Counter Pressure Bottle Filler.

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TwoWheeler

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Location
Syracuse NY
I'm looking for a way to fill bottles from my kegs and the Blichmann Beer Gun looks like the ticket.

However, being cheap, and somewhat clever, I'd like to try and make my own. (Besides, being a toolmaker, with lots of material and equipment at my disposal, I think I can build a COOLER one :D).

For the life of me, though, I can't figure out how it works.

EDIT: Oh sure, now that I post this, I see the "related threads" below....y'know, the ones that didn't show up when I searched...? DOH!
 
Buy a #6 drilled stopper, slide it on your bottle filler and insert that into the picnic tap. Press your thumb on the side of the stopper to release CO2 when bottling and presto! 65 cent counter pressure bottle filler!

-BobbyB
 
So, after much reading and digging, I've come to the conclusion I'm going to make one of my own design - and stress the "cool factor". (Thinking of making the body of the thing look like a six shooter, all stainless, etc.) I love gross overkill!:D

Anyway, if I understand the principle of the thing, I need a long tube to reach to the bottom. One article said to make sure to angle the end of the tube - I ASSume that's to allow the beer to flow, unmolested? Would a square end - with two holes @ 90 degrees work the same way? (I'm thinking of making mine like a bottling wand, where you push down or release to start and stop the flow of beer, and a square end would work better for that). How would the inside diameter of the wand affect the flow? Would a bigger wand be better, or doesn't size matter? <snicker>

Do I understand the procedure correctly?:

  • Flush the bottle with CO2 to drive out O2 -same as racking to a Corny under CO2.
  • Stopper the bottle
  • Fill
  • Cap

Do I need to allow my "purge" CO2 to exit the bottle as I fill? (I would think so - or does a small amount of pressure in the bottle help to inhibit the flow of beer and prevent foaming?)

Should I unhook my "gas in" line on the keg and allow residual pressure to force the beer into the bottle, or leave it hooked up? Or disconnect it and hook up a second tank (which I have) set at a very low pressure?

I'm thinking, if I make my gun with "ball lock" (why do I reflexively cringe when I write that phrase?) fittings, I should be able to open my kegerator, hook my beer gun up, fill some bottles and be good to go.
 
BobbyB029 said:
Buy a #6 drilled stopper, slide it on your bottle filler and insert that into the picnic tap. Press your thumb on the side of the stopper to release CO2 when bottling and presto! 65 cent counter pressure bottle filler!

-BobbyB

Quick, easy, perfect fills each time!
 
+1000 on the BMBF.

I went to the hardware store looking to buy a bunch of brass parts for your standard CPBF. By the time I added it all up local prices were north of $50 before tax.

Came home dejected, got out a #6 and an old "beer kit" 3/8" racking cane, voila! Works like a champ, easy to do one handed and everything (drinking a beer with the other).

I only fill a few 750ml / 1 liter bottles at a time (for friends or family). I suppose if I bottled everything in 12oz'ers I might need something more fancy, but if that were the only way to serve homebrew, I wouldn't brew anyway!
 
+1000 on the BMBF.

I went to the hardware store looking to buy a bunch of brass parts for your standard CPBF. By the time I added it all up local prices were north of $50 before tax.

Ah, but I won't have anything invested but my time - and even then, I'll be on the clock at work....;)
 
If you're filling from a tap, check out the bowie bottler. I have a beer gun. But the bowie bottler is so easy to use. It's basically a milled piece with gaskets that you can fit into your tap. You can use a stopper and burp it, or you can drill a small hole and insert a tire inflation needle to burp. Works great.
 
If you're filling from a tap, check out the bowie bottler.

...but that's too simple! :D

....and it would mean I'd have to get off my ass and replace my cheap-ass faucets with Perlicks, like I've been threatening to do for....two years...? :D
 
So, after much reading and digging, I've come to the conclusion I'm going to make one of my own design - and stress the "cool factor". (Thinking of making the body of the thing look like a six shooter, all stainless, etc.) I love gross overkill!:D

Anyway, if I understand the principle of the thing, I need a long tube to reach to the bottom. One article said to make sure to angle the end of the tube - I ASSume that's to allow the beer to flow, unmolested? Would a square end - with two holes @ 90 degrees work the same way? (I'm thinking of making mine like a bottling wand, where you push down or release to start and stop the flow of beer, and a square end would work better for that). How would the inside diameter of the wand affect the flow? Would a bigger wand be better, or doesn't size matter? <snicker>

Do I understand the procedure correctly?:

  • Flush the bottle with CO2 to drive out O2 -same as racking to a Corny under CO2.
  • Stopper the bottle
  • Fill
  • Cap

Do I need to allow my "purge" CO2 to exit the bottle as I fill? (I would think so - or does a small amount of pressure in the bottle help to inhibit the flow of beer and prevent foaming?)

Should I unhook my "gas in" line on the keg and allow residual pressure to force the beer into the bottle, or leave it hooked up? Or disconnect it and hook up a second tank (which I have) set at a very low pressure?

I'm thinking, if I make my gun with "ball lock" (why do I reflexively cringe when I write that phrase?) fittings, I should be able to open my kegerator, hook my beer gun up, fill some bottles and be good to go.

You should have the same diameter as far as you can all the way. All bends an shrinks make the flow faster and the more it tends to foam.

You should, if its counter pressure, have the same pressure in the bottle. And then just release the access pressure. You control the flow from the leaving co2.
How are you progressing? This is interesting. im building one too. Not a beergun, but an automated filling machine. Its gonna be manual capping in the first step, but the prototype is a line. But only for one bottle at a time though. Im gonna run it in the kitchen. So all is gonna be portable. Motorized with no air pressure, when most people dont have that in their kitchens.
 
The problem is oxygen..... I bottled one case last week in this way. Now they are undrinkable..... Almost.

I kind of thought of this as a good way to fill a growler to be consumed relatively soon, rather than a good way to bottle.

That being said, I guess a lot of guys use them to fill bottles to send off for contests, so that would be a big problem.

Hmmm... worth thinking about. :(
 
I fill mine right out the tap on about 4psi down the side of the bottle. Drank one last night from about 3 months ago and it was perfectly carbed without any cardboard taste. Idk if it helps but I use those anti-oxygen caps too.
 
The problem is oxygen..... I bottled one case last week in this way. Now they are undrinkable..... Almost.

really? I used the BMBF on a Growler of blonde for a friend a little over a week ago (9 days) and we ended up drinking it last night and it was quite tasty and carbed..

Did you use a stopper and cap on foam? From what I've read that's pretty key..
 
really? I used the BMBF on a Growler of blonde for a friend a little over a week ago (9 days) and we ended up drinking it last night and it was quite tasty and carbed..

Did you use a stopper and cap on foam? From what I've read that's pretty key..

Yes stopper and cap on foam. Well... Maybe I should not say undrinkable. But I think it tasted better in glass from keg, than bottle to mouth. Can be a mental thing too... :)
Im very used to be insanally critical to my home built stuff and home brews. If its not way better than commersial, its crap. Ha ha
 
I have the BMBF and the CPBF.

I prefer the CPBF because I do a lot of bottling, I prefer the comfort of bottling at my workbench (instead of at my keezer), the foam goes right into a growler (so no mess), it purges the bottle with CO2, it reduces foaming, wastes less CO2, and it's an overall more professional and efficient way of bottling, IMO.
 
I have the BMBF and the CPBF.

I prefer the CPBF because I do a lot of bottling, I prefer the comfort of bottling at my workbench (instead of at my keezer), the foam goes right into a growler (so no mess), it purges the bottle with CO2, it reduces foaming, wastes less CO2, and it's an overall more professional and efficient way of bottling, IMO.

I always liked (and plan to emulate when I get the time) this project: Counter Pressure Bottling Station
 
I fill mine right out the tap on about 4psi down the side of the bottle. Drank one last night from about 3 months ago and it was perfectly carbed without any cardboard taste. Idk if it helps but I use those anti-oxygen caps too.


anti-oxygen caps? Whats that? Dont know if I follow you here, but the languge matter is one thing that slows me down on this site... sorry
 
I have the BMBF and the CPBF.

I prefer the CPBF because I do a lot of bottling, I prefer the comfort of bottling at my workbench (instead of at my keezer), the foam goes right into a growler (so no mess), it purges the bottle with CO2, it reduces foaming, wastes less CO2, and it's an overall more professional and efficient way of bottling, IMO.

BMBF, CPBF? Whats the shorts? Sorry, Im a swedish guy and not familiar with all of your short words. Its ok if you get tired of explain everything twice, but I ask anyway swedes...... :)
 
Hmm... Interesting. Do they react to the oxygen still captured in the bottle? But in that case, whats the bi product? Maybe co2? I havent seen them here in sweden, are they new on the market, or didnt they hit hard? Its interesting though.
 
BMBF, CPBF? Whats the shorts? Sorry, Im a swedish guy and not familiar with all of your short words. Its ok if you get tired of explain everything twice, but I ask anyway swedes...... :)

BierMuncher's Bottle Filler and Counter Pressure Bottle Filler.

Be glad you're not a part of the cesspool that is America.
 
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