idea for a DIY counter-pressure filler

[twd000]

I have a keg full of 10% barleywine that needs some age, and I'd like my keg back in the meantime. It's been years since I bottled homebrew, not looking forward to it.

Would like to avoid spending a ton on a Blichman Beer Gun, or the new Tapcooler counter-pressure filler, since this will be a rare chore for me.

I saw this "carbonation cap tee" on a video where a guy was using it to fill PET soda bottles off his tap. Was thinking I could use two tees to gin up a DIY counter-pressure filler.

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Hom...istribution-Parts/Carbonation-Cap-Tee-Adapter

My idea is to copy the Tapcooler design, which has three ports, as I understand it: 1. beer in, 2. gas in, 3. gas out

I would buy two of these tees, and screw them together to give me three QD ports. The top port would be beer in, coming right off the tap, with a length of beer line filling the bottle from the bottom

The two side-facing ports would be for gas. One with a gas QD providing a few PSI off the CO2 regulator, and the second port used for pressure relief. Something as simple as a pinlock depression tool to vent gas then let the poppet to return closed to allow more gas in.

Do you think this would work?

 

[Elric]

Sounds good, only recommendation for more control would be to use a spunding valve on your gas out port if you have one.

 

[Vale71]

I have a keg full of 10% barleywine that needs some age, and I'd like my keg back in the meantime. It's been years since I bottled homebrew, not looking forward to it.

Would like to avoid spending a ton on a Blichman Beer Gun, or the new Tapcooler counter-pressure filler, since this will be a rare chore for me.

I saw this "carbonation cap tee" on a video where a guy was using it to fill PET soda bottles off his tap. Was thinking I could use two tees to gin up a DIY counter-pressure filler.

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Hom...istribution-Parts/Carbonation-Cap-Tee-Adapter
View attachment 708888


The two side-facing ports would be for gas. One with a gas QD providing a few PSI off the CO2 regulator, and the second port used for pressure relief. Something as simple as a pinlock depression tool to vent gas then let the poppet to return closed to allow more gas in.

Do you think this would work?

Absolutely not. To avoid foaming the bottle must be filled very slowly and at a constant pressure differential. If you just suddenly and repeatedly relieve all pressure beer is going to rush in and foam like crazy. Once you remove the filler you're pretty much guaranteed gushing, possibly all the way to the ceiling. You can still see the stains from my first attempts in the basement where I do all my brewing...

 

[twd000]

Absolutely not. To avoid foaming the bottle must be filled very slowly and at a constant pressure differential. If you just suddenly and repeatedly relieve all pressure beer is going to rush in and foam like crazy. Once you remove the filler you're pretty much guaranteed gushing, possibly all the way to the ceiling. You can still see the stains from my first attempts in the basement where I do all my brewing...

I have a stained basement ceiling from my sump-pump keg washer - that was an exciting day!

Thanks for setting me straight on the filler. Would it work to use a spunding valve on the gas relief side, so I could slowly reduce pressure down to ambient as I fill the bottle, rather than a quick release?

 

[Vale71]

That would certainly work much better.

 

[camonick]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun.24678/

 

[Tom Foolery]

I fill growlers with a 3/8" bottle filler (spring valve tip) stuck into a squeeze faucet (aka picnic tap). Ditch the head pressure on the keg, drop the regulator to 2 psi, and get the growler cold.

 

[twd000]

those methods are fine, but they're missing the CO2 purge step. So any air/oxygen in the bottle is getting sealed in with the beer, right?

 

[camonick]

those methods are fine, but they're missing the CO2 purge step. So any air/oxygen in the bottle is getting sealed in with the beer, right?

I’m not an expert on the oxidation topic but I think for temporary storage/ transportation, the effects are probably minimal and undetectable to most people. Long term storage for certain styles could be problematic I suppose. I misread the part of your original post that said you wanted to age it to free up keg space. I don’t know how long the beer has to be in contact with regular room air before a problem developes, but with the “poor man’s beer gun” above, you fill the bottle full with about 3/4” headspace, remove the wand and give another short burst which fills the remaining headspace with foam, then you crimp on a cap. It’s a very cheap and easy option, but do what you feel will give you the best results. I don’t want to derail your request into what will most likely evolve into a LODO discussion.

 

[dtashmore547]

have a look at this page from sommbeer
https://sommbeer.com/2017/08/17/build-adjustable-height-stand-mounted-counterpressure-bottle-filler/built something similar but yet to test it.