Opinions needed on some equipment.

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brewshki

brewshki

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My birthday is coming up and I am asking the family for a counter pressure bottle filler and a refractometer. I have been browsing around the More Beer website and they have a few options for each piece of equipment. I don't want to be throwing money at bells and whistles I don't need.

The options on the counter pressure bottle filler differ only in that one has a regulator that shows the pressure inside the bottle. Is this a useful feature? Opinions on its necessity?

After reviewing both of the refractometers, I am not quite sure what the differences are and the kid at the home brew store was not as well versed in them.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/refractometer-dual-scale-atc.html?site_id=5

https://www.morebeer.com/products/vee-gee-deluxe-refractometer-atc.html?site_id=5

I have provided the links to the products above. Thanks for any and all help!
 
I don't know anything about counter pressure bottling but as far as the refractometers go I'd go w/ the cheaper one. The more expensive one looks like its more expensive because its built to be sturdier and last a long time, but 2-3 times longer? I don't buy it. Also the reviews say the more expensive one is ONLY in brix. I like having the SG conversion done for me, even if its a touch less precise, most recipes aren't in brix anyways. That said, I got my refactometer on amazon and it looks exactly like the cheaper one, but its only 29.99 and I think i got it as a lightening deal and only paid. 21.99
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My refractometer I got off of ebay for under $30 shipped and have had 0 problems with it. I check it with distilled water occasionally and side by side with my hydrometer and its always spot on.
As far as a bottle filler check out biermunchers bottle filler. I built one about 6 months ago and it works great. Takes a little practice to see what works for you. Last night I opened a bottle of Vienna Lager that I bottled sometime in April and it was perfect.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

Happy Birthday!
 
TheHopfather said:
Save yourself some money on the bottle filler as well, buy it straight from China. The following link is apparently identical to the Blichmann Beer Gun, just cheaper;

Beergun Bottle Filler
Click to expand...

im not sure i want to go the beer gun route. i find the counter pressure filler to be relatively straight forward and the beer gun is so expensive.
 
SGTSparty said:
I don't know anything about counter pressure bottling but as far as the refractometers go I'd go w/ the cheaper one. The more expensive one looks like its more expensive because its built to be sturdier and last a long time, but 2-3 times longer? I don't buy it. Also the reviews say the more expensive one is ONLY in brix. I like having the SG conversion done for me, even if its a touch less precise, most recipes aren't in brix anyways. That said, I got my refactometer on amazon and it looks exactly like the cheaper one, but its only 29.99 and I think i got it as a lightening deal and only paid. 21.99
Click to expand...

thanks for looking. i really wanted someone else to take a look and confirm what I thought I saw.
 
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A pressure gauge that is in contact with beer is not a good thing. Un-needed in my opinion.
 
Weird question but it seems like you are getting two things on different ends of the spectrum as far as experience goes. First the bottle filler would be for someone who is already kegging beers and all that and has been brewing for a while. The refract is generally a purchase for someone who is still getting into the hobby. What level are you?

Anyway not knowing what you have and don't have I'll give my opinion. Look at what part of the brewing process you look forward to the least and ask for something to make your life easier.

Examples -

hate bottling? Get a bottling gun

tired of lifting up vessels? Get a pump

tired of taking so long to chill wort? Get a plate chiller (or any other option here to better your situation)
 
BeerEngineer15 said:
Weird question but it seems like you are getting two things on different ends of the spectrum as far as experience goes. First the bottle filler would be for someone who is already kegging beers and all that and has been brewing for a while. The refract is generally a purchase for someone who is still getting into the hobby. What level are you?

Anyway not knowing what you have and don't have I'll give my opinion. Look at what part of the brewing process you look forward to the least and ask for something to make your life easier.

Examples -

hate bottling? Get a bottling gun

tired of lifting up vessels? Get a pump

tired of taking so long to chill wort? Get a plate chiller (or any other option here to better your situation)
Click to expand...

Im coming up on my second anniversary of my first batch. The bottle filler is so i can up my competition game a little bit and dial in pressures and not lose as much carbonation. I wouldnt have called a refrac a beginner level piece of equipment. Hydrometer sure, refrac no. I want to be able to take pre-boil gravities without chilling down a hydrometer sample. While my gravities are fairly predictable and consistent, now felt like the time to buy the right tool to do so. Ive been waiting for a gift giving holiday so I can keep squirreling away my money for a house purchase coming up.
 
Hey, if your family is throwing money at your hobby, why not go for the Rolls Royce of counter fillers, the closest thing I can find to my Melvico is this one on Amazon... FYI, my Melvico does have a bottle pressure gauge, I find it very useful
 
If your brew in the keg is at 8psi, setting the bottle pressure regulator to 8psi allows for less / zero foaming inside the bottle when you open up the fill valve... the only other way to almost guarantee no foaming inside the bottle is to de-pressurize your keg before bottle filling
 
Just a difference of opinion. Seems like you've been brewing a while but the refract is something that I think every brewer should have. It's not that expensive (relatively speaking) of a tool and it has the potential to improve homebrew tremendously! That's all I was saying about beginner versus experienced.

I completely get saving your money up for other things! I still stand by my statement though about getting something to make your day easier or more enjoyable. No purchase is the wrong purchase if it's making you happier with your hobby!
 
I have Blichmann gun and I like it a lot. Perfect design for bottle filling and spraying CO2 inside bottles, carboys - you name it.
I also think refractometer (I would get $29 from amazon) is a must-have. You only need a drop and especially nice for early fermentation. For final gravity I like the final gravity hydrometer (narrower range, only up to 1.020 but better precision, easier to read):
https://www.morebeer.com/products/final-gravity-hydrometer.html
 

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