Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What is the most cost-effective way to produce small quantities of sample cans (e.g. 100–150) with sealed liquid?
For small-batch sample cans, members suggest two practical routes: - **Partner with a local craft brewery** — The most straightforward approach is to befriend a nearby craft brewery and ask them to run a small batch for you. They have the canning equipment and may be willing to do a short run, though this works best if your can size (e.g. 150ml) matches equipment they already have. - **Partner with a local RTD cocktail producer** — Members mentioned reaching out to established RTD (ready-to-drink) drinks companies in your region as an alternative. These producers typically have flexible canning lines and experience with small-batch orders. Members noted that hand crimpers to manually seal cans are theoretically possible but appear to be rarely used in practice; befriending existing producers is the go-to tactic rather than investing in bespoke equipment for a one-off sample run. **Caveat:** Can size (150ml vs standard sizes) can be a constraint—smaller or non-standard formats may be harder to source from established producers, so confirm they have the right tooling before approaching.
Where can we find co-packers or fill-line suppliers for small-volume sugar syrup filling?
Members seeking co-packers for 20,000-unit runs of 4–5cl sugar syrups have had success with a small group of named suppliers. **Bristol Syrup** and **William Fox** came up as established options. **RED Distillery** also indicated willingness to handle this type of work (contact via DM for specifics). One member flagged that suitable suppliers may be Europe-based rather than exclusively UK-located. The community appears to have a handful of proven options, but volumes in the 20,000-unit range sit at a threshold where availability and lead times vary—direct outreach to each supplier is recommended to confirm current capacity.