Counter Pressure Bottle Filler vs. Beer Gun

I have been doing a lot of research on which is better, and there is no consensus. While I have read the "we no need no stinkin beer gun" thread, my birthday is in a couple of days and my fiancée is getting me one. So, I know using the cp filler is a little more complicated than the "point and shoot" beer gun, but which is more effective at keeping bottles carbonated? I know that if you refrigerate the bottles and the device, the beer foams less and if you fill the bottles with co2 beforehand it keeps it carbonated better. Besides technique and price, which one is simply going to do a better job at keeping the beer carbonated? Thanks in advance!

 

I would think you are on right path and both solutions would work just fine! I have seen some videos of people believing 100% in just putting a bottling wand on the end of a picnic tap then capping on the foam, with cold bottles of course. No need to mess with filling the bottles with co2 or using a cp filler. The key would be capping on the foam or end consider over carbing te keg prior to bottling just to be safe.

 

This is a well debated topic. In the end its preference. I use a CPBF; I feel it does a better job at keeping co2 in solution ... It also allows you to flush the bottle with co2.

 

check out morebeer. there cpbf has a video and it looks simple as can be

 

thanks for all of the help! I think I'm going to buy a cp filler... I have spent way too much time trying to decide which one to get, but I feel like I can't really go wrong with it.

 

I've been thinking that a CPBF would be easier to use if it was mounted in a bottling station - something like this:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/counter-pressure-bottling-station-304169/

or this:

http://www.franklinbrew.org/members/sj/cpfiller.html

Note - You may have to copy this last url and paste it into a new tab, and delete the fyurl crap at the beginning to make it work.

 

I love my beer gun. I get great fills with virtually no trouble. I ended up picking it over a counter pressure after playing with them a bit. I was able to get a batch bottled more quickly using a beer gun than a cpbf.

Beergun allows you to flush with CO2, too.

 

From what I have read too, it seems that the amount of time the bottles will stay carbonated varies from like 2 weeks I some saying indefinitely. From your experiences, how long will it last? Thanks again!

 

If properly sealed they should stay carbonated until you open them - the CO2 will have no where to go except remain in solution.
If you have a Perlick 525 faucet a Bowie Bottler works pretty darn good, especially for the money.

 

A properly sealed cap will trap all carbonation indefinitely. Anyone with flat bottles after 2 weeks isn't sealing the caps.