Ok, got a new idea! force carbing...

Now what could i have in mind to do with these all metal tire valves from pepboys? 3 liter bottle carbonators for small cider batches anyone?

How exactly?

I just saw a you tube on this. It is on here somewhere.

Basically, you take a PET bottle, drill a 7/16" hole in the cap, and put the tire valve through it with a retaining nut. Then fill with beer, use a tire chuck on your CO2 and viola-- a "micro keg"

They sell a product called "The Carbonator" (midwestsupplies.com part # 5205.) It screws on 2 liters and the other side has a Pepsi style Cornelius connection. They work great. I often use so I can force carb a small batch while the rest is force carbing in the keg. With a lot of shaking and a ice bath it can be ready to drink in like 15 minutes.

They do! and it convieniently uses ball lock fittings. BUT they are $16 each. These were $2.50 each! So i didn't have the right sized drill and i used a flat style hole drill that was slightly too large. BUT, i did get a pretty good seal with it loosing a small bubble every 20 seconds or so from the seal. so i will have to figure a way to drill the hole the proper size or tighten the nut down a bit more. Now i need a Tire cluck fitting on my co2 rig. i am using the soda bottles original blue seal to seal it. so drilling thru and nicking it up cause a slight issue with seal

I've been doing that for a while.
Two carbonator caps for $5 sounds good to me.

I have to admit 2.50 is pretty nice. You can get "The Carbonator" cheaper. I paid $12 at my LHBS. ( Listermann.com )

They are also good for bringing to your friends house. Just fill the 2 liter up off the keg, add a little too much pressure and leave. I will take over carbonated beer over flat beer any day.

I like "the carbonator" too - cause you can just leave your co2 line attached when you shake (make sure line is always above bottle height or you will need to clean out your line) - just more convenient for me.
And I actually have a gallon of cider settling right now that I'm going to force just as you say.
I would actually love to find a stainless steel bottle with a standard bottle threat that would fit the carbonator (standard PET cap type thread)

I have done this with a 5L mini keg. I used one of those valve stems with the wide rubber base (I don't know the proper term) stuck through a SS washer. The rubber bulb is a pretty tight fit in the top of the keg and the washer helps to keep it wedged in there. Then just add pressure and shake until it is up to level.

It is not ideal but it works. You have to bleed of the pressure and hold open the valve when using the gravity tap, but, you can repurge and pressurize when you are done drinking from the keg.

hmm, I was just thinking. I know that this thread is about carbing in the bottle, but is there any reason that you can't use the PET bottles and The BM Beer Gun, if you already have it kegged and carb'd?

Wow, I just got back from getting some of those metal tire valves to make these, and then I see this thread. I do not have a co2 tank yet (im working on a kegerator, slowly) but I plan on using a co2 bike pump to pressurize them.

Valve stems make your beer taste like rubber...yech. They're not meant for food contact, and likely have rubber seals inside that were vulcanized with nasty (carcinogenic) chemicals.

That is why i didn't use the all rubber ones. they stick so bad it would make the beer smell instantly. I didn't want fluids to touch the valve stem much. But figured the co2 passing thru it wouldn't impart much smell or flavor.

How many psi do you use?

I did some testing today. The bottles had an average burst pressure around 160psi. I was leak down testing at 30psi with an initial drop of 5 psi in the first hour. The carbonation pressure depends on temp and desired co2 levels usually around 10-14 psi i think

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/can-you-brew-your-average-plastic-bottle-88901/#post959952

There is a short vid.

I use rubber "pop in" valve stems mounted in the top of 2 liter pop bottles. I have 4 of them so that I can force carb my beer in them while the others are carbonating with sugar. I use a paint ball CO2 cannister with an on-off valve and air nozzle attached with a regulator and as soon as I bottle my beer, I go ahead and force carb the 4 bottles and put in the fridge. These are ready to drink right away. The rest take 3 weeks to carbonate.

I can't detect any "rubber" taste from the valve stems at all.

Not everyone's way of doing things, but works for me.

The all metal ones work fine. I've been using the same ones for over a year. The seal in the bottom of the cap is enough to keep CO2 from coming out of the stem. Where these really beat out the true carbonator caps is that you won't be pissed if someone tosses it on you or if you forget it at someone's house.

If I'm using a bottle as a temporary transport, it's just to keep it from oxidizing and going flat. Fill, purge air, topoff with 20psi.

If I'm trying to quickcarb a sample of a batch that's still in secondary, I'll fill a 1 liter, purge, chill and hit it with 40psi, shake, 40psi, shake. Back in the fridge overnight.

that guy uses the black rubber seal in the video. i have heard people say they can't smell or taste the rubber but i don't trust it. Maby i could add the top seal only to it to help seal the system?

Elfmaze said:

that guy uses the black rubber seal in the video. i have heard people say they can't smell or taste the rubber but i don't trust it. Maby i could add the top seal only to it to help seal the system?

Click to expand...

You could always use a dab of silicone, with the steel washers.

Like I mentioned, the underside of the cap has a softer plastic disc that seals against the bottle and it also seals against the bottom of the schrader. If that starts failing, and it will after a few uses, a disc of silicone works nicely. I found a cheap silicone pot holder on clearance at Target that I chopped up.