Good bye little blue piston thing

[marksy]

Hey gang, how many people use the blue thing in the PIC?

I've been fighting mine the last few brews, I've mangled the spring and the other day it was shitting me so its currently living in the bin.

On a side note, provided you have all the bottles ready to go, I've sped up bottling time but 20mins without it.

Will be doing this from now on.

Marksy.

 

[Mardoo]

Ditched it after my first brew.

 

[lael]

Always have used it, but happy to get time back. How to you fill the bottles without it?

 

[TheBigD]

Mine shits me it drips, interested to know of a better way

 

[MaltyHops]

A bucket underneath.

 

[stux]

Mine shits me it drips, interested to know of a better way

Kegs

in all seriousness the blue bottler is a POS. The old one which came with the 30L eurotainer Cooper's bucket fermenters worked much better. Had a spring in it I think.

 

[superstock]

Never had any luck with blue bottlers, they all drip or dribble. Surprisingly I now use the white Brigalow one (from Woolies) and it seals well.

 

[Bribie G]

I normally lost about a schooner using the bottler.
With comps season approaching I'll need to do some bottling again, and I'll try a Brigalow jobbie.

 

[marksy]

Mine has a spring, and over time it has died. But it always dribbles, I use a bucket.

I just removed it and used the tap and it was surprisingly easy.
I started of slow until I had enough beer in the bottom then increased speed, as it got to the top I just turned it off. Had the next long neck in hand, swapped then out, put the cap on lose and did the next one.

I reckon my bottling speed tripled.

What's the woolies one? Anyone got a PIC?

Marksy.

 

[Mr B]

Line up all your bottles

Put the bottle filler on a bit of hose, other end on tap

Have fermenter/bulk prime vessel a little higher than the bottles

Fill away

Sooooo much better doing it this way

 

[schtev]

I've been through two of those things and both were equally shit house. I now just use the plastic tap and turn it on-off for each bottle.

On that matter, does anyone know how to lubricate the inside of those plastic fermenter taps? I've seen the thread that describes how to disassemble the taps, but I couldn't get the thing apart. Mine start to get very sticky after only a small amount of use.

 

[superstock]

Mine has a spring, and over time it has died. But it always dribbles, I use a bucket.

I just removed it and used the tap and it was surprisingly easy.
I started of slow until I had enough beer in the bottom then increased speed, as it got to the top I just turned it off. Had the next long neck in hand, swapped then out, put the cap on lose and did the next one.

I reckon my bottling speed tripled.

What's the woolies one? Anyone got a PIC?

Marksy.

Here's a pic of the Brigalow one from Woolies about $5-50 IIRC.


This is what I use. Makes bottling fast & easy.

 

[zooesk]

Here's a pic of the Brigalow one from Woolies about $5-50 IIRC.

Brew corner 097.jpg

This is what I use. Makes bottling fast & easy.

Brew corner 091.jpg

I have the same syphon but I don't have the red thing on the bend of the inner tube what is it

 

[superstock]

I have the same syphon but I don't have the red thing on the bend of the inner tube what is it

You mean this?

It's a 2-3L juice bottle cap. used as an adjustable stop. Some demijohns eg 5L the neck is too small to take the siphon body, so I just use the inner and the cap adjusts to keep the foot above the yeast.

 

[zooesk]

Yep nice idea

 

[verysupple]

On that matter, does anyone know how to lubricate the inside of those plastic fermenter taps? I've seen the thread that describes how to disassemble the taps, but I couldn't get the thing apart. Mine start to get very sticky after only a small amount of use.

I use the wooden spoon trick to get mine apart. To make it turn on and off nice and smoothly I use keg lube. Just smear a little on the outside of the inner piece.

 

[verysupple]

This is what I use. Makes bottling fast & easy.

Brew corner 091.jpg

That's how I do it too. Although I use a normal racking cane.

EDIT: Oh, and I don't need the bottle cap stop because my 3/8" cane fits perfectly through the grommet for the airlock which holds it at the right height.

 

[superstock]

EDIT: Oh, and I don't need the bottle cap stop because my 3/8" cane fits perfectly through the grommet for the airlock which holds it at the right height.

How do you fit a grommet to a demijohn?

 

[marksy]

Line up all your bottles

Put the bottle filler on a bit of hose, other end on tap

Have fermenter/bulk prime vessel a little higher than the bottles

Fill away

Sooooo much better doing it this way

Will try this next time.

 

[mwd]

I've been through two of those things and both were equally shit house. I now just use the plastic tap and turn it on-off for each bottle.

On that matter, does anyone know how to lubricate the inside of those plastic fermenter taps? I've seen the thread that describes how to disassemble the taps, but I couldn't get the thing apart. Mine start to get very sticky after only a small amount of use.

I use the wooden spoon trick to get mine apart. To make it turn on and off nice and smoothly I use keg lube. Just smear a little on the outside of the inner piece.

My wooden spoons are too big in diameter but I have a teespoon handle that fits inside nicely. Takes a good knock to get it started then fairly easy to get apart. Tip: turn the tap handle 90 degs to start. I use olive oil as a lubricant works well.