The only thing I’d add to Denny’s link is that I have found using a bottling wand through the stopper and then Connecting the want to the cobra tab via a short piece of tubing that fits snuggly OVER both the want and the tap. I figured this out after the wand slipped out of the end of the cobra tap and the ‘counter pressure’ suddenly meant a beer fountain!
I’ll try to remember to take a pic of my set up and post tonight.
Thanks Mort!
I’ve done the wand through the cobra too - works well.
Okay Here it is. Not the best picture but lets see how it looks.
hopefully you can see how the short piece of tubing is forced over the end of the cobra tap. this way the thing won’t suddenly come apart when you have a 22 oz bottle mostly full of beer at ~8 PSI.
Id stay away from the carb tabs, they can leave an unwanted film on the top of your beer. Id also suggest using a Counterpressure Bottle Filler. I bought a beergun but that DIY version looks great:)
Mort - does the change in ID of the tubing (smaller to larger to smaller) seem to cause any additional foaming?
I just cram the racking cane into the tap and, while it has come apart on me once or twice, I haven’t had any major mishaps.
It doesn’t seem to increase the foaming at least not enough to have made me take note. Generally when I’m filling foam starts to come out around the stopper when the beer level is about half way up the neck of the bottle. I keep going till beer starts to come out around the stopper and then stop. because I’m using a bottling wand with the tip attached I end up with headspace but it’s mostly foam and I haven’t had any o2 issues so far. But to be safe you can take the filling tip off the wand so that you can top off a bit.
Half-way up the neck sounds about right, so I’d say there’s no real impact. That’s about what I get, too, on average. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes I’ll get almost no foaming at all, but that’s uncommon. When that happens, I stop and then give it a final shot of beer and up comes the foam.
I use a counter pressure filler. I fill a lot of bottles off of kegs as I enter a decent amount of competitions. I have done the tubing on the tap and it works in a pinch but I wouldn’t be able to do it all the time. I also have had more infected bottles when using the tap lines vs having a dedicated bottler. That would only effect storing the bottled beers. If you’re just bottling to bring to a friends house or something I wouldn’t worry too much about it… Just minimize foaming and you’ll be good. It’s basically like filling a growler. If you can fill from the bottom that will help minimize foaming as well.
If you go the stopper route don;t get all clever and use a length of 1/4" copper tubing. That’s how I found out about copper use post-fermentation. 
You bring up a good point. If I’m bottling something I plan to store, I hook up a clean tap line with preferably a new faucet. If not new, it’s cleaned and sanitized so that I’m not bottling from the icky sticky tap that’s been hanging in my fridge.
Thanks for all the advice. I went to the LHBS today and got a bottle and growler sized bung. I’ll drill them out this weekend. I’ll use a bottling wand. I also picked up a picnic tap, 5 feet of beer line, and an out disconnect. So I will have a dedicated bottling line.
I’m going to get the Beer Gun. I love DIY, but I’ve heard nothing but good on the BG.
Doubt you’ll regret that purchase Jim, I’ve been really happy with mine.
Ya, the plan it 100% kegging and bottle off that as needed. I’m terrible at bottle conditioning
I pulled the spring tip off my bottler and shove the tube into a picnic tap. All other steps about the same. Sanitize. Chill bottles. 2-3 psi on keg.
One thing I never see about the DIY (ie BMBF method) method is mention of how long the carbonation lasts when the filled bottles are stored at room temp. I don’t have room in my fridge for a case of beer if I were to bottle a bunch off. I do use the BMBF method, but it seems like bottles stored at room temp tend to lose their carbonation. I suppose I should slightly over carbonated the beer I plan to bottle.
How about the Blingmann beer gun? Do the bottles stay carbonated indefinitely stored at room temp?
I do try for a slightly higher than desired carbonation but I have never noticed a bottle lose carbonation over time. I would think that if it’s there a couple hours after bottling it will be there a couple months, unless the cap isn’t set.
I haven’t noticed carbonation diminishing over time in beers that I’ve bottled that we’re adequately carbonated to begin with. Like Mort said I also tend to bump the PSI a bit a day or two before I know I’m going to bottle just to compensate for carb loss during transfer.
+1 and nothing to buy…even for $1.