Beer Guns

Buying, building and using brewing equipment and apparatus. Product reviews and questions.

Moderator: slothrob

Post Reply
User avatar
Grizz
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:55 am
Location: Las Vegas

Beer Guns

Post by Grizz »

Ok I have had enough of this natural carbonating my bottled beers. I have a kegging system and hate having to split up the beer to bottle some. Now the question is Blichmann beer gun or a more traditional style like more beer sells. Anyone using a beer gun please give me the pros and cons on your gun if possible. I kinda like the looks of the blichmann but not sure it will fit all the way to the bottom of the 750 ml champagne bottles that I bottle in.
Beer is to Men as Water is to Fish!
User avatar
slothrob
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:36 pm
Location: Greater Boston

Beergun

Post by slothrob »

I've never used a Beergun, so I can't really help you there. I'm considering getting one, and some brewers seem to like them.

Have you ever tried using the tube (either flexible tubing or a racking cane works) shoved onto the nozzle of a picnic tap trick? I wouldn't want to have to fill 50+ bottles that way, but maybe it would be okay for filing ~20 750 mL bottles.

I've used this technique to fill growlers and 1 L bottles many times, and the beer was still good weeks later.
BTP v2.0.* Windows XP
river water brewing
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:34 pm
Location: Sacramento CA

Counter Pressure Bottle Filler

Post by river water brewing »

I just got the CPBF from More Beer, i have a batch that will be ready to bottle near Thanksgiving, i will give you a report at that time. Trying to give the beer plenty of time to condition in the keg, i have been bad about this in the past and rushed the carbonation by agitating the keg a lot. now i am going to give it 3 weeks under recommended pressure to fully condition for the best taste possible, plus this will give me a good benchmark to test the CPBF because when i shake the keg it always ends up a little to carbonated just making the bottling process even harder.

I used the picnic tap system for a while and could never get the counter pressure just right and would lose a couple oz's of beer for each bottle not to mention the waste and mess.
JG
Just trying to find the perfect batch!!!
User avatar
Grizz
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:55 am
Location: Las Vegas

Post by Grizz »

Thanks for the info. River water brewing I would like to hear how your gun works for you. I am leaning to the blichmann beer gun.
Beer is to Men as Water is to Fish!
User avatar
wottaguy
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 361
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:00 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

RE: Beer Guns

Post by wottaguy »

I have used all 3 of the methods mentioned in this thread and prefer using a CPBF. I first started bottling from the keg by the racking cane in the pony tap method, which worked but was at times a bit messy. I then purchased the blichmann Beer Gun and that worked a little better. After a few bottling sessions, I decided to pick up a Counter Pressure Bottle Filler and try that out.

And I'm glad I did too!

Today I prefer using my CPBF whenever I bottle my brews. It does a great job maintaining carbonation pressure, and regulating the flow of the beer into the bottle is a cinch too. Just be sure to sanitize before using, and also to clean it out real good after using. Lately I've been bottle conditioning and haven't used the cpbf in a while. I feel that the cpbf does give the best overall end results, but you really should use what you are most comfortable with.

Hope this helps!

(_)3
Visit my blog @ http://www.wottashomebrewblog.blogspot.com

On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
Bottled:
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
User avatar
Grizz
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:55 am
Location: Las Vegas

Post by Grizz »

I got up this morning and ordered a blichmann and a filter set up from austin homebrew.
Beer is to Men as Water is to Fish!
river water brewing
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:34 pm
Location: Sacramento CA

I agree

Post by river water brewing »

i used my CPBF for the first time recently and it is GREAT!!! it was clean easy and NO foam, NONE. i recommend one for anyone that bottles a lot of their beer.
JG
Just trying to find the perfect batch!!!
Post Reply