bottling alone?

So far, I've had help bottling my beer. However, I've got a porter ready to be bottled and I'm itching to get it done, but I've got no help (sad, I know ). I have the standard "red baron" capper, which seems like it would be difficult to use solo - two hands on the capper, none on the bottle, which just seems ripe for bottles tipping and/or slipping off the counter.

Is it doable? Any tips, tricks, or other advice?

I've always bottled alone. I usually make a mess. Never used those "wing" cappers though.

I have bottled alone many times and the trick I use is putting the bottles into a box, milk crate what ever and filling them. Then I go back and cap them once I am done filling. Though I have since moved on to mini kegs and swing top caps which makes things a whole lot easier and less time consuming.

I bottle my beer alone. I just fill a bottle ,rest a sanitized cap on top till I get 12 or 24.
Then cap em. I put a folded towel on the counter and set the bottle on it to prevent it from slipping. Seems to work fine.

I've used the wing cappers alone, and I've never knocked a bottle over doing it. Just keep it straight up and down. And when I bottled, I always did it on the floor.

sit on the floor, put the bottle between your legs (or feet depending on belly size), and double hand the capper.

easy peasy

Benjibbad said:

I have bottled alone many times and the trick I use is putting the bottles into a box, milk crate what ever and filling them. Then I go back and cap them once I am done filling. Though I have since moved on to mini kegs and swing top caps which makes things a whole lot easier and less time consuming.

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how did you use the capper? I mean, if they're in milk crates or boxes (as mine are when I fill them), you can't extend the levers on the capper all the way without taking the bottles out and doing them one at a time

EDIT: WOW - you guys are fast - I wrote two sentences and had answers. Thanks.

I take the bottles out to cap. I have spilled beer before and House6 was angry. It takes a bit longer but it ensured the safety of my brew.

I bottled 25 batches or so by myself with a capper like that, befor eI went to kegging. Never lost a bottle. No real advice, other than go slowly, and put a towel under the bottles to help with the slipping.

I'm not sure what your issue about the capper is.....BUT there's a whole thread of bottling tips by me and my friends here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

Revvy said:

I'm not sure what your issue about the capper is.....BUT there's a whole thread of bottling tips by me and my friends here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

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I've never tried capping alone - it just seemed like it would be more problematic than it appears to be. I saw your thread, but didn't see anything about the actual capping process (I didn't read through all the replies though).

I open the dishwasher, put the bottling bucket on the counter above it, have a bottle filler on the spigot of the bottling bucket (connected by about a 2" section of tubing and plastic hose clips), have the sanitized bottles on the bottle tree, and fill them, set them on the opened dishwasher lid with a sanitized cap on top until I get 6 or so. Then hit them with the capper and put them on the counter. Easy. And the dishwasher lid catches the odd spill.

JLem said:

I've never tried capping alone - it just seemed like it would be more problematic than it appears to be. I saw your thread, but didn't see anything about the actual capping process (I didn't read through all the replies though).

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I still don't get your issue???

You put the bottle on the table with a cap on it....you put the red capper on top of the bottle with the cap in the bell, and push down...

That's it in a nutshell.

Stand up and push down......unless you only have one hand there really is no issue about using the capper....

I use a wing capper and have always done it alone. The bottle has not slipped.

P.S. I am surprised nobody has said switch to kegs yet though.

Revvy said:

I still don't get your issue???

You put the bottle on the table with a cap on it....you put the red capper on top of the bottle with the cap in the bell, and push down...

That's it in a nutshell.

Stand up and push down......unless you only have one hand there really is no issue about using the capper....

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from opening post - "...seems like it would be difficult to use solo - two hands on the capper, none on the bottle, which just seems ripe for bottles tipping and/or slipping off the counter." That's my issue. I haven't tried it, haven't had this happen, and clearly, from the replies here (most of which have actually been helpful), my "issue" is ill-founded, which I am glad to have found out and is exactly the reason for asking the question in the first place.

JLem said:

from opening post - "...seems like it would be difficult to use solo - two hands on the capper, none on the bottle, which just seems ripe for bottles tipping and/or slipping off the counter." That's my issue. I haven't tried it, haven't had this happen, and clearly, from most of the replies here, my "issue" is ill-founded, which I am glad to have found out and is exactly the reason for asking the question in the first place.

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Hey, I'm trying to help...if you wanna be a jerk about it, that's your choice...I gave you the info.

You are freaking out for nothing....like I and boydak, and everyone else who has replied in this thread have said ....bottles have flat bottoms, they stand on the table, you place the bell of the capper on the bottle cap and push down....that is that. Nothing else....

In well over a thousand bottles I have capped, I have never had one tip/

So if you wanna freak out about some "stability issue" only you perceive, then fine do so....or you could keg. Or buy a bench capper...... But no one has had the issue you are worrying about.

The wing capper has been in use for over 50 years...so if there were an issue it wouldn't be the standard tool that comes with every kit.....It's your choice whether to freak out about it without actually trying it or not...it ain't brain surgery.....you push down and that is it........

Is this thread for real?

double_e5 said:

Is this thread for real?

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The more I think about it....maybe not...mayhaps it's a kegger on the troll



I'm kidding Jlem...but still, you may be worried, but you did come off as a bit of a twit by your response to me.

If you are worried about the wing capper...you are worried for nothing.....

it has to handles....you push down on them....pretty simple and straight forward....

Revvy said:

I'm kidding Jlem...but still, you may be worried, but you did come off as a bit of a twit by your response to me.

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no troll lurking here.

I see now that I was worried for naught (though others seem worried too considering some of their suggestions). No offense, Revvy, but your response was quite twittish as well - four confused faces? Basically implying I was an idiot for being concerned about a perceived issue. Everyone else actually gave advice or said not to worry about it. I'm going to go ahead and cap solo later this week. My issue is gone (unless I drop a bottle).

JLem said:

no troll lurking here.

I see now that I was worried for naught (though others seem worried too considering some of their suggestions). No offense, Revvy, but your response was quite twittish as well - four confused faces? Basically implying I was an idiot for being concerned about a perceived issue. Everyone else actually gave advice or said not to worry about it. I'm going to go ahead and cap solo later this week. My issue is gone (unless I drop a bottle).

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RDWHAHB

Step away from the computer.
Grab an empty bottle.
Fill it with water.
Put a cap on it.
Cap it right now with your capper.

You'll find that there is nothing to worry about. Many of us
who use the same capper have never had anyone help out.

When you used the wing capper at first, you had someone holding the bottle, I gather. What you probably missed while they were holding the bottle steady was that as you swing the arms of the capper down, it grabs the bottle, stabilizing it.

flylock_jac said:

I bottle my beer alone. I just fill a bottle ,rest a sanitized cap on top till I get 12 or 24.
Then cap em. I put a folded towel on the counter and set the bottle on it to prevent it from slipping. Seems to work fine.

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What he said.

Bike N Brew said:

I bottled 25 batches or so by myself with a capper like that, befor eI went to kegging. Never lost a bottle. No real advice, other than go slowly, and put a towel under the bottles to help with the slipping.

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I bottled at least 150 batches before I started kegging. It's not fun doing it alone, but it's not hard.

Put on some great music, and open a beer, and get bottling. Like the others, I fill about a dozen (I fill onto my dishwasher door, so if I spill, it just goes onto the dishwasher) and put the cap on loosely. Then I lift them from the dishwasher to the counter, and cap them. The winged capper does grab the bottles ok- just make sure to push straight down with both hands so the cap goes on evenly.

Good luck, and have fun!

I cap alone most of the time and sit the bottling bucket on a pot on the kitchen table. I have a cup of Star San with the caps at hand and place a cap on the bottles as I go. Once I finish I move the bucket out of the way and start capping. I've not spilled a bottle yet and use the wing capper.

Ive never spilled one bottling alone, i use the wing capper. Only problem i have ever had with bottling is cracking the bottle.

I just bottled for the first time 3 days ago. Did it with a wing capper by myself and didn't spill one bottle. I used a folded towel to prevent bottle slipping.

I usually keep my bottles in a cardboard bottle box (holds 24 bottles) which is situated in a Rubbermaid tub and fill each one and start capping after the last one is filled. This is assuming SWMBO isn't too busy to help. If I spill a little it stays in the Rubbermaid tub or the bottling box. No muss no fuss. Just dab any spilled beer with a towel to prevent the boxes from getting soaked. If I feel it's going to take longer than expected, I have some cling wrap on hand to cover he tops of the filled bottles until I can cap them. But you are typically safe for an hour after you rack onto the sugar.

ANY extra set of hands is great when bottling...my five year old daughter is fantastic at passing me bottles, pushing cases out of the way, etc.

Must resist urge...

HOLY S***! IT'S BOTTLING!

If you're so worried about doing it yourself, then go down to the Home Depot parking lot and spend 20 buck on a couple of 'day laborers' to hold your bottles for you.

...uh, what? I blacked out for a second there and was possessed by LGI.

Thanks all for the advice and reassurance. I'll go ahead and give bottling on my own a whirl.

I have wifey trained. She'll be capping 2 batches' worth tomorrow. No, I have not told her yet...... . The fact that she is very very detail oriented, the capping always goes without a hitch.

Lucky me.

BTW, the Irish Red (Smithwick's Clone) @6.25% and the American Ale @4.0% are being bottled tomorrow. Together with half the batch of Belgian Wit, it will be a great feast when I come back from Germany at the end of June.

I was bottling solo from 1993 to 2007 with a wing capper. I think I had one bottle skid across the floor with my capper attached when I first started. I think I have lost about 5 bottles in my entire capping career. This was due to bottles being very old, or baked, or my capper not being adjusted correctly. I currently use 2 black wing cappers, but the red capper is defiantly the best. I had the red one, but lost it somewhere in 1990's, or it just finally gave up the ghost.
I keg now cus I'm wayyyy lazy. I bottle about a case a month, which is nothing really.

flylock_jac said:

I bottle my beer alone. I just fill a bottle ,rest a sanitized cap on top till I get 12 or 24.
Then cap em. I put a folded towel on the counter and set the bottle on it to prevent it from slipping. Seems to work fine.

Click to expand...

+1 I have only bottled alone and this is similiar to my methed. Never had any problems other than the time I got half way through bottling and saw my bag of priming sugar sitting on the counter unopened. Had to open up the bottled beer and pour back in the brew, boil and add the priming sugar and re-bottle. Hope it will turn out.

I know this is extremely time consuming, but when it comes to home brew...I will make all the time in the world, much to my live-in g/f's disgust. I fill, cap, fill, cap, one bottle at a time. I actually enjoy the process. That is how bad the hb bug has bit me.