First Bottling Attemps

[sbsmann]

Just read and enjoyed another brewer's bottling questions because I am about to do my first bottling this weekend and would like to make it as efficient as possible. I have all the bottles cleaned and dried and will sanitize on bottling day. My question is related to the bottling wand/filler and the hose length. I am a taller guy with back issues and don't want to bottle while sitting on the floor. My goal is to get the 5 gallon bottling bucket with spigot elevated as high as possible so I can bottle while sitting down. I plan on setting it on top of another 5 gallon bucket (table) which will sit on my workbench (see attached photo). The problem is that only provides about 18 inches from the spigot to the bottom of a beer bottle sitting on the table below (wand/filler is about 13 inches long). Is it okay to have all this extra tubing or won't it flow properly. I'm afraid if I cut down the tubing I'll lose the flexibility and won't be able to get the want in a bottle easily. So my question is whether the beer will flow okay with the extra tubing (3 feet plus the 13 inch wand)?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

It'll flow just fine. The flow really depends on the height difference of the bucket and the bottle producing a siphon, not the length of line between the two (think DWV plumbing systems).

Edit: After looking at your pictures again I realized that you are combining both popular methods of bottling into one...lemme explain:

Method one: Siphoning. Done with a siphon wand placed in the opening of the bucket, a hose attached to the wand, and a bottling wand attached to the other end. Once a siphon has started the beer's flow will depend on the weight of the liquid in the line below the level of beer in the bucket.

Method two: Spigot. This is the setup bottling buckets have. A spigot placed at or near the bottom of a bottling bucket. IMO, the best way to bottle with this setup is to attach a small (1 1/2" - 2") piece of hose on the spigot and the bottling wand on the other end. Much like what you're representing in your pictures, but with a LOT less hose. This way there is no hose to hold - just pull the bottle up to the wand and apply pressure.

 

[Dee]

Unless you prefer having a longer tube, it only needs to be a couple of inches long. Just long enough to attach the wand to the bucket.

I put my bottling bucket on the kitchen counter, and sit on a stool. I'm 6'1".

 

[SlitheryDee]

I cut my tube short enough that the bottling wand and the spigot butt up against each other. I did a similar thing where I overturned my boil kettle and sat the bottling bucket on top of it. The length was almost perfect for me to bottle while sitting in front of the table. I wouldn't worry about being able to get the right amount of beer in the bottle. Just press the bottle upward into the bottling wand until the flow starts, then let off the pressure when the beer reaches the very top of the bottle. The wand itself displaces a perfect amount of beer to leave an air gap at the top of the bottle. On my last bottling session I didn't worry overmuch about the beer overflowing either, though I could have avoided losing any if I had been a bit more careful.

Edit: Also, you might want to put the lid on the bucket and place something with a few pounds of weight on top of it. When the bucket is nearly empty it'll be light enough that pressing the bottle upwards into the wand might actually lift the bucket rather than opening the valve on the wand.

 

[sbsmann]

Actually ignore the siphon that just happened to be in the bucket when I took the picture. I plan on using the spigot by connecting the hose and the filler wand. I just want to make sure the 3 foot of hose will still flow without issue even though I'd only have about 18" from the spigot to the bottom of the bottle.

 

[sbsmann]

Unless you prefer having a longer tube, it only needs to be a couple of inches long. Just long enough to attach the wand to the bucket.

I put my bottling bucket on the kitchen counter, and sit on a stool. I'm 6'1".

Good idea. So just cut off a few inches of tubing to connect the filler to the spigot and then just feed the bottle up to the filler instead of the other way around. I like the sound of that.

 

[sbsmann]

I cut my tube short enough that the bottling wand and the spigot butt up against each other. I did a similar thing where I overturned my boil kettle and sat the bottling bucket on top of it. The length was almost perfect for me to bottle while sitting in front of the table. I wouldn't worry about being able to get the right amount of beer in the bottle. Just press the bottle upward into the bottling wand until the flow starts, then let off the pressure when the beer reaches the very top of the bottle. The wand itself displaces a perfect amount of beer to leave an air gap at the top of the bottle. On my last bottling session I didn't worry overmuch about the beer overflowing either, though I could have avoided losing any if I had been a bit more careful.

Edit: Also, you might want to put the lid on the bucket and place something with a few pounds of weight on top of it. When the bucket is nearly empty it'll be light enough that pressing the bottle upwards into the wand might actually lift the bucket rather than opening the valve on the wand.

Two of you recommended this and I think I will do it. Also, thanks for the tip of putting a cover and something on top or it definitely would tip over or slide off my table!

 

[Dee]

Good idea. So just cut off a few inches of tubing to connect the filler to the spigot and then just feed the bottle up to the filler instead of the other way around. I like the sound of that.

Exactly.

Don't bother with the little table, just lift the bottles up onto the wand.

 

[EarthwormJim]

I like having the extra length of hose so I can line up my bottles and fill by moving the wand. Looks like there is enough space on the table, the one the bucket is on, and the bucket sits high enough for that to be an option too. I see myself dropping some bottles if I were moving them around full with star san on my hands.

Could always do a dry (wet) run with water to get a feel for a method before bottling your beer.

 

[sbsmann]

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to my results this weekend.

 

[estricklin]

For bonus points, you can get your bottling bucket even higher, I sit it on top of my stand up deep freeze. Now I can easily stand or sit while bottling. Also as others said, the very short piece of tubing combined with the bottling wand is the best way to go.

Good luck!

 

[Dee]

Here's my typical bottling day setup.

I use a short length of vinyl tubing and a plastic cup to catch drips. I can see putting the bucket up on something higher, but they tend to get heavy.

Oh, and that's Lucy.

 

[christyle]

My method I picked up somewhere long ago was to bottle over your open dishwasher door, so when you drip, it just falls on the door that gets washed next time. I have always used the few inch long piece of tubing method as well, I don't want to deal with a big hose and knocking over bottles moving the wand. If you don't have one, get a bottle tree. One of the best purchases for homebrewing, to make a tedious task of bottling much, much easier. My process is to soak the tree parts for a minute or so, start soaking all the bottles, empty them by swirling it a touch so it doesn't glug out and make excess bubbles that hang around, get them all drying on the bottling tree, then get your bottling setup ready and start the train of bottling, set it on the counter until you run out of space, cap them, and repeat.

 

[bleme]

This Sticky'd thread is what I read before I started brewing and what I have used ever since. It has the short hose and the dishwasher that others have mentioned.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Good idea. So just cut off a few inches of tubing to connect the filler to the spigot and then just feed the bottle up to the filler instead of the other way around. I like the sound of that.

Thats what I would do. Or used to do before kegging.

I'm 6'-5" and bucket at workbench height and me on chair worked out okay.

I always filled many bottles, set aside, and capped a bunch of them, usually standing at that time.

 

[flars]

For bonus points, you can get your bottling bucket even higher, I sit it on top of my stand up deep freeze. Now I can easily stand or sit while bottling. Also as others said, the very short piece of tubing combined with the bottling wand is the best way to go.

Good luck!

That is how I tore my rotator cuff. Lifting five gallons of beer to just above shoulder height. Surgery, physical therapy, and no brewing for a very long time.

 

[flars]

Maybe this will give you some ideas. This is an old picture but almost the same set up I use now. Empty bottles are in the sink to the left of the workbench in a FastRack. Use a rolling mechanics stool to sit on. Elbows on my legs as the bottle fills to take pressure off the back. Tilt the bucket with my left hand to get the last two bottles of beer out.

Also use my left hand to hold the bucket down when it gets light to avoid lifting it with pressure on the bottling wand.

 

[sbsmann]

Here's my typical bottling day setup.

I use a short length of vinyl tubing and a plastic cup to catch drips. I can see putting the bucket up on something higher, but they tend to get heavy.

Oh, and that's Lucy.

I will utilize the cup idea....I'm sure I'll make a mess on the floor with overfilling and/or dripping. Good idea.

 

[sbsmann]

Maybe this will give you some ideas. This is an old picture but almost the same set up I use now. Empty bottles are in the sink to the left of the workbench in a FastRack. Use a rolling mechanics stool to sit on. Elbows on my legs as the bottle fills to take pressure off the back. Tilt the bucket with my left hand to get the last two bottles of beer out.

Also use my left hand to hold the bucket down when it gets light to avoid lifting it with pressure on the bottling wand.

Looks very streamlined and exactly the type of efficiency I am seeking. I have something very similar mapped out and may make a few tweaks based on your suggestions. I have a mechanics char and that may need to be utilized!