Help Using Cpbf

[sean83]

I am having some trouble using my CPBF. It is an all stainless filler simper to the ones found on craftbrewer. I have tried it twice, the first time I had no carbonation in the bottles what so ever the second time I ended up with beer all over the roof, and gave up. Can someone give me a push in the right direction would love to get some of my legged beers in bottles for BBQ's, gifts and the like.

Cheers Sean

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

I rarely use mine but after a couple of uses I reckon I have got the thing half sorted.

Basically, you want to seal the rubber stopper into the bottle so only co2 from gas line and beer from beer line can enter.
Have the regulator set to about 50-80kpa.
Then flush the air from the bottle by loosening the adjustable pressure relief valve on the side. Let co2 flush it for about 10secs.
Flick the top lever to the beer side and let the beer run in. You may need to adjust the side valve to restrict or increase beer flow.
I always try and allow a bit of foam to form to cover the neck of the bottle and cap onto foam to minimise any air slipping in as I cap.
When it's up to the level you want simply put the top lever to the middle and it should be done. Pull off and cap.

Like I say I avoid using it and probabl should bottle more beers to share but it's a bit of a hassle so my process might not be the best.

PS: I will be buying some beer line extra in my next order so I don't have to disconnect and use my kegging lines!

 

[Bribie G]

One smart move is to put a tap on the gas line so you can open and close the gas supply to the CPBF. Not cheap but it saves a lot of mess. Sometimes if you make the wrong series of hand movements you can end up with gas pouring into the beer from below, resulting in a gusher.

My sequence is:

Jam bottle onto rubber bung. Turn gas on with lever in central position
Turn gas lever to gas side
Flush using the relief valve
Tighten up the relief valve
Turn lever to beer side and let the level increase slowly, using the relief valve to control.
When near the top, turn off the gas at the little tap
Turn lever to central.
Ease the bottle off the bung.

It's also an advantage to have a short length of tube slipped onto the end of the CPBF spear so that it reaches right to the bottom of the bottle.

Edit: I've also found that for better carbed beer, if I gas up the keg to 100 and do the transfer at that pressure it's perfect for CPBF although a little on the gassy side for serving through the font.
Edit: also with this design of CPBF you definitely need 3 hands, if you can enlist SWMBO or a mate to work the wee gas tap it makes things easier.

 

[mxd]

for me,

pre ) clean CPBF, and close valve

1) plug CPBF into Keg (both gas and beer)
2) release gas and beer into bucket.
3) jam CPBF into bottle
4) turn CPBF handle to gas
5) open valve to purge gas
6) close valve (after a few secs)
7) turn CPBF handle to beer
8) Open valve slighlty to more as flow slows
9) when full, close valve
10) turn CPBF handle to middle,
11) Open valve
12) pull our CPBF and cap

 

[tallie]

Few more tips to add, especially if you're not in a hurry:

- Have the kegs carb'ed to the upper end of the limit for the style (or even just a bit over) to account for inevetible carbonation loss during bottling
- Drop the keg temperature down as low as possible (keeping carbonation pressure balance in mind)
- If bottling in glass, cool the sanitised bottles in the fridge/freezer prior to bottling to minimise temperature differentiation (and thus excessive foaming) while filling

Cheers,
tallie