Ullage......

[WalesAles]

Hello Boys and Girls,
Ullage is important, or not?
Went to a new local Micro Brewery today (no names in case they read this).
Bought 10 bottles of beer, 6 different types.
I`ve had 5 today (330ml bottles) each one has poured with no head, no bubbles and they were filled right to the bottom of the cap.
No hiss on opening.
This Brewery has only been open for a month yet they are supplying local pubs with these beers.
Would they have carbonated by then?
The beers taste OK but look rubbish in the glass.
I would not post a pic on JBK if they were mine.
What is going on?

WA

[Jambo]

I had to google ullage I don't know the answer though!

[fego]

My guess is they either forgot to add primer to their feeder tank when bottling or didn't mix it well enough and you got the bottles with no primer. Doesn't explain filling to the cap though, that's amateur.
I'd take them back and explain your experience to help them fix the problems before they build the wrong kind of reputation.

[joe1002]

You need some head space to get the carbonation. No or little head space will result in low carbonation.

[Ulsterman]

Is it not the speed of carbonation that is effected by the size of the headspace? I have always believed that a little oxygen allows the yeast to work and results in carbonation sooner but it will still happen but takes longer with little headspace. Also thought the bigger problem with lack of headspace is the possibility of bottle bombs if bottled below room temp and then allowed to rise to room temp with nowhere for beer to expand?

[jaroporter]

You need some head space to get the carbonation. No or little head space will result in low carbonation.

Why is this? I'd suggest that less headspace would more likely result in a higher carbed as more co2 stays in the beer than the airspace.. ?

[kev93_10]

Ullage has absolutely nothing to do with the headspace in a bottle and certainly nothing to do with carbonation.

K


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[Jambo]

Ullage has absolutely nothing to do with the headspace in a bottle and certainly nothing to do with carbonation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullage
Indeed - it seems the word has quite different definitions depending on context - the definition in the beer world being residue in a keg while the definition in the wine world is more what the OP was meaning, I believe.

[AFewTooMany]

Are they actually bottle conditioned? Otherwise head space and priming sugar is irrelevant as they'll be 'force carbed'. I would take a note of the batch numbers and ping them an email so they can check the batches and recall stock if need be. You might get some free beer out of it too to make up for the error...

In my work any beer which is unfit for sale but in date is deemed ullage. This means the volume of beer is noted as it is disposed of so the duty can be claimed back.

[kev93_10]

Ullage has absolutely nothing to do with the headspace in a bottle and certainly nothing to do with carbonation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullage
Indeed - it seems the word has quite different definitions depending on context - the definition in the beer world being residue in a keg while the definition in the wine world is more what the OP was meaning, I believe.

Fair point

K


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[WalesAles]

Are they actually bottle conditioned? Otherwise head space and priming sugar is irrelevant as they'll be 'force carbed'. I would take a note of the batch numbers and ping them an email so they can check the batches and recall stock if need be. You might get some free beer out of it too to make up for the error...

In my work any beer which is unfit for sale but in date is deemed ullage. This means the volume of beer is noted as it is disposed of so the duty can be claimed back.

AFTM,
No batch no`s, labels put on by hand and beer names and ABV written on label in black felt pen!
Even my labels (and caps) look 10 times better!
I will go back and talk to them with my findings just in case they are getting bad feedback.
Take a bottle of my Earl Grey Stout as a pointer! Only 2 weeks in the bottle and it is better than any of theirs!

WA

[McMullan]

Crafty

[Andy]

Sounds like they don't know what they're doing (or whoever is doing the bottling doesn't).