Can I Bottle Kegged Beer?

[Thunderlips]

Just curious Ross, would you fill an unpurged keg?

Warren -

[post="121222"][/post]​

Funny you should ask that - I fill most of my ales in unpurged kegs as they reportably benefit from a little air contact.

[post="121231"][/post]​

I've never even thought of purging my kegs of air before filling them, so I never have.
I suppose it's a pretty obvious thing to do
I do purge them of air once they are filled but I've never had a problem otherwise.
I'll do it next time though and see if I notice any kind of difference.

 

[Thunderlips]

Here's a piccy of them...click on this link to a previous thread on ventmatic faucets!
Cheers,
TL

[post="121328"][/post]​

Ah yes, Ventmatics. Glad I was in that bulk buy!
Great taps compared to the grundy's and they give a nice pour.
I bought three of them but one of them is starting to sticka little.
A bit strange seeing that they seal at the front. I'll look into it this week and see if I can find out whats going on. Might just need a bit of a lube somewhere.

 

[warrenlw63]

I've never even thought of purging my kegs of air before filling them, so I never have.
I suppose it's a pretty obvious thing to do
I do purge them of air once they are filled but I've never had a problem otherwise.
I'll do it next time though and see if I notice any kind of difference.

[post="122196"][/post]​

Thunderlips.

It's a practice that I've used since I started kegging 7 years ago... Can't say what happens if you don't because I've never not purged. That said it only takes a bit more CO2 to do it and gives a peace of mind factor. :beerbang:

OTOH I guess bottlers don't purge their bottles before filling and seem to have no ill-effects. I suppose a keg is just one large bottle.

Warren -

 

[Screwtop]

Filled a couple last Fri as suggested here previously, pet bottles in freezer for about 20 min. Then filled via a plastic hose on a Pluto Gun. Forget That Idea! To much froth and wastage. I think removing the tube and running down the inside of the bottle would have worked a little better.

Maybe I should have waited for later posts re purging keg. Probably disconnecting gas and purging the gas from the keg it would have come out under its own carbonation pressure and not foamed up so much. Others views please as I would like to perfect this method for the odd time when bottles are required.

Edit: Mistooks

 

[Ross]

Screwtop,

Sounds like your beer is quite highly carbonated - as you suggested, purge your kegs & pour under a much lower pressure, you should be fine...

cheers Ross

 

[Trough Lolly]

I hastily filled a couple of PET bottles with Pils via a picnic faucet (cobra tap) yesterday afternoon. The trick is having a low keg headspace pressure so you don't ram the beer down the short run of tube that I fitted onto the outlet of the picnic faucet. Worked a treat...

Cheers,
TL

 

[warrenlw63]

Filled a couple last Fri as suggested here previously, pet bottles in freezer for about 20 min.

[post="122208"][/post]​

Also Screwtop I think that freezing PET bottles isn't going to have as much effect as freezing glass bottles. (Could be wrong). :unsure:

If you're filling PET I'd be trying more to get the beer in the keg as cold as possible first and bleeding the headspace as Ross and TL mentioned.

Warren -

 

[Thunderlips]

Filled a couple last Fri as suggested here previously, pet bottles in freezer for about 20 min. Then filled via a plastic hose on a Pluto Gun. Forget That Idea! To much froth and wastage. I think removing the tube and running down the inside of the bottle would have worked a little better.

[post="122208"][/post]​

When I use my Pluto I never bother attaching a length of hose. Just take the cold bottle, you'll need a towel to hold it if it's been in the freezer, tilt it as far as you can and start pouring. Keep the pouring preasure right down and it should be ok. Also with the Pluto you need to quickly press the trigger or it'll pour froth amd you need to release just as quickly. With the 1 litre clear swing top bottles I use I can fill them to 1 inch from the top with rarely a problem.
As for PET bottles, I've never tried filling those.

 

[Doc]

If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.
Clean, sterlise the tube and bottles. Throw the bottles in the freezer for 5 mins, then fill the bottles on min pressure. You will get minimal foaming on low pressure with cold line and bottles.

Here are some piccies, as I've been asked quite a bit about this.
Beer line is 4mm and about 1.5m long. Filler tube is 9mm.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Trough Lolly]

Good pics Doc - I have the same setup except I use 5mm Valpar tubing from keg to cobra...I've cut my tap to bottle tube to length so it sits a couple of mm's above the bottom of the PET bottle and it works fine.
If I get lazy, I can still fill bottles with the Ventmatic...

Cheers,
TL

 

[jaytee]

QUOTE(Doc @ Apr 19 2006, 09:06 AM)
If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.
Clean, sterlise the tube and bottles. Throw the bottles in the freezer for 5 mins, then fill the bottles on min pressure. You will get minimal foaming on low pressure with cold line and bottles.

I tried this last night to fill a bottle to take out with me after work tonight.
But I got incredible foam.
I'd rinsed the bottle (1.25 litre plastic) and put it in the freezer, cap on, but the water left from rinsing had frozen - could that cause the foaming ?

Jaytee

 

[warrenlw63]

QUOTE(Doc @ Apr 19 2006, 09:06 AM)
If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.
Clean, sterlise the tube and bottles. Throw the bottles in the freezer for 5 mins, then fill the bottles on min pressure. You will get minimal foaming on low pressure with cold line and bottles.

I tried this last night to fill a bottle to take out with me after work tonight.
But I got incredible foam.
I'd rinsed the bottle (1.25 litre plastic) and put it in the freezer, cap on, but the water left from rinsing had frozen - could that cause the foaming ?

Jaytee

Jaytee

If you're going to chill/freeze a bottle you'll fare better with a glass one. Personally I don't think you're going to notice much difference using a PET bottle.

Also make sure your beer is as chilled and degassed as possible.

Warren -

 

[Doc]

QUOTE(Doc @ Apr 19 2006, 09:06 AM)
If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.
Clean, sterlise the tube and bottles. Throw the bottles in the freezer for 5 mins, then fill the bottles on min pressure. You will get minimal foaming on low pressure with cold line and bottles.

I tried this last night to fill a bottle to take out with me after work tonight.
But I got incredible foam.
I'd rinsed the bottle (1.25 litre plastic) and put it in the freezer, cap on, but the water left from rinsing had frozen - could that cause the foaming ?

Jaytee

Absolutely.
With PET bottles when I take them out of the freezer, I squeeze the sides to loosen the ice and shake it out. Otherwise it will cause foam.
On glass bottles have the ice at the top of the bottle (bottle on an angle) so you don't get foam until the end of the fill (I ly the bottle on its side in the freezer).

HTH,
Doc

 

[jaytee]

Personally I don't think you're going to notice much difference using a PET bottle.

Only the volume in the bottle Warren, as the saying goes, the more the merrier ! :chug:

Absolutely.
With PET bottles when I take them out of the freezer, I squeeze the sides to loosen the ice and shake it out. Otherwise it will cause foam.

That's good, I'll try again tonite

Thanks guys

 

[Trough Lolly]

As Warren suggested, you need to drop the headspace pressure down to the bare minimum in order to gently transfer the beer to the bottle without excessive foaming. Just enough pressure to allow the beer out of the keg is plenty...be patient, young Jeddi!!
Cheers,
TL

 

[Ross]

You'll find plastic bottles much easier to fill than glass - If you back the pouring pressure right off (release gas in keg first, otherwise dropping the regulator pressure will make no difference) & as Doc says pour at an angle, you should have no trouble. If there's a bit too much head at the neck it can be easily removed with a little squeeze of the bottle & then topped back up - with glass you're stuck with the top foam until it settles down & can be topped up, resulting in a flatter beer.

cheers Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

Personally I'm not sure why people have issues with CP fillers. Doesn't take long to get them ready and they'll do a very serviceable job and aid in the beer's longevity in the bottle.

No, foaming, no fobbing, no O2 uptake if done correctly.

Warren -

 

[jaytee]

people have issues with CP fillers

I don't have any issues with a CPF - I just don't own one !

I usually brew a batch to fill a keg and 3 or 4 bottles, but now & then want to take kegged product for a comparison, a CPF just isn't warranted

My technique checks out ok with the recent posts and advice, with the exception of the ice - thanks guys

jaytee

 

[devo]

I ordered a couple of these Carbonator Caps from craftbrewer (ross) and got the chance to road test it at a mates Cup day BBQ.

Happy with the result, no flat beer + simple to use.

View attachment 9924

 

[andrewg]

I ordered a couple of these Carbonator Caps from craftbrewer (ross) and got the chance to road test it at a mates Cup day BBQ.

Happy with the result, no flat beer + simple to use.

A DIY version is to fit a schroeder valve (tyre valve) to the cap of a PET bottle if you want to gas up a beer that you have transfered from the keg. This works very well, but simply filling your bottle at low pressure will retain a reasonable level of carbonation.