We rarely bottle beer, but we will be doing some bottling for upcoming competitions.
What type of bottling device is best? They range from a cheap $4.95 bottle filler, to $70 counter-pressure fillers.
Need to clarify this…we will be bottling aged/conditioned/carbonated beer directly from the keg, not the fermenter.
I use the beer gun. Still have the original one.
I use a piece of vinyl tubing through a 1 hole stopper.
+1 on the beergun, i use it to bottle everything whether its carbonated and ready or for bottle conditioned beers by using my keg as a bottling bucket
Bottling wand on long tubing through stopper, psi turned down to just enough pressure to push the beer. The pressure balances in the bottle until you burp it by pressing on the side of the stopper releasing the pressure. I also use swing tops to make it easier.
I’ve used a last straw several times and think it works well. I’ve also bottled a few bottles off from my fermenter when I have extra beer by just pouring them in with a vinyl hose and capping on foam with no issue. I bottle conditioned a NEIPA with the vinyl hose and after several months it didn’t oxidize so that is a real good sign.
Triple vacuum CO2 purge http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com/uncategorized/low-oxygen-bottle-filling/
That’s cool! I’ve got a vacuum pump that I got as part of a cart purchase and it’s just been sitting there collecting dust! Any other interesting vacuum pump uses your engineering brain has figured out?
That’s B. Rabe’s work in that link. He’s a smart guy. Not sure what else he has done under vacuum.
probably ideal for comps but for sending a few beers over to friends/family a bit overkill IMO, cool as hell though
+1
We are looking seriously at the Blichman Beer Gun. A bit pricey.
i swear to you its a good investment, and i swear i have no connection what so ever to blichmann, i just think its a good product and so far never let me down and “trims the fat” of bottling at least for me, can’t speak for everyone
It’s super easy to use as well. Wish I had the V2 but couldn’t replace a perfectly good tool. I think I bought mine in 2013? Can’t remember exactly but zero issues. You won’t regret it.
I like mine as well. I think they corrected the issue with the tiny rubber stopper falling off into the bottle. At least I hope they did.
I have a Beer Gun and like it, but I’m a sucker or gadgets. I purchased a tap cooler from Great Fermentations. I used it for the first time tonight and really liked it. I found it to be more simple. Between the two, I would definitely go with the Tap Cooler. However, I’ll report back after we enjoy the the beers I bottled on our fishing trip this week.
I was looking at the tap cooler. Good to here it is well received.
I bought a Boel iTap but haven’t installed it yet.
wow, that tapcooler bottle filler looks cool, looks like it might be a level above the beergun
Do you bottle for competitions with that setup?