Keg to bottle?

[agentbud]

I have decided to enter two beers into a local beer competition. Both beers are already kegged and force CO2 carbonated. I have to turn in two bottles of each beer and the deadline to do so is two days prior to when the actual judging will take place. My concern is if I transfer from keg to bottle two days prior to the judging that the beers will lose some of their carbonation and taste flat by the time they taste them. I am looking for any good tips on transferring beer from keg to bottle to help keep good carbonation over at least two days. I do not have any special equipment like those bottling wands. The transfer will be made via standard picnic tap. Thanks, Mike

 

[jack13]

This is one of many aspects of homebrewing for which there are many solutions that, often inexplicably, work for some homebrewers and not for others. Indeed, even the expensive beer guns work well for some and not others.

You mentioned using just a standard picnic tap. If that is truly the only equipment to be used then I guess you've got one option--carefully fill the bottles with the picnic tap. But if you are open to purchase a couple more cheap items, there are two methods demonstrated in this video that don't require too much:

But also see post #5 from the following HBT thread for a tantalizingly easy solution. Again, it requires a couple small items you may or may not have.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...n-about-bottling-vs-canning-from-taps.668307/

But if timing and so forth dictates you've only got a picnic tap to work with, I'd just say that chilling the bottles is a good thing, as is filling up a pint beforehand to get the tubing/shank/tap cold, both for less foaming.

 

[kevin58]

Using a picnic tap should work just fine. You don't want to just go from the picnic tap into the bottle however or you will likely oxidize your beer. Find a length of tubing long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle and attach it to the picnic tap. I forget what diameter is needed but it will work. One tip to avoid foaming is to chill your bottles in the fridge first... and fill slowly. I don't think you will lose much carbonation in two days. Good luck.

 

[Jag75]

OP, do you have faucets and taps for your kegs or is it only picnic taps. There is a thread on here showing how to use a picnic tap and racking cane . If you have regular taps I suggest getting a piece of hose that fits into the faucet . Make sure the hose reaches the bottom of the bottle. Pump up the psi a day before you bottle. Use chilled bottles when filling. Turn your co2 tank off then burp your keg to allow some pressure to come out . Purge bottle with co2 then slide hose into bottle pushing the bottle all the way up to the faucet and fill. You have to allow some of the pressure out of the bottle as it equalizes. I always allow the beer to over flow then cap it. Theres a tad bit of foam on top. I've done numerous bottles this way and have opened a week later and didnt have flat beer.

 

[agentbud]

Thanks for all replies. Great info. I forgot I actually do have one of those bottle filler tubes as shown in the video in the first reply above so I will go that route. Thanks again. Mike

 

[Oberstbrau]

Here's an alternative to the DIY stuff:
https://tapcooler.com/en/accessorie...e-filler-for-vent-matic-perlick-intertap-p-16

 

[govner1]

I’ve used both a bottling wand and a beer gun. If I’m just bottling a beer to share during the evening I use the bottling wand. For competition entries I use a beer gun. The beer gun allows me to flush the bottle with CO2 before filling and to leave a layer of CO2 on top before capping.
Make sure you chill your bottles well before filling, too. You shouldn’t have an issue with loss of carbonation if your caps are properly sealed.

 

[Beholder]

Best quick and dirty approach is a picnic to a racking cane (fits directly in) with a stopper that has a hole drilled through for the racking cane to pass through. This allows for counter pressure filling as you can press against the stopper to let gas out slowly and fill with back pressure, which helps to limit the CO2 that comes out of solution.

Edited to add the link with a more thorough description...

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

 

[greywolf]

I use a silicone hose to reach the bottom of the bottle with a picnic tap and it works perfect. Cap on the foam. We're a low budget operation around here. I think the hose is 6x10mm. No complaints so far.

 

[bobeer]

I fill from the keg to a capped bottle all the time and never have any issues with carbonation.

I purge the keg to ~2 psi (just enough to push the beer out) make sure the bottles are chilled, then cap on foam. Leave an inch or so from the top for some back pressure. If the tube is clean and ready to go I'll shove it up the faucet and fill that way but if it's not clean then I'll fill right off the faucet. No problemo.