Bottling my first brew next weekend--Looks hard on my back

[SkipMorrow]

I am going to be bottling my first batch next weekend. Is there any way to set up my workspace so it will be easier on my back? I see in most YouTube videos people bottle on the floor. How long does it take to fill 50+ bottles? Is there any way to move the setup to table-level so I won't have to be hunched over for so long? The only thing that will work as far as I can tell would be to get the bucket up higher, which won't be easy, but I guess it would be possible. But what could I put the bucket on? Or, are there pumps available that I could use (sanitized, of course)?

 

[JimRausch]

I sanitize my bottles in the dishwasher, and bottle directly from there. Bottling bucket sits on the counter above the open dishwasher door and I sit in a chair to one side. Granted I have to lift the bucket to the counter, but that's a short-lived, minor issue. The open door catches any spills, which is definitely a bonus.

 

[fartinmartin]

I put a chair on my kitchen counter, then put my bottling bucket on the chair, this way I can bottle standing up straight directly onto the kitchen counter, this facilitates easy capping.
You have to get the ergonomics right or it's a real miserable affair.
Bottling on the floor is sure to be a disaster.

 

[Bobb25]

When I bottle, my 5 gal. batch is in a bottling bucket with spigot on a kitchen counter. It's not too bad using two hands to lift the bucket to the counter top.
Bottling/capping takes place on a covered coffee table using a standard bottle filling tool, and I am sitting on a chair. The filled bottles go into a crate on the floor. The other thing which helps, is have a sanitized weighted bottle to set the bottle filling tool into while capping, as it tends to dribble a little. The long coffee table gives room for the empties that are waiting to be filled, and a bottle tree with sanitizer. It also gives room for the home brew that you are drinking while bottling.
Bob

 

[dk21]

When I bottle, I put my bottling bucket above the dishwasher and attach the bottling wand with a short piece of tubing so that it's at a reasonable height with no excess tubing to deal with. I sit on a small collapsible step ladder and fill six or so, then cap and repeat until done. I've found that to work well enough for me to minimize back pain. Good luck!

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

I also sit in a chair to fill bottles. I do 12 at a time and just rest the cap on them. Then stand up and crimp the caps. Then on to the next dozen. Revvy has a sticky in the Bottling/Kegging forum that outlines the process very well.

 

[imasickboy]

I set my bucket on the countertop on a step stool, and bottle into the sink on a dish drainer. If you set your currently filling bottle in the silverware cup, you have a few seconds to cap your last bottle, and grab another to be filled before your current one is full, without having to worry about it falling over.

 

[2ellas]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

literally a ton of excellent tips and tricks in this "sticky" thread. Go get em tiger!

 

[kh54s10]

Put the bucket above the dishwasher. Open the door to catch drips.
Sit in a chair at a comfortable distance.
Fill the bottle put it on a table. Put a cap on top and fill another etc.

When they are all filled you can stand and cap them all.

 

[brewguyver]

Put the bucket above the dishwasher. Open the door to catch drips.
Sit in a chair at a comfortable distance.
Fill the bottle put it on a table. Put a cap on top and fill another etc.

When they are all filled you can stand and cap them all.

You can even leave the caps off and place caps / clamp them once you have a full case ready. There will be a bit of co2 released as you fill the bottle, and leaving the bottle open for a few minutes will allow some of the o2 to clear out of the headspace. There's a really good bottling sticky at the top of the bottling forum. Check it out.

 

[unionrdr]

I have a bad L2 disc & hips are goin' south. So I came up with a way to sit down & bottle a couple years ago in these two YouTube videos I did a while ago. My brewery has been re-arranged since then, but the process is still basically the same...

Part two;

Had to wear my sunglasses, as my clear ones fell apart. Thanks Ford! I explain things as I go along in the videos. I now have a bench capper & re-arranged the room. Gotta get a new camera & start a new, shorter bottling video.

 

[user 163849]

This is my bottling setup. Once everything is in place I can sit upright in a chair through the entire operation, including capping.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

The dishwasher was invented by a home brewer. The ability to also wash dishes in it is just a bonus.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I put my bottling bucket on the floor and lift the beer onto the counter. Load it up, then put the bottling bucket on the counter and do everything from the counter from there. My back has thanked me.