Can You Bottle From a Corny W/Out a Beer Gun

[BierMuncher]

I'm so far over my "hobby" spending limit, my SWMBO isn't speaking to me. (Wait till she tastes the rasberry wheat I'm conditioning for her )

So, I have invested in a Sanyo and work begins this weekend. Question:

Is a beer gun absolutely essential for moving beer out of a keg and into some bottles. I like to show up with some homebrew in-hand when I go visit friends. (Not so much because they love it as I can't stand to drink the factory swill in their fridge).

Anyway, I'd sure love to be able to fill a six pack of bottles without having to invest in a beer gun just yet...c'mon Fathers Day...

Can it be done?

 

[Flyin' Lion]

I've recently tried just pouring beer from the tap into a bottle and capping it and the pressure does not hold. However there is another option: Carbonator caps. They fit onto a 20oz bottle and basically have a ball lock fitting to be filled from your keg.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18250

I personally have never used one, but the theory seems sound.

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

If you're going to drink it the same night it works out pretty good. tomorrow night? No go.

 

[Timekiller]

I have poured beer from a corny into bottles with good results. So far a week has gone by and the bottles seem to have retained carb.

I just lowered the pressure on the keg (1-5psi) just enough to let the beer come out of the hose (no valve at all)

I am going to set up a counter pressure filler, it seems that purging w/ co2 will help also.

 

[EdWort]

Here's a real cheap way to fill from a keg. Designed by Ken Schwartz. Folks have used it with and without the purge valve with success.

 

[Timekiller]

That's ^ a sweet setup... mabye ill build that instead of the counter pressure filler.

 

[david_42]

I just fill a cold growler for club meetings and don't worry about carbonation. That doesn't work for some styles.

 

[FlyGuy]

I have never done this myself, but it is probably worth a try:

$1 bottle filler http://www.strangebrew.ca/Drew/cheap.html

(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see this one.)

 

[bandt9299]

I've filled growlers berfore from the tap using vinyl tubing and it was fine 2 weeks later. Just turn the pressure way down to avoid a foamy mess!!

 

[D*Bo]

And chill the bottle.

 

[Castle Meadow Brewery]

I just jam tubing over my taps and turn the pressure down. Works like a charm.

 

[briiman]

I just set my regulator to 1 psi and slowly fill the bottle with a cobra tap making sure the edge of the tap and the bottle are always touching. It takes about 45 seconds to one minute to fill each bottle but I have literally no foam when I'm done. Just a few bubbles on top. I have some in the fridge that I bottled this way close to two months ago and they are still just as fresh and carbonated as they were when I bottled them. I am aware that some carbonation is lost in the process but it is so minimal that I can't tell the difference.

I'm sure if I bottled more than I do I would spend the money on a beer gun or another alternative but I have been very happy with the results following this method.

Best of luck with whatever you choose.

Brian

 

[abracadabra]

And chill the bottle.

Excellent advise!

You need to do this even if you have a beer gun.