Isuzu Commercial Truck of America developed a new craft beer truck in collaboration with Summit Truck Bodies. Isuzu’s Ultimate Craft Beer Truck debuted in 2019 and is a dual-purpose vehicle that helps connect all the facets of the craft brewery business. It gives breweries the ability to make their regular deliveries and to promote their beer at live events as a weekday workhorse and a weekend party machine.
“Most people associate work trucks with box trucks, sweepers, and dumps, but the Ultimate Craft Beer Truck is synonymous with delivering fun,” said Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “The customers that have bought them have enjoyed a lot of success and we constantly get questions about the truck and if there’s one available.”
The truck’s design also challenged Isuzu’s partner to consider how they engineered their insulated body for a new market while maximizing the features available to users, commented Ted Croce, president of Summit Truck Bodies.
The Isuzu Ultimate Craft Beer Truck starts with a Class 5 (19,500-lb GVWR) diesel-powered Isuzu NRR. The 5.2-liter I4 turbocharged engine generates 215 hp and 452 lb-ft of torque. It also features a B10 durability rating of 375,000 miles, and the chassis offers plenty of payload for weekly deliveries. The Class 5 chassis also doesn’t require a commercial drivers license to operate.
The truck’s low-cab-forward design provides drivers a view of the ground as little as eight feet from the front of the truck. The truck’s maneuverability also makes navigating tight city quarters a breeze, something that is much more challenging in a conventional cab.
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The Ultimate Craft Beer Truck also includes the following features:
A 16-ft. Summit insulated body (16’ long by 90” high by 96” wide) that is cooled with a Thermo King 690R with electric standby. The walls are made with compressed foam, and inside, the smooth walls, keg-height e-track, and insulated aluminum floor has ample space for kegs and crates while keeping the product refrigerated. The electric standby provides flexibility in loading the truck in the evening for the next morning’s delivery, all while keeping the product cold.
A 2,500-lb. Maxon TE-25L tuck-away liftgate with side steps to help ease loading and unloading. Its capacity and platform are large enough for a loaded pallet jack.
Two toolboxes (one on each side) provide storage for the reefer power cord and event materials.
A 13-ft power retractable awning on the driver's side, as well as LED lighting to keep the area below illuminated at night.
The new tap system’s insert has been redesigned to incorporate the Isuzu logo and a numbering system for the 8 Perlick 650SS taps. It is taller than previous generations to accommodate larger tap handles, and it is deeper so the drip tray can catch the overpour easier. This also gives more room for pitchers and glasses. The drip tray also incorporates a glass rinser that uses a 5-gallon Corny keg hooked to the system’s gas and drains to a 15-gallon grey water tank that can later be dumped. The tap door is locked with two latches and the lights and awning are controlled with switches, allowing setup or tear down in 10 minutes or less.
Finally, the truck features a new dual-gas tap system. This new system lets servers pour with CO2 or Nitrogen simultaneously. The taps are customizable, and with individual pressure gauges on each tap, users can dial in the right pressure for each beverage. And if the audience prefers a bomber or a can, the new body incorporates a “Bomber Door” for quick access to cold packaged beverages inside the refrigerated body.