Equipment To Bottle From A Keg

[Wortgames]

This counter-pressure thing has me totally mystified. I mean the cork or whatever is meant to balance the pressure but as soon as you take the cork out everything foams up anyway - usually well before.

Am I stupid or should everyone just purge their bottles and pour from a balanced tap or from a tap at low pressure?

I think the counterpressure filler is really just a bit of a hangover from modifying commercial processes to suit the homebrewer.

The theory is that it guarantees a reliable purge, then uses counterpressure to regulate the flow into the bottle. This makes for a nice predictable process that minimises unnecessary foaming and ensures consistent results - all good things for a commercial brewery. For the homebrewer just bottling a few 'take aways' I don't think there's much to be gained from using counterpressure fillers - I agree that really cold bottles, a steady flow, and correct tongue angle will do the trick.

A bit of foam is actually not such a bad thing - it is all CO2, which means it is pushing out any oxygen that would otherwise be in the headspace.

 

[poppa joe]

mark.....
would a small inline ball valve regulator...help in reducing pressure.??????????????
pj

 

[barls]

ill start looking at work to see what we have lying around then ill come up with a design and see how it goes

 

[Jye]

ok that does make a little sense but i still like the idea of the keg posts as id rather not take my sysem apart every time to do it. but ill look in to all the parts as i can aquire them though work does anyone have a pneumatic diamgram on how they are suppose to work so i can improvise

Barls, here is a great site on how to make a CPBF with an excellent diagram and description on how to use it. I would also add an additional step to the filling process - between filling bottles flush the diptube with co2 (squirting out any beer into a bucket) otherwise this beer will be sprayed into the next bottle which is not pressurized or purged.

 

[BenH]

A bit of foam is actually not such a bad thing - it is all CO2, which means it is pushing out any oxygen that would otherwise be in the headspace.

Yep, I agree Wortgames. I fill straight from the pluto at low pressure into cold bottles and actually prefer to get foam in the neck - I then cap on top of the foam to pretty much eliminate any air in the neck. The foam eventually settles down. However, means the bottles need a bit of rinsing or a wipe down.

Advantage of filling from the keg is that you get clear beer all the way to the bottom and can drink straight from the bottle without drinking the yeast cake too!

 

[barls]

cheers jye ive been looking at work and found some parts now just to order them and build. that website looks good as well im reading it now

 

[fifteenbeerslater]

BenH,
I agree completely, exactly what i have been doing. It's quick easy and no extra equipment to clean.
CHEERS 15BL :beer:

 

[barls]

ive even been looking at the phils counter pressure filler at g&g. not bad for 100 bucks anyone know what these are like

 

[grod5]

I use a similar method to BenH, I chill the keg right down (lower than normal drinking temp to about 2Deg).

I also freeze PET bottles, reduce the pouring pressure to the "bugger all" setting and let the juice flow slowly into the bottle. I fill right to the top leaving little to no headspace.

My theory is that when it warms up to serving temp any lost pressure returns; well it sounded good at the time anyway.

It does take time but as most of my drinking comes from the keg I only fill a few when I need to transport.


daniel

 

[Barramundi]

i have similar setup to jye's ... possibly that 3rd connection is purge gas out, in fact my setup is almost exactly the same in operation as the one on that webiste above mine isnt quite as neat though it works the same .....

 

[barls]

ive been lookingin to this so a good one would have an adjustable relief valve that comes in near the top of the bung so that as it fills it could just vent the excessive pressure off to atmosphere. is this correct? cause if it is looks like im off to the nearest hydralic store to see if i can get one to do just this. then its just a matter of putting it all together

 

[Trough Lolly]

Another tick in the box for the Ventmatic Ultra Flow taps - they fill frozen bottles no probs, straight from the tap...

Before that I too used the Cobra / Bronco tap with a short length of tubing....

Cheers,
TL