Anybody use one of these?

[mac_1103]

Interested in hearing about any experience anyone has had with the MoreBeer counter pressure bottle filler.

What I think I like about this as opposed to a Tapcooler of Nukatap is that you can connect directly to the liquid out side of a keg with a QD (since I do not have a kegerator or keezer I don't have any taps to connect to aside from the picnic tap 2.1). Also seems like it would be better than "we no need no stinking beer gun" for filling more than a six pack at once. Basically my goal is to carbonate in a 5 gallon corny keg and then bottle a couple of cases and transfer the rest to a minikeg.

 

[uweschmitt]

I'm using a similar counter pressure filler (same concept, different company) and I'm happy with it. It just needed some trials to fill bottles without spraying the ceiling (My first attempt was a stout, bad idea). It is important to cool down the beer as far as possible (I go down to -1C for highly carbonated beers and almost never above 1C) which reduces foaming a lot. I'm applying about 12 psi or more pressure. If this pressure is to low the CO2 will form bubbles in the beer line which then also causes foam in the bottle. I also built a frame (similar to this example) since the filler is easier to handle with two hands.

 

[ba-brewer]

I have the morebeer filler listed above, it works OK. I forget the reason why but I have bypassed/removed the pressure relief thing and just wiggle the cork to release pressure.

It does take a bottle or two to get used to each time I use it but after that it works pretty well. It is a two handed process.

 

[mac_1103]

Thanks.

I have bypassed/removed the pressure relief thing and just wiggle the cork to release pressure

Interesting, since the prv was one thing I like about the design. Seems like that would make things easier compared to having to burp the bottle. But I guess maybe appearances can be deceiving.

 

[ba-brewer]

I wish I could remember the reasoning for bypassing it, maybe it will come back to mind but I did not use it for long that way. It did seem useful to me too that is why I bought that version.

Adjusting the stopper is quite easy to adjust flow while filling, there are time you want to stop all flow to allow the foam to recede.

 

[Bobby_M]

It hasn't been brought up, but you know that keg needs to be ice cold for the filling operation right?

 

[mac_1103]

It hasn't been brought up, but you know that keg needs to be ice cold for the filling operation right?

Yes, thanks. I have enough fridge space to cold crash a fermenter or chill one keg at a time. I just don't have any place to put a kegerator or keezer so I can't serve from multiple five gallon corny kegs.

 

[uweschmitt]

I have the morebeer filler listed above, it works OK. I forget the reason why but I have bypassed/removed the pressure relief thing and just wiggle the cork to release pressure.

It does take a bottle or two to get used to each time I use it but after that it works pretty well. It is a two handed process.

I tried this first, and if I open to quickly I get some "shock wave" through the beer and heavy foaming. With the counter pressure filler I'm having more control to avoid this. In the worst case I'm getting about 2mm of foam on the beer, in the best case none.

 

[sgbrix]

We bottle because we wanted choices. Now any one of us have @ 20 different beers to pull from at any given time. This bottle filler is now $75 online at Besos place. Put 2 ball lock on and a fill tube. Keep your kegs cold in a kegerator. Run a insulated liquid line (R) and air 10p (L).

1. Change your air line on the keg from the carbstone to the air post and put the keg pressure at 0! Kegs always have a starting pressure then you have to raise the pressure as you go. Every keg seem a little different.
2. Chill and dry all your bottles after sanitizing them.
3. Have a clean 1 gal jug for overflow. (Later you pour this into a PET bottle and carb it).
4. Turn the top valve to Left and purge.
5. Turn to Right and wait until the beer starts then open the bottom valve knob and set your speed. Fill the bottle all the way up to the top ! You will and should be pushing some foam out.
6. Turn vale back to center! Push the bottle up as you pull it down out and hand it over for sealing. (If you have help.) You don't need to use the pull arm if you have set the pressure for the bottler right.

The faster you fill the more foam you will generate, but it get saved. As you purge the bottle I usually keep my left hand pushing slightly down on the filler so no air/beer leaks out.
I use plywood under the drip tray and change these depending on what size bottle we fill, so not to fiddle with the bottle filler.
My cellar is right behind me where we keep the sanitized bottles dried from StarSan in milk crates. I take out 5/6 bottles at the time to keep them cold and fill. We usually bottle 1 5g keg/hour.
I know this is slow and I have spent hours online trying to see how we can speed it up. That's how I came here. Hope it helps someone down the line.