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Tools/Supplies/Set up used for bottling

Discussion in 'Cider Forum' started by karra_brown, Aug 28, 2017.

 

  1. #1
    karra_brown

    Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Hi everyone,

    I'm about to bottle my first 5 gallon batch of cider and have yet to find an effective and somewhat clean process for bottling. For my first 1 gallon I just used an auto-siphon and had to pinch the hose after each bottle was full which made a mess. I then tried an auto-siphon with a bottling wand on the other end. However the siphon wouldn't catch unless I had the wand pressed down the whole time; thus moving from one bottle to the next would break the siphon seal.

    Does anyone have any tried and true supplies they use? Or a system they have set up? Thanks for any insight!!

    Karra
     
  2. #2
    JimRausch

    JimRMaine  

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Bottling bucket with a bottling wand on the spigot- problem solved.
     
  3. #3
    Lefou

    Danged rascally furt

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    +1
    I do the same thing.
    Gravity helps with keeping the liquid pressure positive, so situate the bucket higher than the bottle you're filling. If the bucket you're using doesn't have a cheap and easy spigot, buy one. Threaded spigots can be had with rubber seals and a fastening nut. Cut a circular hole near the bottom of the bucket that's the same diameter as your spigot and install.

    I'd insert a link to Amazon for the item but the coding here isn't familiar to me.
     
  4. #4
    MMP126

    Active Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Rack your beer to a sanitized bucket that has a spigot on the bottom of it.

    Cut a little piece of clear tubing, maybe an inch or so long, and connect your bottling wand to the spigot. Open the spigot, and use the wand to fill the bottles. Super fast. Works really well.
     
  5. #5
    flars

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    A set up similar to this might help. Rack your cider from the fermentor to the bottling bucket for filling.

    Resize441.jpg
     
    orionol73 likes this.
  6. #6
    karra_brown

    Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Ah thank you so much! I was trying to bottle from my 5 gallon carboy after my first racking. I just ordered a bottling bucket from Amazon so I will give that a try! Thank you for posting your set up; looks like a great work space!!
     
  7. #7
    flars

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    You can also get a 5 gallon frosting buckets from you grocery store deli. The bucket in the picture came with a kit many years ago. Other 5 gallon deli buckets I have were $0.50 each. Spigot is $1.99.
     
  8. #8
    karra_brown

    Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Do you just ask them for the buckets? Or go dumpster diving lol? I think it will be cheaper to find one not online so I will go hunting. Thanks!
     
  9. #9
    flars

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Just ask. Here in town they are well rinsed. Lids have good O-ring seals. Bad time to ask is just before maple syrup season.
     
  10. #10
    karra_brown

    Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    Ok I'll stop in and ask! I'm in Colorado so I don't think we have a maple syrup season :) Do you think one from Home Depot would work?
     
  11. #11
    flars

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Aug 28, 2017
    I prefer to use buckets that aren't dyed and originally had liquid or semi liquid food products in them. Don't have to guess whether or not they are safe for brewing.
     
  12. #12
    gratus fermentatio

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Aug 29, 2017
    That's how I do it. Just set the bucket on the kitchen counter, with the spigot/bottling wand hanging off the edge. I put a cookie sheet on the floor underneath to catch any drips. Also, if you haven't already, go with fliptop bottles, they're so much quicker & easier than crown caps.
    Regards, GF.
     
  13. #13
    karra_brown

    Member

    Posted Aug 29, 2017
    I started out using flip top bottles but was told that when I go to pasteurize them they have a tendency to flip open. I have all the bottles and caps and a caper so I'll try it that way.
     
  14. #14
    Scrumpy!

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 5, 2017
    Yep, Home Depot buckets work fine. Be sure to wash them well then sanitize with StarSan or something similar. Be sure to buy bucket lids too. They come in handy.

    Buy one of those handy Ferrari Automatic Bottle Fillers online or in just about any brew supply store. Put it in your first bottle, pump your siphon and the filler stops when the bottle is nearly full. Move to the next bottle, push down on the top of the bottle filler, wait for it to stop and repeat. If you do it right, you do not break the siphon until the bucket is empty.
     
  15. #15
    Chalkyt

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Sep 5, 2017
    I had the same problem. I bought a lawn irrigation system stop cock (in line tap)that fitted into to the flexible tube from my autosiphon then joined it to the rigidbottling want tube (I threw the bottling wand valve away in the end). So, a 1/4 turn stops the flow and lets the small amount in the bottling wand drain into the bottle (you just have to judge when to turn it off without overfilling the bottle). The liquid remains on the autosiphon side ready to flow into the next bottle when I turn the cock on. The autosiphon remains clipped in place in the carboy so it can even be a one handed operation.
     
  16. #16
    DrBubbles

    Member

    Posted Sep 5, 2017
    I've pasteurized a couple dozen flip tops. Haven't seen them flip open yet, but I've seen them leaking CO2 because the seals couldn't handle either the heat or extra pressure for the heat. However, I bought these High Pressure Grolsch seals and they seem to hold up better.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2018
  17. #17
    Wovensummers

    Active Member

    Posted Sep 14, 2017
    The Lowe's near me has food grade 5gal buckets for about $4. You can add a spigot for a couple more bucks.
     
  18. #18
    gratus fermentatio

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 17, 2017
    I don't pasteurize, so I wouldn't know.
    Regards, GF.
     
  19. #19
    gregbathurst

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Sep 17, 2017
    I sit my bottling bucket up high, about 6 foot off the ground. I attach about 6 foot of tubing to the spigot with a bottling wand at the end of the tubing. Then I sit all my empty bottles on a table and just go from 1 bottle to the next with the wand, very quick and easy because I just move the wand and leave the bottles in place. gravity fills the bottles quicker if you give the bucket a bit of height.
     
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