RoaringBrewer
Well-Known Member
Ah, good to hear... I'll try another sample later tonight maybe... 
We no need no stinking beer gun...
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RoaringBrewer
Well-Known Member
Tried to pull another draft today. Carbed up just fine and back to normal! Thanks BM!
I'm having troubles with the beer being flat in the bottles. The 25 psi for 36 hours thing prevents this?
OP
OP
Dude, the night before I'm going to bottle, I usually set my PSI to around 18.Dude said:
THat's for a keg that is already up to full carbonation.
I just like a little extra gas since I'm liable to loose some during the transfer.
25PSI for 36 hours would probably be too long if the beer is already carb'd.
So:
For a fully carb'd keg, raise the PSI for 18-24 hours to around 15-18PSI.
When you begin the transfer, drop the pressure to 4-5, release the excess gas in the keg.
I like to draw off the first pint into a glass and enjoy. That first draw tends to put my process in a "groove".
You don't want to overcarb by much. I think the key here is to be really sure you're starting with a keg that is fully carbed. I mean, many people will mistake a 1.5 volume beer that happens to have a head on it for a 2.2 volume beer with a litte bit of head. That can be the difference of a whole week on serving pressure.
I've had luck raising the pressure a few PSI for two days but then NOT dialing it back too far for the bottling. If you vent the keg down by 10PSI, you're actually causing the beer to offgas and foam while it's still in the keg. This is a tricky balance that requires a few tries using this method. Low enough pressure to not initially foam like crazy, but high enough not to encourage foaming in the keg.
I've had luck raising the pressure a few PSI for two days but then NOT dialing it back too far for the bottling. If you vent the keg down by 10PSI, you're actually causing the beer to offgas and foam while it's still in the keg. This is a tricky balance that requires a few tries using this method. Low enough pressure to not initially foam like crazy, but high enough not to encourage foaming in the keg.
I don't know if anyone else has used this wonderful contraption to fill growlers, but it works wonderfully. You just need a larger stopper.
TL
TL
Brew-boy
Well-Known Member
I prefer the beer gun, money well spent.
OP
OP
We're assuming you assembled and tested the BMBF?Brew-boy said:
Brew-boy said:
I totally don't understand that statement, considering the results are equal and the price difference is about 70 dollars.
BTW....a question for the creator....is the stopper really necessary, considering it has to be vented during filling anyway? Do you really lose that much CO2 without the stopper in place?
OP
OP
The stopper is your flow "regulator". It allows you to control the speed of the fill. Initially, I like to keep the stopper pretty tight and maintain a very slow fill until it's going and then slowly squeeze the stopper to allow venting and a faster flow.Dude said:
By the way Dude...where the heck ya been man???
Lil' Sparky
Cowboys EAC
I tried this for the first time last week. I was just filling some grolsch bottles for a quick trip to hillbilly hell - sorry I meant a local demolition derby. I turned down the pressure but forgot to vent the keg, so I had too much pressure. Still, we had fresh carbed beer to drink and I didn't have any complaints.
I did feel a little out of place at the DD with a grolsch bottle full of tasty homebrew. I don't think many attendees would have "gotten it".
I did feel a little out of place at the DD with a grolsch bottle full of tasty homebrew. I don't think many attendees would have "gotten it".
Brew-boy said:
I disagree completely. My total cash outlay for this whole project was about 59 cents for the stopper. I have heard people sing songs about the beer gun, but I just do not see the value.
TL
JustMrWill
Well-Known Member
I bottled 4 cases this way. I admit...I had a few duds but overall, I am happy with it.
I think the duds were from me rushing the process at times. I also, did not pre-chill the bottles....so - my fault.
-JMW
I think the duds were from me rushing the process at times. I also, did not pre-chill the bottles....so - my fault.
-JMW
OP
OP
Yep...chilling the bottles and "crawling" the process certainly helps. Glad that most of the batch bottled up good though.
BakerStreetBeers
Well-Known Member
I tried the BMBF technology for the first time several weeks ago. I put a 1/2" hose onto the end of my keezer faucet, put a rubber stopper around a racking tube and filled the bottles up on the floor. I spilled a lot of beer in between bottles and consistently having foam in the line.
Last weekend I tried a different approach. I cut 3-4" of line and 5-6" of racking tube. Stopper on racking tube, line on keezer faucet. This allowed me much more control over my fill. And when I beer was done, I could shut the faucet off, pull the tube out of the beer and the tube would drain to leave less headspace in the bottle.
Last weekend I tried a different approach. I cut 3-4" of line and 5-6" of racking tube. Stopper on racking tube, line on keezer faucet. This allowed me much more control over my fill. And when I beer was done, I could shut the faucet off, pull the tube out of the beer and the tube would drain to leave less headspace in the bottle.
OP
OP
Get yourself a cobra tap and 6 feet of line and it will be nearly a flawless process. Racking canes fit perfectly into the cobra taps.
BakerStreetBeers
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tip. I may try that once I buy a cobra tap (portable draught beer is definitely in my future). But i'm very happy with this version of the BMBF:
You have to make sure that faucet is really clean and sanized. Even with forward sealing faucets, there's going to be some nasties living in it. It's OK for beer that will be consumed in less than a week, but I wouldn't send that to competitions or save it over a long time period.
killian
Well-Known Member
I think this will really help dialing in the volumes of co2 in my bottled beer, thanks BM
cold liquid holds more gas. unless a carbonated liquid experiences a rapid pressure change it outgases slowly. co2 sinks. to bottle from a keg freeze your bottles the night before. dial down the temp 5 degrees or so on the fridge holding your keg the night before. shoot a small amount of co2 into the bottles ( I hooked a picnic tap faucet up to the co2 line). lower the pressure in the corny keg to 3 psi. put a tube on the tip of whatever tap you usually use to dispense your keg so you fill the bottles up from the bottom under the co2 layer. if you get foam lower the pressure in the keg or increase the length of hose going to your tap. I have had no problem with bottles several months old oxidizing or loss of carbonation. with two people I can bottle 5 gal in 1/2 hour. it's mind-boggling to me why people spend a hundred dollars to spray beer in their face with a cpbf, or buy a stainless steel version of a picnic tap faucet when they have to take all of the same preparations the day before in order for it to work.
Philip1993
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I think the problems you are experiencing are related to the length of your dip tube. With the stopper in place, the dip tube should be just off the bottom of the bottle. By dispensing beer under a layer of beer (instead of letting it fall through air), you minimize turbulence and outgassing.
EdWort
Well-Known Member
That's pretty harsh, making fun of the length of a guy's dip tube.
Now, now, Dr. Pldoolittle was just dispensing some Rx advice.
digunderground
Well-Known Member
I have been using this method for about 4 months, unfortunately I didnt see it here .. either way I have to say it is the best / cheapest way to bottle beer, plus I can filter my beer first and get a brilliant polish!!! the only thing I did different was insert a piece of tubing from the hand held tap to the racking cane. It allowed a little bit more flexibility.
I have also been reading all of your different "fill quantities". I fill all the way to the brim and cap on liquid. It's a little messy both to fill and once you open, but I have a 2xIPA that is 7 months old and is better than it was 2 months ago.. carbonated and all!
well thats my 2c
.. either way I have to say it is the best / cheapest way to bottle beer, plus I can filter my beer first and get a brilliant polish!!! the only thing I did different was insert a piece of tubing from the hand held tap to the racking cane. It allowed a little bit more flexibility.I have also been reading all of your different "fill quantities". I fill all the way to the brim and cap on liquid. It's a little messy both to fill and once you open, but I have a 2xIPA that is 7 months old and is better than it was 2 months ago.. carbonated and all!
well thats my 2c
OP
OP
Not a bad idea. I never know when I'm going to submit a bottle to a competition though and some judges will ding you for over-filled bottles.
Philip1993
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OP
OP
Looking back at the original post...I thought it was a bit messy.
I've edited to make it a little more (hopefully) clear on the step-by-step.
I've edited to make it a little more (hopefully) clear on the step-by-step.
petrolero
Member
Some dumb observations and questions (flame suit standing by):
I've filled growlers with beer straight off the faucet (usually with some foam-over) with no counterpressure doodads and every time I've opened one of those growlers - even weeks later - it's been under plenty of positive pressure and tasted unchanged (to me - I'm no BJCP judge though).
What does the stopper really do for you in this setup? I mean no matter what, you have to release all the pressure in order to cap it anyway so why use the stopper in the first place? Does it mainly reduce foaming? Seems the filler tube would do more to reduce foaming than the stopper.
I can sorta see the need for the filler tube in order to introduce the beer gently and reduce oxygenation but in my experience with filling growlers it makes not a lot of difference other than for anti-foam, especially in the short term. If undercarbonation is a worry, kick up the pressure a notch before bottling. But I pour mine at 7 psi and it's never failed to be well-carbonated in a growler.
I know I'm going against accepted principles here but I just have never quite understood the point of holding the counterpressure only to release all of it at the end.
School me.
I've filled growlers with beer straight off the faucet (usually with some foam-over) with no counterpressure doodads and every time I've opened one of those growlers - even weeks later - it's been under plenty of positive pressure and tasted unchanged (to me - I'm no BJCP judge though).
What does the stopper really do for you in this setup? I mean no matter what, you have to release all the pressure in order to cap it anyway so why use the stopper in the first place? Does it mainly reduce foaming? Seems the filler tube would do more to reduce foaming than the stopper.
I can sorta see the need for the filler tube in order to introduce the beer gently and reduce oxygenation but in my experience with filling growlers it makes not a lot of difference other than for anti-foam, especially in the short term. If undercarbonation is a worry, kick up the pressure a notch before bottling. But I pour mine at 7 psi and it's never failed to be well-carbonated in a growler.
I know I'm going against accepted principles here but I just have never quite understood the point of holding the counterpressure only to release all of it at the end.
School me.
OP
OP
What does the stopper really do for you in this setup? I mean no matter what, you have to release all the pressure in order to cap it anyway so why use the stopper in the first place? Does it mainly reduce foaming? Seems the filler tube would do more to reduce foaming than the stopper.
School me.
The purpose of the stopper is to act as a pressure regulator. Free flowing would transfer the beer too fast and I want control over the process.
If my beer is perfectly carb'd in the keg, I want to do everything I can to transfer that perfect balance to the bottle.
Simply drawing a draft of beer into a bottle is going to knock out substantial CO2. Increasing the CO2 prior to filling is hit or miss. Plus, when I fill a half case worth of bottles, I'm not willing to slosh a lot of foam.
I bottle up beers to take to parties, and to stow away for several months. Im not willing to short cut the process and risk a beer that tastes different in the bottle than what came out of the tap.
A slower, gentler process is going to minimize exposure to oxygen and preserve your beer better.
Is there any reason to worry about beer bombs, even when leaving the capped bottles out of the fridge? I'm a newbie, and I'll soon be bottling much more than my fridge can hold. I just want to make sure that if I store them for some time (few months) out of the fridge, I need not worry about too much CO2 coming out of solution to cause too much pressure.
OP
OP
Coming out of solution is not the issue. Its a prolonged storage at warmer temps that can cause problems.
If your beer was properly conditioned in the fermenter, secondary or keg at room temperature, you should be fine.
If you chilled and kegged the beer in a hurry to serve, bottling and then setting them at room temp can awaken the yeast. They will pick up where they left off and begin processing the slight amounts of residual sugars that remain.
Bottle bombs are not an issue, but you will end up with a highly carbonated beer.
Any beer that I think Im going to bottle and store for months will be sure to get a good 5-6 weeks aging at room temp before being chilled in the keg.
OP
OP
Turn the PSI as low as you can and still maintain a flow.
It will be a slower process but work just the same.
A longer line will let you increase the PSI and avoid foaming and just makes the process a bit faster.
Philip1993
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To get dissolved CO2 to disassociate from the fluid (i.e. foam) you need a lower head pressure and a disturbance in the fluid (or time). By raising the head pressure, you eliminate one of the variables which reduces foaming. Think of it this way. Take an unopened two liter coke and shake it. How much foam is produced and how quickly is the gas re-dissolved into solution? Now, open that bottle up (i.e. reduce head pressure) and shake it. See the difference in foam?
When you bottle, the change from laminar flow (in the tube) to chaotic flow (in the bottle) encourages gas disassociation. Filling from the bottom reduces the change rate from laminar to chaotic, but does not eliminate it. Pressure bottling helps compensate for that. The BMBF introduces pressure by sealing the bottle and allowing fluid flow to reduce the headspace (and hence increase pressure).
All that said, try the BMBF with and without a stopper. I think you'll find that it's $0.69 well spent...
petrolero
Member
Great explanation! Thanks!
Grimsawyer
Well-Known Member
Today I'm going out to price Co2 regulators at a welding supply shop. I want a nice one with a big knob to regulate the Co2. Those are easier to crank down and up and you don't have to worry about gaulding your regulator at a psi ya don't like. That is the only part of my BMBF I don't like playing with. Cranking down the pressure. If it were easier I'd bottle more often! (as of right now i only fill up my growlers to take beer to friends'. If I had a better regulator twards the end of a keg it would be much more likely that I would bottle up 10 or so to blow the old keg and toss in that new keg I want to try faster, lol!)
Grimsawyer
Well-Known Member
sweeeeeeeeeetttttt........... Couldn't find anything under 75 bones that I wanted at the welding supply shop.... the single regulator with dual gauges and 2 valves is just what the doctor ordered!!! I can close off my kegs, open up the other and crank down the pressure.... oh yeah.... happiness :rockin: it'll be time to break out the BMBF soon enough alright!!!!
Philip1993
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FWIW, I store/serve at 10psi and I don't adjust before I bottle with the BMBF. I cram the BMBF into the same picnic tap I serve on. Chill your bottles and stopper it well. Once the flow stops (2-3" of fill), I just squeeze/pinch the stopper and it makes a tiny break in the seal that causes the gas to leak. With the gas leaking, the beer slowly (about 10-15 sec) fills the rest of the bottle.
The BMBF is the easiest beer tool I own. If you're having a difficult time, play with your config a bit. One item of note, I clipped the tip of my racking cane a bit (see pic) so as to prevent the tube sitting flat on the bottle bottom.
431brew
Well-Known Member
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I am still bottling with sugar....does force carbing, kegging and then bottling like this eliminate sediment in the bottom of the bottles? thanks.
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