Which beer Gun?

[blowmax10]

So I'm in the market for a gun to fill bottles from my kegs. I've messed with the cobra head with a racking tube and a stopper but really wasn't too happy with my craftsmanship.

I'm looking at the beer gun that Northern Brewers sells and the Counter pressure bottle filler that More Beer sells

Anyone have experience with these two items?

Looks to me that the beer gun would loose much more CO2 in the beer than the counter pressure bottle filler - But I do know that everything that Blichmann makes is high quality and the beer gun looks much easier to use

Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[IrregularPulse]

The BMBF is nice for it's price, but i find it messy. I'd like to someday pay the $70 for a blingman, but it's nowhere near the top of my list. Noway I'd mess with those valves and everything on the Counterpressure filler from NB. Just get the Blingmann from them. MoreBeer is blocked at my work so I can't see that one.
Although the beergun is $70, then you have to buy the accessory kit for 20, then they "recommend" 2 more pieces. Why can't they just put the price in a one kit with everything you need to use the damn thing?

 

[schristian619]

I use the BMBF if I'm filling a couple bottles, but if it's for extended storage or I'm filling more than a six pack or so, I use the Blichmann beergun. It's really easy to use and works great. Although, it's a little pricey.

 

[blowmax10]

Although, it's a little pricey.

Everything that Blichmann makes is - But I've been really impressed with the couple of things of theirs that I have in my home brewery

I wish I could afford one of their conicals but there is no way that will happen. That thing is worth more than the car I drive

 

[ksbrain]

I have a beer gun and it is hard to use. It takes a long time to set up, and the way I used it required the backup CO2 tank and the other gas manifold.

Lately, for a bottle here and there, like for friends at work, I just use a tube on the end of the cobra. It's perhaps a 3/8" ID, 4" long tube that I cram onto the end of the tap. Turn off the gas to the keg you want to bottle, bleed most of the keg pressure, hook up the tube, fill the bottle. Ease in a little pressure to the keg if needed just to push the beer. I normally end up having to shake the bottle to get up a little foam just so I don't cap on air. That's how foam-free it comes out.

IMO counterpressure fillers and beer guns are a waste of money for short bottling runs. Now if I wanted to bottle off the whole keg, I'd definitely hook up the beer gun. But for my needs, a beergun is too much overhead and not enough benefit.

 

[remilard]

I like the morebeer CPBF, it is much easier to use than most and all stainless. I use this if I am bottling off a case or more from a keg.

For competitions I tend to use the Gordon Strong method. I purge a 1/2 liter (with a carbonator cap), take the opportunity to tweak the carbonation if needed, and then pour cold beer into a cold bottle gently down the side and cap on foam. I can usually fill a bottle this way with almost no loss of carbonation, just as good as the CPBF. I'm not pre-evacuating but with as full as the bottle gets and capping on foam, it's good enough for a week or two.

 

[jpalarchio]

I own the Blichmann Beer Gun and it works flawlessly every time.

Yep, it obviously costs a lot more than a cobra tap and many will say it's overpriced, but it was worth it for me. To spend an extra $40 or so above a normal CPBF, it was money well spent in my opinion.

I do 10 gallon batches and usually bottle half; I bottle 5 gallons in no time.