Mobile Canning vs In-House Canning: When Should Breweries Make the Switch?

For many growing breweries, mobile canning is a practical first step. It allows breweries to package beer in cans without investing in a full canning line right away.

But as production volume increases, mobile canning can become harder to manage. Scheduling limits, service fees, packaging delays, and less control over quality can all affect your operation. At some point, bringing canning in-house may become a smarter long-term decision.

This guide explains when it may make sense to move from mobile canning to an in-house canning line, including cost, production volume, facility requirements, wastewater planning, and can-size flexibility.

Quick Answer

A brewery should consider moving to an in-house canning line when mobile canning costs, scheduling delays, and packaging volume begin to limit growth.

For some breweries, this point may appear around 1,500 to 2,000 cases per month, but the right timing depends on local mobile canning rates, labor cost, financing terms, utility capacity, available floor space, and product mix.

An in-house canning line gives breweries more control over scheduling, quality, packaging flexibility, and long-term cost per can.

What Is an In-House Canning Line?

An in-house canning line is a fixed equipment system used to package beer, cider, hard seltzer, cold brew, or other beverages into aluminum cans directly at the production facility.

Unlike mobile canning services, which bring temporary equipment to your brewery on scheduled dates, an in-house canning line is installed as part of your production workflow.

A typical fixed canning line may include:

• Empty can depalletizer
• Twist rinser
• Filler and seamer
• Lid applicator
• Post-fill rinse station
• Drying tunnel or air knife
• Labeling or date coding equipment
• Conveyors and accumulation tables

This setup connects to your brewery’s utilities, including power, compressed air, CO2, water, and drainage. With the right layout, it can create a more consistent and efficient packaging process.

Why Breweries Move from Mobile Canning to In-House Packaging

Mobile canning helps many breweries enter the canned beverage market quickly. It reduces the need for major upfront investment and gives smaller producers access to professional packaging equipment.

However, as demand grows, mobile canning may create operational challenges.

Breweries often consider in-house canning when they want:

• More flexible packaging schedules
• Better control over product freshness
• Lower long-term cost per can
• More control over dissolved oxygen and seam quality
• Faster response to seasonal or limited releases
• More independence from third-party scheduling
• Better integration with their cellar, brite tanks, and cold storage

As the market continues to favor cans over bottles, the ability to package on demand can become a major advantage. Instead of waiting for a mobile canning provider, breweries can package when the beer is ready and when the market needs it.

When Does In-House Canning Start to Make Sense?

There is no single number that works for every brewery. The decision depends on your production volume, canning frequency, staffing, financing options, and available facility space.

However, in-house canning often starts to make sense when:

• You package cans every week or multiple times per month
• Mobile canning fees are becoming a major monthly expense
• You are waiting too long for available mobile canning dates
• Beer is sitting in tanks longer than planned
• You want more control over packaging quality
• You are expanding distribution or taproom to-go sales
• You need more flexibility with can sizes and product formats

A useful way to evaluate the decision is to compare your current monthly mobile canning cost with the estimated monthly cost of owning or financing a fixed canning line.

This should include:

• Equipment payment or lease cost
• Labor cost
• Cans, lids, labels, PakTechs, trays, or cartons
• Utility usage
• Maintenance parts
• Cleaning chemicals
• Wastewater handling
• Available floor space

If the monthly cost of mobile canning is close to or higher than the total monthly cost of in-house packaging, it may be time to seriously evaluate a fixed system.

Main Buying Factors to Consider

1. Production Volume and Break-Even Point

The first question is whether your packaging volume is consistent enough to support an in-house line.

A brewery with occasional canning needs may still benefit from mobile service. But a brewery with regular canning runs may find that owning a line creates better long-term value.

Instead of looking only at the equipment price, calculate your total packaging cost per can. Compare mobile canning fees with your expected in-house cost, including labor, materials, utilities, maintenance, and financing.

2. Facility Layout and Floor Space

A canning line needs more than the machine itself. You also need space for can intake, filled-can outfeed, case packing, pallets, operators, and safe movement around the line.

Before purchasing equipment, review your floor plan from an overhead layout view. This helps identify where cans enter the line, where filled products exit, and how staff will move during production.

Poor layout planning can create bottlenecks, slow down production, and reduce the benefit of bringing canning in-house.

3. Utility Requirements

An in-house canning line needs reliable utilities. These may include:

• Electrical power
• Compressed air
• CO2
• Water supply
• Drainage
• Space for cleaning and sanitation

Some systems may require 220V power, three-phase power, or a larger air compressor. Requirements vary by equipment size and speed, so it is important to confirm utility needs before installation.

4. Wastewater and pH Management

Canning produces wastewater from rinsing, cleaning, and sanitation. Breweries must understand how this wastewater will be handled before installing a fixed line.

Depending on your local sanitary district, you may need to monitor or manage:

• pH level
• Temperature
• Organic load
• Cleaning chemical discharge
• Floor drainage capacity

This is often overlooked during planning. Checking wastewater requirements early can help avoid delays, fines, or unexpected facility upgrades.

5. Can Size Flexibility

Consumer demand changes quickly. Many beverage producers now need more than one can format.

A flexible canning line may support:

• 12 oz standard cans
• 16 oz cans
• Slim cans
• Sleek cans
• 19.2 oz stovepipe cans

If your brewery plans to package different beverages or expand into new formats, choose a system that can handle multiple can sizes with reasonable changeover time.

6. Quality Control

One of the biggest benefits of in-house canning is direct control over quality.

Your team can monitor:

• Fill level
• Seam quality
• Dissolved oxygen
• Rinse performance
• Can pressure
• Label placement
• Date coding
• Packaging consistency

This control can help protect product freshness, reduce loss, and improve customer confidence.

Mobile Canning vs In-House Canning Comparison

Feature	Mobile Canning Service	In-House Fixed Canning Line
Upfront Cost	Lower startup cost	Higher equipment investment
Cost Per Can	Higher service-based cost	Lower long-term packaging cost
Scheduling	Depends on provider availability	Flexible, on-demand scheduling
Labor	Service team may assist	Brewery staff required
Quality Control	Less direct control	Full control over seam checks, DO, and process
Wastewater	Provider may help manage runoff	Brewery must manage effluent
Can Size Flexibility	Depends on provider setup	Can be configured for multiple formats
Expansion Potential	Limited by service availability	Can scale with brewery growth

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Underestimating Wastewater Requirements

Many breweries focus on the filler and seamer but overlook drainage and wastewater planning. Before installation, confirm local discharge rules and make sure your facility can manage cleaning and rinse water properly.

Ignoring Workflow and Footprint

A fixed canning line needs a clear workflow. If cans, staff, and pallets do not move efficiently, production can become slower than expected. Always plan the full packaging area, not just the machine footprint.

Buying Only for Today’s Can Size

A line that only supports one can format may limit future growth. If your brewery may package slim cans, 16 oz cans, or larger formats later, confirm compatibility before purchasing.

Overlooking Labor Needs

Even automated canning lines need trained operators. Your team will need to manage setup, monitoring, quality checks, packaging outfeed, cleaning, and basic maintenance.

Focusing Only on Equipment Price

The lowest-priced line is not always the lowest-cost option. Downtime, poor support, slow changeovers, and limited flexibility can cost more over time.

How Redwood Stainless Can Help

Redwood Stainless helps breweries plan and install fixed canning systems that match their production goals, floor space, utility capacity, and packaging needs.

Our canning lines are designed for microbreweries and growing beverage producers that need reliable filling, seaming, rinsing, and conveying in a compact footprint.

We can support your project with:

• Equipment selection
• Layout planning
• Utility requirement review
• Can-size compatibility planning
• Canning line integration
• Future expansion planning

Whether you are moving away from mobile canning or expanding your current packaging capacity, Redwood Stainless can help you design a practical in-house canning solution for your brewery.

FAQ

How much does an in-house canning line cost?

Pricing depends on speed, automation level, configuration, can-size requirements, and supporting equipment. A reliable in-house system can require a significant upfront investment, but many breweries evaluate the cost through financing, leasing, or long-term cost-per-can savings.

When should a brewery stop using mobile canning?

A brewery should consider switching when mobile canning costs, scheduling delays, or production limitations begin to affect growth. If you are canning regularly and your monthly mobile canning spend is close to the cost of financing a permanent system, it may be time to review an in-house option.

Do I need a full-time operator for an in-house canning line?

Most canning lines require at least one trained operator, and many operations benefit from two or more staff members depending on speed, packaging format, and outfeed process.

Can one canning line handle both standard and slim cans?

Yes, many modern canning lines can be configured to handle multiple can sizes. However, changeover requirements vary by system, so it is important to confirm can diameter, height, and tooling compatibility before purchasing.

What utilities are needed for an in-house canning line?

Common utility needs include power, compressed air, CO2, water, and drainage. Larger or faster systems may require more electrical capacity, stronger air supply, and better wastewater handling.

Is in-house canning better than mobile canning?

It depends on your brewery’s volume and goals. Mobile canning can be a good option for lower-volume or occasional packaging. In-house canning is often better for breweries that need regular packaging, flexible scheduling, stronger quality control, and better long-term cost management.

Final Thoughts

Mobile canning is a valuable option for many breweries, especially in the early stages of growth. But as packaging volume increases, the limits of mobile service can become more noticeable.

An in-house canning line can give breweries more control over scheduling, product freshness, quality checks, can-size flexibility, and long-term packaging costs.

The best time to make the switch is when the numbers, facility layout, and production goals all support the move.

Ready to evaluate whether an in-house canning line makes sense for your brewery? Contact Redwood Stainless to discuss canning equipment options, facility layout, and future packaging plans.