We no need no stinking beer gun...

[Chriso]

Hey Biermuncher,

I know this is a shot in the dark, but do you have any of those March 07 Porters still kicking around? The age-old "Yeah but does it hold up over time?" question just resurfaced over here, and I'm wondering how those lovely almost-two-year-old BMBF'ed bottles are holding up. Given your note from 10/07, I would suspect they're doing magnificently.

 

[BierMuncher]

Hey Biermuncher,

I know this is a shot in the dark, but do you have any of those March 07 Porters still kicking around? The age-old "Yeah but does it hold up over time?" question just resurfaced over here, and I'm wondering how those lovely almost-two-year-old BMBF'ed bottles are holding up. Given your note from 10/07, I would suspect they're doing magnificently.

I opened my last bottle of 03/07 Porter a couple weeks ago during the Olympics.

It was perfect.

If the carbonation is right going into the bottle, there's no reason it should diminish.

If the beer was kegged and chilled too soon out of the fermenter, then there is likely to be residual sugars in the beer. Transferring to bottles and then letting those bottles return to and stay at room temperature will wake up the yeasties and that sugar will continue to convert to CO2 and you could have over carb'd beer.

If you have fully fermented and conditioned your beer prior to kegging/chilling, this is not an issue.

 

[Chriso]

I opened my last bottle of 03/07 Porter a couple weeks ago during the Olympics.

Aha! I'm really glad I asked, then! THANKS for the update!

 

[nostalgia]

I just used the BMBF to fill some bottles and it worked perfectly.

One word of advice: even if your CO2 tank is off, make sure the picnic tap is closed before snapping the quick-connect onto your keg. Beer fountain, anyone?

-Joe, and going back downstairs to clean the floor.

 

[bsay]

Just cut off the end of the racking cane (at an angle) with my dremmel, looks like I'm good to bottle!

 

[HomerT]

Is there a version for those who have faucets and not picnic taps?

 

[beerthirty]

A picnic tap and racking cane are cheaper than a beer gun. Make the investment, you wont be sorry.(Didn't everyone start their kegging with a picnic tap?)

 

[au1991rx]

Just in case it had not been mentioned .. A drilled universal stopper (I think that is what it is called) turned upside down and slid up a small racking cane works very well. The top of the stopper fits right over the top of the bottle and makes a nice seal... easy. May have been mentioned since I have not had a chance to read the entire thread. Most people have one of these laying around to put into the top of their carboys. If you do you do not have to order a #2 stopper (even though it would not cost anything). FWIW. Super-Dave.

 

[Bobby_M]

Is there a version for those who have faucets and not picnic taps?

IMHO, you really don't want to use your faucet for this because it will likely have bugs living in the spout. It's not a big deal when it hits your glass and gets processed by your gut immediately, but when it's given a chance to take hold in a bottle over a week or more, problem.

I sanitize the picnic assembly along with the bottles.

 

[Jholloway77]

After accidentally downgrading my racking cane into several dozen pieces of plastic I searched around my house so see what I could use for a quick fix. I connected my bottle filler directly to the tubing. The thing works great. Connect to the keg, place in the bottle and fill. I end up with the perfect amount of head space, a small bit of foam and a nice bottle of IPA.
It was a bit tricky not getting foam, primary because the beer was still at room temperature, I got around that by adjusting the PSI at bit lower and filling the bottle a few feet above the keg.
Attaching the bottle filler worked great. No drips or anything.
John: 1 Bad-Luck Voodoo Curse: 835

 

[Coastarine]

I taught this trick to my LHBS today because I overheard them discussing someone wanting a price on a beergun. They loved it.

They also gave me a loaner regulator until they get the double body regulator I want. Good people.

Oh, and I told them about this website.

 

[drunkatuw]

In the past I've had difficulty with the BMBF and excessive foaming. I found that my keeping the keg on the floor and putting the bottles in the utility sink (easy cleanup) or a bucket on top of my workbench that I get a lot less foam. The extra resistance from the height really helped. Last night I didn't even put the bottles in the freezer and I had very little foam. I didn't look too close at the PSI on the regulator, but I believe it was somewhere around 2-4psi and still filled the bottles quickly.

 

[BierMuncher]

In the past I've had difficulty with the BMBF and excessive foaming. I found that my keeping the keg on the floor and putting the bottles in the utility sink (easy cleanup) or a bucket on top of my workbench that I get a lot less foam. The extra resistance from the height really helped. Last night I didn't even put the bottles in the freezer and I had very little foam. I didn't look too close at the PSI on the regulator, but I believe it was somewhere around 2-4psi and still filled the bottles quickly.

I've gotten away from freezing. I give the bottles a good cold water rinse (like the local micro does at bottling time) and the slight amount of moisture seems to suppress the foaming.

 

[Rockybottom]

I've gotten away from freezing. I give the bottles a good cold water rinse (like the local micro does at bottling time) and the slight amount of moisture seems to suppress the foaming.

BM
Are you rising inside and out? And are you boiling water then cooling it to avoid any nasties from taking up rent inside the bottle.

 

[BierMuncher]

BM
Are you rising inside and out? And are you boiling water then cooling it to avoid any nasties from taking up rent inside the bottle.

Nope. Just a good ole tap water rinse. The bottles are already cleaned and sanitized...stored upside down. No nasties in my water.

 

[madewithchicken]

I will have to try this tonight. I built a counter pressure filler based on the one pictured above. But I keep making a mess when i try it. twice now I have taken a beer shower. I only want it for this sweetened cider I made. I can't sweeten with sugar with out killing off the yeast.

Almost everything else I just bottle 12 or so. 6 for parties and 6 I save for aging. I had to bottle my Columbus English Honey Barley Wine. My girlfriend thought it was a bad idea for me to have 10.6% abv on tap.

 

[Plan9]

This may have been covered, but how long does the carbonation seem to keep when you bottle this way?

 

[BierMuncher]

This may have been covered, but how long does the carbonation seem to keep when you bottle this way?

I've opened up beers that were more than 18 months old. Perfect.

 

[Plan9]

Damn, 2-minute response!

Thanks!!

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Haven't gone 18 months yet, but have done 6 -7 months with no loss.

 

[tgrier]

Q:

I want to start doing this. As far as long term storage can I keep them room temp?
I do not have the fridge space to start putting a couple cases away for a later day.

 

[Chriso]

Yes, store at room temp is just fine.

 

[BierMuncher]

This ought to make it clear. I go into dreadful details on my process but you'll have to live with it. I catered to people who might not have had the benefit of reading this thread.

[YOUTUBE]CwIbFQcHYyo[/YOUTUBE]

I'm repairing the link to bobby_M's video and bumping this post...as I've been getting some requests for additional illustrations.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwIbFQcHYyo]YouTube - From Keg to Bottle for 10 bucks[/ame]

 

[madewithchicken]

Amazingly it works. My bottles have only been on the shelf a month or so, but they are wonderfully carbonated.

This works out great for me for two reasons. The first is I am often eager to get something in the keg. I only have space for 2 corny kegs in my mini fridge. So let us say that I still have 2 gallons left of IPA in a keg but I am tired of it right now. I can now just bottle it then put whatever in it's place.

The second reason is ciders are hard to sweeten when naturally carbonating. Now I can kill the yeast and sweeten with sugar. Then I just force carb and fill each bottle. This has really changed the way I do ciders. I thought about using artificial sweeteners in the past. This is way better.

 

[JMass]

Brilliant,

My wife wants bottled beer for presents. I talked to my suppliers about bottle fillers and he didn't recommend them. This appears to be solution, especially as I think I have 100% of what I need already hanging around! I've used the little stoppers for yeast generation or strengthening. I'm sure I have the broken cane as I don't remember ever throwing any old beer stuff away.

 

[madewithchicken]

I am actually mad that it works. It is so simple. It uses parts I have. It is the perfect DIY project. In fact calling it a project actually makes it sound more complicated than it is. Makes a bit of a mess, but as long as you use a bucket you can drink the mess.

It is great for the ciders I make. I like to back sweeten them.

 

[Blue_Water]

I made my BMBF wand tonight and bottled 16 off a keg pretty quick. This is a fantastic invention, thanks Biermuncher!

 

[BierMuncher]

I made my BMBF wand tonight and bottled 16 off a keg pretty quick. This is a fantastic invention, thanks Biermuncher!

You're welcome.

Brew more. Bottle more. Share more.

Spread the HB wealth.

 

[capcrnch]

This thread is awesome.

2 things.. BM, you are truly a BAMF.
Awesome find.

Bobby M... Also a friggin stud.
You sir are a juggernaut!

Question...
Any reason this may not work with a growler?
Obviously you'd need a different stopper.

 

[BierMuncher]

This thread is awesome.

2 things.. BM, you are truly a BAMF.
Awesome find.

Bobby M... Also a friggin stud.
You sir are a juggernaut!

Question...
Any reason this may not work with a growler?
Obviously you'd need a different stopper.

Thanks. I've used this with various bottle sizes. No reason it can't work. Even if you don't have an adequate stopper, just turn the gas a bit lower to fill even slower. Works just fine for short term storage.