Upgrading my Bottling game.... time for pressure?

[the.cassowary]

Good Day Brewers,
Now that my "brewery" has fermentation control settled, I think my next step on the path to better beer consistency is a better bottling/carbonation procedure. My current process involves bulk-priming my brews by racking my beer into a second fermenter with sugar added to reach the required CO2 volume, and then bottling straight away using a bottle wand. I haven't had any major issues with this just yet, I feel like these extra steps increase the chance of oxidising/infecting any brews I bottle, as well as varied carbonation bottle to bottle, depending on uneven sugar mixing.

I'm doing some research on counter pressure bottle fillers, which (from what I understand) is mainly for transferring beer from an already pressurised keg into bottles. My question is this: If I pressure ferment a beer in a corny keg, can I then bottle straight from the pressure fermenter into bottles, or would best practice be to rack the beer into a second keg, bring up to the desired carbonation level, and THEN bottle from the second, carbonated keg?

I know, I know, just serve from the keg! But a) I don't have the room (or the $$) for a kegerator/keezer setup and b) Sharing bottles with friends is one of the main reasons I brew (my neighbours are calling me the local beer fairy, flying house to house, delivering little bottles of joy).

 

[clickeral]

I have a Boel Itap setup which you can buy in Australia now etc I bottle both from my Unitanks, Kegmenter, Cornie keg that I use as a small pressure fermenter and I also bottle directly from kegs

Sometimes ill use a keg like a bright tank, there is no issue bottling direct from fermenter etc but you do run the risk of picking up sediment

Depends how I feel, all of the above works, Kegland have also brought out a new can/bottle filler that may be of interest to you as well

I wasn't a fan of bottle wands

I tend to purge my bottles 2-3times re-pressurize and then fill

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Good Day Brewers,
Now that my "brewery" has fermentation control settled, I think my next step on the path to better beer consistency is a better bottling/carbonation procedure. My current process involves bulk-priming my brews by racking my beer into a second fermenter with sugar added to reach the required CO2 volume, and then bottling straight away using a bottle wand. I haven't had any major issues with this just yet, I feel like these extra steps increase the chance of oxidising/infecting any brews I bottle, as well as varied carbonation bottle to bottle, depending on uneven sugar mixing.

I'm doing some research on counter pressure bottle fillers, which (from what I understand) is mainly for transferring beer from an already pressurised keg into bottles. My question is this: If I pressure ferment a beer in a corny keg, can I then bottle straight from the pressure fermenter into bottles, or would best practice be to rack the beer into a second keg, bring up to the desired carbonation level, and THEN bottle from the second, carbonated keg?

I know, I know, just serve from the keg! But a) I don't have the room (or the $$) for a kegerator/keezer setup and b) Sharing bottles with friends is one of the main reasons I brew (my neighbours are calling me the local beer fairy, flying house to house, delivering little bottles of joy).

I have used the bottling gun (KL version) with a silicone bung pushed over the tube with great results. So I can adjust the height of the bung so that when I use the gas purge valve it pressurises the bottle up and I can control the venting of the gas out without getting air back in. Do this cycle about 5 times or more and you will have practically zero oxygen in the bottle, then fill. By adjusting the pressure you apply pushing the bottle against the bung you slowly release gas from the bottle allowing the liquid to displace it. I get nearly zero foaming this way and don't even bother chilling my bottles down (I am in VIC though). So it is a quasi-method for counter pressure filling but I find it very flexible as the bottling gun and do any size bottle even large champagne bottles as required.

 

[fifis101]

I'm doing some research on counter pressure bottle fillers, which (from what I understand) is mainly for transferring beer from an already pressurised keg into bottles. My question is this: If I pressure ferment a beer in a corny keg, can I then bottle straight from the pressure fermenter into bottles, or would best practice be to rack the beer into a second keg, bring up to the desired carbonation level, and THEN bottle from the second, carbonated keg?

I pressure ferment and at pressures higher than most. Enough so that the beer is ready to drink at serving pressure once cold crashed. I transfer straight to kegs but the last few litres go into PET bottles. I use the Kegland PCO Tee and a couple of carb caps, so I can add a bit of counter pressure and fill without foaming. You do lose a bit of that back up "air space" pressure, so the carbonation does drop a little bit. If you were carbing it up in a secondary keg though you could account for some extra pressure.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

By force carbonating the bottles you lose the added dimension of bottle conditioning. All comes down to preference but for me a good bottle conditioned beer is on par to a cask. I also think worrying about oxidised beer through a wand, or bulk priming not getting mixed throughout the beer is needless. For years homebrewers have bottled beer without being overly concerned about the latter.
Storing the bottles at below 20C and not waiting years to drink it will kick any of those concerns to the kerb.

 

[Half-baked]

Just to clarify @the.cassowary, are you talking about just using the co2 from the fermentation or are you also thinking about a co2 bottle and regulator?