Frustrated with bottling from Keg

[MikefromMichigan]

I have read many threads and watched several videos on bottling from a keg without using a beer gun. My first time bottling from a Corny keg was last month with an American Wheat which turned out successful and the beer tastes great with the right amount of carbonation for me. I wanted to bottle 2 dozen bottles of my current kegged ale this morning, but gave up after 12 bottles.

I used a Picnic tap to dispense the beer from, using a piece of tubing pushed right over the spout of the tap. I inserted a length of racking can into the tube with a stopper inserted onto the cane. As the bottle filled I burped the stopper to allow the air to escape from the bottle as it filled.

My problem was that air was entering the tube from where it was attached to the picnic faucet. This caused 2 problems, too much foam and beer leaking from the air gap. That is why I gave up after 12 bottles. I used the smallest diameter tube that would fit over the picnic faucet. I had to heat the tubing in hot water first to soften it so it would fit of the picnic faucet. Any help or suggestions for next time would be great.
Thanks Mike

 

[Yooper]

I have read many threads and watched several videos on bottling from a keg without using a beer gun. My first time bottling from a Corny keg was last month with an American Wheat which turned out successful and the beer tastes great with the right amount of carbonation for me. I wanted to bottle 2 dozen bottles of my current kegged ale this morning, but gave up after 12 bottles.

I used a Picnic tap to dispense the beer from, using a piece of tubing pushed right over the spout of the tap. I inserted a length of racking can into the tube with a stopper inserted onto the cane. As the bottle filled I burped the stopper to allow the air to escape from the bottle as it filled.

My problem was that air was entering the tube from where it was attached to the picnic faucet. This caused 2 problems, too much foam and beer leaking from the air gap. That is why I gave up after 12 bottles. I used the smallest diameter tube that would fit over the picnic faucet. I had to heat the tubing in hot water first to soften it so it would fit of the picnic faucet. Any help or suggestions for next time would be great.
Thanks Mike

I use an old racking cane, and it goes INTO the picnic faucet, not over it. That could be one issue.

Do you turn down the psi, to about 2 psi, just to push the beer out? "Burping" is important, and make sure you have a tight seal when you use the stopper, as that is the counter pressure that makes it all work.

 

[MikefromMichigan]

Thanks, I'll try putting the cane into the picnic faucet next time and dial down the psi a couple of pounds.

 

[Darwin18]

Like Yooper said, turn your PSI way down and VENT the kegs right before you bottle. I bottle straight from my faucets and haven't any issues. So long as you turn the PSI down, vent the keg, and cap on foam you should be good to go.

 

[jetmac]

You shouldn't use a tube "over" the tap. Just shove a racking cane up in it with the drilled plug.

Check this thread We don't need a beer gun