Matthewjscott
Well-Known Member
Like many of us tinkerers, I am trying to figure out if it is easy and efficient to build a counter pressure filler or just buy a blichman gun. Do any of you have any thoughts or suggestions/links for a build?
I kinda wish they made a semi-deluxe counter pressure filler...keep the flare fittings of the deluxe, but lose the co2 gauge. That way, I could just chuck the whole thing into sanitizer instead of being careful about the gauge.
I like the morebeer counter pressure bottle filler. Filling under pressure is key, and it is something that the beer gun cannot do.
Assuming that the gauge has a 1/4 MIP fitting, then why not remove the gauge, and attach to the gauge a 1/4 FIP to 1/4 MFL (or if you can't find that fitting, a 1/4 coupling then a 1/4 MIP to 1/4 MFL). Then make a real short piece of tubing with a 1/4 FFL swivel nut to barb and on the other end of that tube put a barb to 1/4 MIP. Now you can easily detach the gauge at the MFL/FFL connection.
Can't you just stick a drilled stopper on the Blichmann and fill under pressure that way?
Rundownhouse said:Can't you just stick a drilled stopper on the Blichmann and fill under pressure that way?
I highly recommend the Boonie bottle filler attachment for the Perlicks. It works great plus you can fill at serving pressure and it only requires about 2 ft of hose.
And for those that want to control pressure with a stopper, simply use a basketball needle.
heckels said:I highly recommend the Boonie bottle filler attachment for the Perlicks. It works great plus you can fill at serving pressure and it only requires about 2 ft of hose.
And for those that want to control pressure with a stopper, simply use a basketball needle.
All valid points. Also, I knew Boonie wasn't right. It's the Bowie Bottle Filler. My bad.
DeafSmith said:I have a MoreBeer Deluxe CPBF (with pressure gauge) which I used for the first time today. I built a bottling station for this to make it really easy to use and it worked great. I was going to take some pics but discovered the batteries in my camera have run down - I'll post some pics in a new thread sometime this week. The bottling station works like this: the CPBF is mounted on standoffs (long bolts) to a flat plate which moves vertically in rails. The plate is spring loaded, trying to pull the plate and attached CPBF down and force the cork into the bottle. Under the bottom of the bottle is a trap door on a hinge with a latch to lock it in place during filling. So I put a bottle onto the CPBF and push it up a little and close the trapdoor under it - the door latches shut. Now I have both hands free - I pressurize the bottle, then open the vent to back off about 1/2 PSI to let the bottle vent for about 15 seconds. While the bottle is being flushed with CO2, I cap the previous bottle (tip - if the headspace isn't full of foam, you can tap the side of the bottle with something metal to make more foam - I used a wrench). After the bottle is flushed, I close the vent, switch to beer, open the vent enough to start beer flowing in slowly, and while this is taking place I sanitize another bottle on my Vinator.
Another thing I came up with is instead of prechilling the bottles, I chilled a couple of gallons of StarSan - I put my Vinator in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and poured in StarSan until the Vinator was just about to float - I think I had about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 gallons. Sanitizing the bottles with cold StarSan also chills the bottles and wets them which is supposed to help reduce foam.
I found this setup really easy to use. I have never used a beergun, but I have tried the BMBF and it was a mess. I admit I didn't chill the bottles that time, but I had way too much foam and lost a lot of beer. With my CPBF bottling station, on the other hand, I lost very little beer to foam and felt like I was totally in control of the process. Just my $0.02.
So back to the original question, build or buy?
Really interested in seeing that setup. Sounds awesome!
Good idea...a detachable gauge would be sweet. However, I'm worried I'll screw it up. Right now, I'm submersing most of the filler and spraying certain parts with starsan solution.
It's only an option for people with perlicks.
grumpywolf said:Have a look at this, it's as cheap as chips and works really well. I've made one and it's dead easy to make and use (even for a grumpy old sod like me)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun-24678/
Did this and it has worked great so far!
megalomani said:Yeah, I didn't care much for the DIY "we don't need now stinking beer gun". Maybe it was user error but was more effort than worth for me. Anyway the OP asked for opinions about beer gun vs. CPF.
Still it sounds like a well constructed CPF has some advantages for someone striving for perfection but is more hassle overall and the benefits may not be worth it for the casual bottle filler. (Disclaimer: have never used a CPF other than cobra tap on racking cane with a cork)
Just an out there question, but if a rubber stopper was added onto the filler tube of the Blichman Beer gun, this would then pressurize the bottle when purging it with CO2. Making it a counter pressure gun.
Would there be any benefit to filling, ie. less foam.
I have nothing but problems with my Beergun
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