What Contract Bottling can we do?
We specialise in contract bottling beer in both short and big runs of just 800ltrs upwards.
Our contract bottling machine allows us to fill various sizes of glass bottles. Our typical runs are both 330ml and 500ml bottles, but, we can fill 750ml, 1000ml and even 2000ml bottles.
A labeller is also in place along the bottling line. This enables us to label each bottle before we fill them, allowing you to recieve the complete finished product, ready for sale.
Once labelled, the bottles are sprayed with sterile water that has been passed through four filters. (limescale removal, carbon removal and two sterile 0.2 micron filters)
How is the bottle filled?
After the labels have been appled the bottles are evacuated with C02 to remove any oxygen before being pressurised up to 3.5 bar of C02.
The filling machine will then slowly allow the sterile filtered beer to trickle into the bottle as the beer is introduced at a slightly higher pressure of 4 bar, than the pressure already in the bottle from the C02.
Just prior to the crown cap being applied, the machine will do a second evacuation to ensure there is no oxygen lying between the fill level on the beer and the top of the bottle.
Finally a crown cap is then applied to your bottles. The bottles are then packed into cases of 8 or 12 (or 24 if 330ml bottles) before being shrink wrapped (we also offer eco friendly boxing) and palletised awaiting collection or delivery.
How we ensure a great yield
After each bottling run we blow any beer remaining in the lines or filters through with C02. This will ensure we maximise the yield for you.
We aim for no higher than a 10% loss. Our dedicated team take it personally on the rare occasion that this does happen.
There are some things you are able do helping us to increase the yield. Simply send us your beer after it has been fermented and chilled for a minimum of two days. Having had Finings Adjunct and Allclear C (or similar Isinglass based product) added in the recommended quantity. Furthermore, if you have a BBT (bright beer tank or conditioning tank) and you can afford to keep the beer a little longer, even better.
The brighter and cleaner the beer is sent to us, the better the yield you will get in return.
Indeed some customers leave their beer in a BBT for a further week after fermentation. They are then able to send us a crystal clear product. This can produce a loss of as little as 2%.
How to book a contract bottling slot with us
You simply get in touch with Bernard, our label manager. He oversee’s all contract bottling beer and contract canning slots. You can contact him on our usual email info@staffordshirebrewery.co.uk
Key information we will need from you is: Brewery name, Beer name, litres to be sent, size of bottle to be packaged in to, Cap colour/ CO2levels- between 2.2 ( low) 2.5 (medium) and 3.0 (high), Best before date, Gyle number, pack size. Plus any other additional information (including any allergens)/instruction for each individual beer you send in.
You can find the above information on our contract bottling submission form and the contract bottling allergen form. Once we have recieved these forms your slot is booked in! We then just await the arrival of your beer via an Arlington or IBC.
