Blichmann Beer Gun

Calvinfan1 · 07-17-2008, 02:52 AM

I was reading an old posting about the Blichmann Beer Gun and I was wondering if anyone was still using it or found a better type of counter pressure filler? I've had problems with good carbonation and head retention and I was thinking that a beer gun might help solve that problem. Even as we speak I'm drinking a Bell's Two Hearted Ale with excellent head retention and lacing around the glass. This is what I'm trying to achieve!

What do you think?

Philip1993 · 07-17-2008, 02:59 AM

Yes, a much better one. Runs most people about $0.69-$2.99. Search for BMBF

**Bearcat Brewmeister** · 07-17-2008, 03:10 AM

I use the Beergun, but I think the BMBF works just as well. The Beergun is not cheap and doesn't just give you an automatic great fill - there is some tweaking of pressure to do. You always lose a bit of carbonation when filling, so I overcarb the beer by a few psi fo cover it, then you have to cut the pressure way down to fill and bleed off a touch of the headspace pressure - for filling less than 6 bottles from a moderately full keg, you can cut the pressure completely and fill just from the headspace pressure.

Calvinfan1 · 07-17-2008, 04:34 AM

I was reading about the BMBF before I posted. I was a little worried about all the trickery involved with the pressure and filling. I didn't want to mess anything up. But it does sound like a lot of people like the BMBF....even more than the Beer Gun.

Philip1993 · 07-17-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvinfan1

I was reading about the BMBF before I posted. I was a little worried about all the trickery involved with the pressure and filling. I didn't want to mess anything up. But it does sound like a lot of people like the BMBF....even more than the Beer Gun.

I had a CPBF (not Blichmann) before the BMBF. The CPBF is tricky but anyone who can pour a glass of beer w/o foaming over the glass can operate a BMBF.

Detailed instructions:
Stopper the bottle, hold the stopper, open the valve.
When the beer stops, wiggle the stopper to vent a little gas until beer flows. Repeat until the bottle is full.

I'm familiar with a Blichmann and the concepts are very similar. However, since it involves more than cramming a racking cane into a picnic tap, there is just no way it can be simpler than the BMBF.

I'm bad about overthinking stuff, so trust me when I say you are WAY overthinking this. I could teach my 4yr old to bottle with a BMBF. And even if I'm straight up lying to you, you're out about $3.00 and can still buy a Blichmann.

Calvinfan1 · 07-18-2008, 02:07 PM

Well put. I'll give it a shot!