bottles not full enough

[brcisna]

Hello All,

Newbie here to home brewing & have bottled third, five gallon batch.
This question is so elementary but cant figure out why 12 ounce long neck bottles never seem to be close to being full enough.
Am using the common bottling wand and am holding bottles level when bottling and let them fill to were beer is just about to start running over top
The amount of beer ends up just about an inch,,,maybe,, up into neck. It seems they should be at least another inch 'more full'
Attached photo of beer bottles

Thanks

 

[rhys333]

Can you raise the wand a few inches towads the end and activate it by touching the side of the neck? This should fill that last inch.

 

[ncbrewer]

My bottling wand fills the bottles maybe 1/4" higher than your photo shows. I guess it depends on the specific wand and bottle shape. My commercial bottles are filled to more like 1" from the top. I'd like to fill a little more, but I just live with it.

 

[derekcw83]

Just tilt the bottle and fill it by depressing the plunger on the wand on the side of the bottle, I routinely would fill my ipa's to within a half inch to rim. Your wand displaces volume while filling.

 

[Totally]

Are you using the 3/8 or 1/2 wand? I find the 1/2 is too wide and leaves space like that. The 1/2 siphon and hose is great for racking but not for bottling.

 

[brcisna]

Totally,

Thanks! Have never heard of this , but of course makes perfect sense. I purchased the bigger 1/2" wand thinking it would speed up bottling a tad.
Looks like ordering a 3/8" wand! (y)

 

[Totally]

Nice, glad we could sort it out.

I would love to see a 1/2" filler with a button on the top or something instead of on the bottom, that way we could press it with the tube at the bottom and a little on the way up as we pull it out to top it off. It really does fill faster, especially on my 500ml and 1L bottles.