[denny]

I have done the method Denny describes before. The stopper slows/stops the flow of the beer into the bottle (it's counter pressure). To keep it going slow at serving pressure you would need to be delicate when letting air in.

which is not difficult to do.

[Joe Sr.]

I have done the method Denny describes before. The stopper slows/stops the flow of the beer into the bottle (it's counter pressure). To keep it going slow at serving pressure you would need to be delicate when letting air in.

which is not difficult to do.

I find it easier at lower pressure.  But perhaps I'm just indelicate.

[hopfenundmalz]

Some people have worried about infection from the tap. Do y'all recommend any particular cleaning procedure (cleaning the tap) before filling a bottle.

PS. I have a beer gun. It is a pain to clean before and after use.

With enough practice, it can become a pretty fast tear down, brush the SS steel tubes clean, soak in sanitizer, then a pretty fast assembly. The first time was frustrating, but I learned how to do it with no drama.

[tommymorris]

Some people have worried about infection from the tap. Do y'all recommend any particular cleaning procedure (cleaning the tap) before filling a bottle.

PS. I have a beer gun. It is a pain to clean before and after use.

With enough practice, it can become a pretty fast tear down, brush the SS steel tubes clean, soak in sanitizer, then a pretty fast assembly. The first time was frustrating, but I learned how to do it with no drama.

I have done it many times and would not call it hard. But it is a lot more steps than filling from the tap.

My cheap and easy method for taking a beer or two to a party is:

1. Dip bottle and cap in starsan
2. Turn pressure down to 1psi and vent the keg.
3. Fill from cobra tap directly. No tubes or bottling canes connected to the tap. Just pour slowly down the side of the bottle. I get very little foam with low pressure.
4. Cap (usually on foam).
5. Reset regulator to serving pressure.

I don't think this method is sanitary or oxygen free. So I only use it when the beer will be consumed quickly.

[coolman26]

Ive had good luck with a bottling wand shoved into a cobra/picnic tap. I drop pressure to about 5psi. I purge the bottles with CO2, then fill till liquid is coming out and cap quickly.

This is exactly what I do.  It is also nice to not have to open and close the picnic tap.  I cap on the foam and I can't tell that I'm losing any carbonation.  I poured a Imp Stout last night that was bottled in June and it was like I poured it from the keg.

[tesgüino]

If there's foam, you're losing carbonation. You should be able to control the foam with back pressure, not by lowering the pressure.

[Joe Sr.]

That's why a lot us over-carb slightly before bottling. 

[wv_brewer]

Some have mentioned they purge the bottles with co2.  What sort of device do you use for that?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Joe Sr.]

I have a splitter on my CO2 line.  One end goes to the keg, one to an pneumatic air gun like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/HUSKY-13-Piece-Air-Tool-Accessory-Kit-41255HOM/205331964

I hook up a short line to the end of the air gun and flush the bottles before filling.

It helps to have a helper.  But one person can do it.

[The Professor]

That's why a lot us over-carb slightly before bottling.

BINGO!
As a result, the stopper/wand method has always produced perfectly conditioned bottles for me.  Purging the bottles prior to filling has also reulted in bottle aged strong beers that were perfectly fine years after bottling from keg.

[tomharger@comcast.net]

You can do exactly the same as a bottling gun with a bottling wand.
1) Sanitize bottles and using the bottling wand hooked up to 5 lbs CO2 and fill with CO2 from bottom up. Place cap loosely on the bottle.
2) Move your bottling wand / hose to the liquid side of keg with 5 lbs on the CO2 on the gas side of keg.
3) fill the bottles with the wand from bottom up then cap the bottle.

You have to fabricate your own connectors from CO2 tank to wand and keg to wand but you don't need an expensive bottling gun to fill bottles.

[downbrew]

I do have a Beer Gun but I only use it if bottling up a lot of beer at once. But most of the time to bottle up a few bottles or a growler I just stick a bottling wand into the end of a standard picnic tap. I use the non spring loaded type. I purge the co2 of my keg and start filling. When things get really slow I turn on the gas valve to give it a hit of co2 to keep things flowing. If im bottling something that will be sitting around a while I purge the bottle with some co2.

Yeah the Beer Gun makes this all a little easier but it can still be done just fine without it.

I've been wondering this same thing, and your technique seems pretty easy.  I'll give this a try because I only need to bottle a couple growlers.  Thanks!