Just made a unique bottle filling guide :-)

[Gunpowder]

Was bored in my workshop and decided to make a bottle filling guide. I know a lot of people prefer more speedy methods but I actually enjoy filling bottles.... its almost like communing with the beer! So I used a contour gauge and some spare wood to make this. Ithought it was pretty cool and wanted to share

 

[day_trippr]

I like it!

I used to enjoy bottling. Then, one May day that turned out to be one of the hottest of 2010, I was faced with bottling 40 gallons of brew by myself. Didn't want the windows open or the AC running stirring up any wee beasties and depositing them in my bottles or buckets, so by the time I was done it was like 95°F in the house, I was soaked and beat.

Scarred me for life, it did. It sent me straight to Craig's List for a 10 cf chest freezer, to my LHBS for a dozen ball lock kegs, QDs, tubing, swivel nuts and clamps, to the intertoobs for a stainless 6 faucet t-tower, a half dozen Perlick 525ss faucets and ss shanks, a big gas manifold, and a digital temperature controller.

Three weeks later my keezer was up and running.

I eventually gave away two dozen cases of cleaned and sanitized bottles (still have another dozen cases for some reason) and the only time I use my capper these days is for boating or road trips that don't merit bringing a keg...

Cheers!

 

[Calichusetts]

If you use a bottling wand the wand displaces enough of the beer to leave the perfect amount of headspace...even with a siphon tube I found the headspace to be acceptable. Not trying to rain on your party but I think I am missing the point of this?

 

[Revvy]

If you use a bottling wand the wand displaces enough of the beer to leave the perfect amount of headspace...even with a siphon tube I found the headspace to be acceptable. Not trying to rain on your party but I think I am missing the point of this?

I agree. I don't really get the purpose of this either. With the bottling want, it's an automatic, self adjusting process, that works regardless of the size of the bottles. I would assume a beergun did the same thing for keggers filling bottles.

 

[brewguyver]

I agree. I don't really get the purpose of this either. With the bottling want, it's an automatic, self adjusting process, that works regardless of the size of the bottles. I would assume a beergun did the same thing for keggers filling bottles.

The beer gun/counter pressure filler displaces a lot less than a wand (thinner gauge & smaller volume). I'm still working on my consistency with the CPBF. It's more of a problem if you're using the corney keg as a bottling bucket then if you're filling forced carbed beer.

 

[Revvy]

The beer gun/counter pressure filler displaces a lot less than a wand (thinner gauge & smaller volume). I'm still working on my consistency with the CPBF. It's more of a problem if you're using the corney keg as a bottling bucket then if you're filling forced carbed beer.

I was wondering about that.

Then this would probably be a really good tool to have.

 

[Gunpowder]

Bottling wand?! ill have to look thus up! I just tilt the bottles and pour rightfrom the bottling bucket, which is why I needed a guide!

 

[wyzazz]

Bottling wand attaches to the spigot on your bottling bucket.

 

[Revvy]

Bottling wand?! ill have to look thus up! I just tilt the bottles and pour rightfrom the bottling bucket, which is why I needed a guide!

Um, I REALLY hope you are kidding.

You should never bottle with the beer falling into the bottle, like through the spigot, rather you should use a wand or a length of hose to fill from the bottom of the bottle upwards.

The reason for this is two fold, first by letting the beer fall into the bottle you are pretty much guaranteeing that you will oxidize your beer. Since there's no way to avoid the fact that your beer is falling THROUGH all the air in the bottle. Oxygen + Fermented beer = LIQUID CARDBOARD. So if you like liquid cardboard, then yeah, it's probably not all that necessary....

Secondly by filling from the bottom up, you are actually pushing the oxygen out the top of the bottle as the beer (with it's co2 already in solution) rises up the column of the bottle.

That's also why you let the beer actually spill out a little above the rim, AND you don't cap for a few minutes. This allows the co2 to help void out any air in the bottle.

Thirdly it also allows for the correct amount of headspace in the bottle.

If you don't have a wand and still insist on bottling get a length of hose to attach to your spigot, that will allow you to still fill from the bottom up. It will by filling the beer up to the top and pulling the hose out of the bottle set the proper headspace which is about an inch to an inch and a half from the crown.

I have more info and tips on bottling here in the bottling sticky.

 

[nbrack]

That's also why you let the beer actually spill out a little above the rim, AND you don't cap for a few minutes. This allows the co2 to help void out any air in the bottle.

Is it alright to set a cap loosely on top of the bottle for a few minutes? I have always been scared of some sort of contaminant getting into my beer.

 

[Revvy]

Is it alright to set a cap loosely on top of the bottle for a few minutes? I have always been scared of some sort of contaminant getting into my beer.

Yes, I think it was papazian that talked about it in his book. It gives a chance for any o2 to be pushed out by any co2 that is in there. I've had bottles actually push the cap off. Always have a couple extra sitting in sanitizer for that reason.

 

[janson745]

Yes, I think it was papazian that talked about it in his book. It gives a chance for any o2 to be pushed out by any co2 that is in there. I've had bottles actually push the cap off. Always have a couple extra sitting in sanitizer for that reason.

As a newer guy, how long is good to let the extra oxygen get pushed out? The way I had been doing it was to bottle 12, just set the caps on - then when done with all 12, cap them. And continue this process until all are done.

I can be over-thinking this (as I do many things), but should I do the whole batch with caps just set on top, or is my practice sufficient?

 

[Revvy]

As a newer guy, how long is good to let the extra oxygen get pushed out? The way I had been doing it was to bottle 12, just set the caps on - then when done with all 12, cap them. And continue this process until all are done.

I can be over-thinking this (as I do many things), but should I do the whole batch with caps just set on top, or is my practice sufficient?

That's fine. I think that's how papazian suggested it. That's about what I used to do. But now that I store bottles in milk crates, and 1 case of beer fits one milk crate, I just do an entire case, then stand up and cap them beginning with the first bottle I filled.

But yeah, you are overthinking this.

 

[brewguyver]

Um, I REALLY hope you are kidding.

You should never bottle with the beer falling into the bottle, like through the spigot, rather you should use a wand or a length of hose to fill from the bottom of the bottle upwards.

The reason for this is two fold, first by letting the beer fall into the bottle you are pretty much guaranteeing that you will oxidize your beer. Since there's no way to avoid the fact that your beer is falling THROUGH all the air in the bottle. Oxygen + Fermented beer = LIQUID CARDBOARD. So if you like liquid cardboard, then yeah, it's probably not all that necessary....

Secondly by filling from the bottom up, you are actually pushing the oxygen out the top of the bottle as the beer (with it's co2 already in solution) rises up the column of the bottle.

That's also why you let the beer actually spill out a little above the rim, AND you don't cap for a few minutes. This allows the co2 to help void out any air in the bottle.

Thirdly it also allows for the correct amount of headspace in the bottle.

If you don't have a wand and still insist on bottling get a length of hose to attach to your spigot, that will allow you to still fill from the bottom up. It will by filling the beer up to the top and pulling the hose out of the bottle set the proper headspace which is about an inch to an inch and a half from the crown.

I have more info and tips on bottling here in the bottling sticky.

From what I remember on CYBI, some of the carmel flavor from commercial version of Fullers ESB is oxidation. Something about changing temps allowing O2 to get pulled under the cap during transit.

I wonder if this is a way for home brewers to get the "fresh off a container ship" taste.

In all seriousness, good points about the delayed capping. That'll make bottling much more relaxing.

 

[Gunpowder]

Thanks, Revvy!! I just ordered my bottling wand yesterday!!