistency Matters — For Your Brand and Business

Brand recognition is extremely important in the competitive craft beer world, and color consistency plays a key role in making sure a brand is recognized. 

Mac & Jack’s is primarily available on tap, and as such, the keg collar that is affixed to the top of each keg is one of the few pieces of printed material seen by the consumer or distribution partner that represents the brand. With such high stakes, it became crucial that the color of the keg collars remained consistent throughout the production run to maintain the Mack & Jack’s brand experience.

When Mac & Jack’s began experiencing issues achieving color consistency on their keg collars with their existing printing method, they turned to The BoxMaker for a reliable and repeatable solution.

Craft the Perfect Packaging Solution 

The BoxMaker took on the challenge of exploring solutions to address Mac & Jack’s keg collar woes. With a consultative approach, our Packaging Advisors were able to identify the printing challenges that were causing inconsistent color results and propose an effective solution. 

In 2016, The BoxMaker purchased an Indigo WS6800 narrow-web press to produce digitally printed labels and other products. This press features an inline spectrophotometer with closed loop color management. In English, this means the press measures color as it comes off the press and adjusts itself throughout the run to produce a consistent color result.

By partnering with The BoxMaker and leveraging the cutting-edge technologies of the Indigo Press, Mac & Jack’s could rest assured knowing the color of their keg collars would be consistent from the first impression to the last, and from print run to print run.

Color You Can Depend On 

Color is one of the main identifiers we use to differentiate between brands, helping beer connoisseurs and casual fans alike to recognize Mac & Jack’s out of the many options on tap.

The BoxMaker delivered on our promise of color consistency, dependability, and excellent service with our keg collars—exceeding the expectations of the Mac & Jack’s team and creating a craft beer packaging solution that we’re incredibly proud of. As a result, The BoxMaker has been awarded the opportunity to produce new keg collar artwork for additional Mac & Jack’s craft beer varieties.

“Dennis Stokes from The BoxMaker solved our quality and color management issues for our keg collars,” says Jacob Moe, Production Supervisor at Mac & Jack’s. “Quality products, friendly relations, and integrity are all qualities I believe to be consistent with both Dennis and The BoxMaker.”

Partner With Your Pacific Northwest Custom Packaging Experts

Craft breweries throughout the Pacific Northwest trust The BoxMaker with their beer (and cider!) packaging needs. With six locations throughout Washington and Oregon, our Packaging Advisors are here to answer any questions you may have and craft innovation solutions to elevate your brand experience. Cheers to that! 

Reach out to our team today to get started on your next project.