Leland Brewing is based in Leland, NC, just outside Wilmington. It offers 10 beers year-round, as well as seasonal specials and draft-only options. The brewery uses compressed air and nitrogen gas in multiple ways. Compressed air powers its canning line, grain hopper and keg washer, and feeds into its nitrogen generator. Compressed air is supplied by an oil-injected, air-cooled, rotary screw air compressor, which is located outside the brewery under an awning.
Until recently, Leland Brewing used carbon dioxide (CO2) for all operations where beer needed to be kept away from oxygen to maintain freshness, as well as for carbonating the beer. But the brewery is located near the North Wilmington, NC, headquarters of South-Tek Systems, and that led to an opportunity with a product the company was developing.
“One day, they approached us and said, ‘We’re looking for someone to beta test a new unit for the next three months. It’d be no cost to you. If you like it, we’ll give you a good deal on it. If you don’t like it, we’ll put it back on our truck and take it back with us,” said Leland Brewing Head Brewer Brian Quade.
The beta test was for South-Tek’s N2GEN-FLEX system, and the test began in September 2024. As the company’s first multi-bed, modular, nitrogen gas generation system, it was designed as a cost-effective offering for smaller companies.
The first thing Quade noticed after starting the beta test was how the brewery’s CO2 costs declined. Even when the brewery increased production, its costs stayed low. The brewery has two 750 pound storage tanks for CO2, which it has delivered. Supplementing with generated N2 means it’s able to keep CO2 costs stable even as its output grows.
The beta test ended in January 2025. Quade saw a significant decrease in CO2 use during testing, leading to a $200 per month savings.
“During the beta test, we learned the service interval on the filter change-out is optimum at six months,”said Mike Dolan, Director of Sales and Marketing, South-Tek Systems. “Also, we were able to make a couple of improvements to the system, allowing for service personnel or the customer to service the unit in a small way without having to break the whole unit down.” The product was commercially released in November 2024.
Read the full article at Compressed Air Best Practices. To learn more about how South-Tek can provide a tailored solution for your needs, contact us.