Here are the directions on the back of the box. I have only used it once but found it easy to disassemble to clean and sanitize. Everything seems to be well made.
Bottling from the tap
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Here are the directions on the back of the box. I have only used it once but found it easy to disassemble to clean and sanitize. Everything seems to be well made.
Thank you, those are a lot of information, i really have searched up to the 5th page of google and never seen that :V
probably i'll buy it too, it's just this lack of information that stopped me until now
cheesebach
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This product looks really interesting. Anyone have any sanitation practices they follow when bottling from the tap or experience with submitting bottles from the tap for competition (gushers, infections, etc.)? I would love it if I could bottle directly from the tap with something as simple as this, but I worry about how sanitary things are in the faucet and if the infection risk would be higher than connecting a beer gun to the keg directly, especially when the bottles would be kept at room temp for some time (either for storage or competition). Not sure whether shooting some star san up the faucet before a bottling session would be enough to get around this issue or not.
Davedrinksbeer
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For the past 2 years I’ve submitted some of my beers for competitions by bottling straight from the tap. I didn’t do anything special to the tap, just made sure bottles and caps were sanitized. Guess you could get a measuring cup of sanitizer and dip the tap into it for a few minutes. Main thing is turn off the gas, de gas the keg, and then turn back on the gas where there is enough gas to push out the beer into the bottle. You want a low flow to keep beer from foaming up. It will take a few bottles of practice to get the hang of it but it’s definitely do able and easy. You will lose a little beer from the bottle over flowing but not a lot. My bottles stay carbonated until I open them, months later. I’m not sure why more brewers don’t do this.
I've used the Tapcooler a few times and wanted to give an update. There are a few quirks but for the ease compared to something like The Last Straw (Which I also have). The Tapcooler is perfect for filling a few bottles for competitions, going to friends etc.
Today, I bottled two swing top bottles and two 12oz bottles. The first bottle was pretty messy as I forgot to pull a pint to cool the lines.
Quirk 1. The pressure release spring is a little too tight. I'm guessing over time it will loosen and the pressure release valve will work better. You can also tilt the bottle slightly to release some pressure.
Quirk 2. Mine may have a slow leak in the CO2 valve. I did not want to experiment too much and probably should have filled a bottle with water to verify (Next Time). It was easy enough for me to after purging the bottle with CO2 to just turn the CO2 valve off at my tank.
To Sanitize, I fill a beer bottle with starsan and then insert the Tapcooler into the bottle. I then spray the pressure relief valve. After, filling I take apart the pressure release valve and rinse everything and then let it soak in PBW for about 10 minutes. Rinse and let dry.
While filling, foam will come out of the pressure release valve but this is not a problem as then I'm capping on the foam.
So far I like the ease of use even with the noted problems. Compared to using The Last Straw the amount of waste, mess, and clean up time is significantly less.
Today, I bottled two swing top bottles and two 12oz bottles. The first bottle was pretty messy as I forgot to pull a pint to cool the lines.
Quirk 1. The pressure release spring is a little too tight. I'm guessing over time it will loosen and the pressure release valve will work better. You can also tilt the bottle slightly to release some pressure.
Quirk 2. Mine may have a slow leak in the CO2 valve. I did not want to experiment too much and probably should have filled a bottle with water to verify (Next Time). It was easy enough for me to after purging the bottle with CO2 to just turn the CO2 valve off at my tank.
To Sanitize, I fill a beer bottle with starsan and then insert the Tapcooler into the bottle. I then spray the pressure relief valve. After, filling I take apart the pressure release valve and rinse everything and then let it soak in PBW for about 10 minutes. Rinse and let dry.
While filling, foam will come out of the pressure release valve but this is not a problem as then I'm capping on the foam.
So far I like the ease of use even with the noted problems. Compared to using The Last Straw the amount of waste, mess, and clean up time is significantly less.
available now from great fermentation. Think I’ll be buying one tomorrow. Any other users out there?
https://shop.greatfermentations.com...iller/tapcooler-bottle-filler-and-accessories
https://shop.greatfermentations.com...iller/tapcooler-bottle-filler-and-accessories
Jsmith2154
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I love the way this looks! I have perlicks but forget the model. They do not seal forward is all I can say. I’ve poked around the tapcooler webpage and they list a different faucet adapter. Does that get it to work with my style perlick. You may not know these answers but looking to bump this thread and see others feedback as well.
I don’t think it will work at all if it isn’t a forward sealing tap. Mine just arrived and it’s too small for my perlicks. I think they are the 500 series. So I have to buy that adapter when it’s back in stock.
Tapcooler is on the message board. Should be able to message them. From Tapcooler web site their email is [email protected]
I got one for Christmas and tried it today. Not too easy on my kegerator because the tap tower lacks the height to pull the full bottle off without removing the whole filler. I'll keep working on it.
I think they have a work around with the growler filler attachment
I saw something on the site about a flexible extension.
highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Funny!! I just posted a review on it! They are available in the USA now.
My thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/tapcooler-counter-pressure-bottle-filler.673739/
My thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/tapcooler-counter-pressure-bottle-filler.673739/
I watched the video, thanks for the review. Looking forward to using it with my keezer once the Perlick 500 adapters are back in stock.
highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
It is a pretty slick device.. one thing I talked about in the video is what NTexBrewer showed in the photos. Cleaning and sanitizing in a cup.. easy peasy!
I’ve documented above my love of the Tapcooler. Today I needed to fill a few swing tops for a friend so I pulled out my growler fill adaptor. I was thinking how Odie used his silicone tube to seal around the bottle to create pressure. I did not have any silicone tubing but thought a rubber stopper may do the trick. Surprisingly it worked perfectly.
highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Except no oxygen purge. I do like it though!!!
Correct no O2 purge. This is just quick and efficient for filling Growlers or a few bottles to take and drink that day.
O2 purge is as simple as waiting for the foam to come out the top and then capping. If you got bottle filling down to a science and have no foam and only a tiny airspace, just tap or bump the bottle to release some carbonation, that foamy CO2 will purge the head space and cap quickly
I use a similar DIY counterpressure rig, but with a bottling wand. Like in this video:
The only adjustment I made vs, the video is that I use tubung on the bottom and cut the bottling wand short and add tubing on the bottom to make it easier to deal with.
The one in the video works great for bottles and flip tops. And a #6 stopper works well for regular growlers (see right in photo)
For quick fills that will be consumed same week this is the way to go. I did just buy the tapcooler though for filling bottles that require a proper purge for long term storage.
