Bottling chore! Pump solution??

[Ciaran12s]

As I'm using PET entirely at the minute, I have a bottle, clean it, skoosh of starsan, lid on, shake and into a box. So come bottling day, pour whatever star San is in out, fill and screw the lid. Easy peasy.

I'll probably do the same with glass bottles and push the cap back on over, it's not a 100% seal maybe but if they are well covered it should be fine.

The first few bottling days were a chore when cleaning and sanitizing a full batch of bottles prior to.bottling.

 

[Deadhead]

I use swing top bottles, so that makes life easy.
I clean all bottles thoroughly after use and store until I need them. When it's bottle day, I use a bottle rinser with Star San, and let them drain. Meanwhile, rack off to new bucket, prime with dissolved sugar . Then I use a small syphon with a bottling wand attached. Works a treat. Bucket sits on counter, beer bottles on towel on the floor. Takes about an hour, hour and half total depending on how quick I go.
I have asked hubby for some corny kegs for Christmas, but he says he likes drinking out of bottles. Therefore, he becomes my forced bottling helper. I still keep mentioning corny kegs for Christmas though...

 

[Yabezag]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I will try a new wand as the first option. (Diagon Ally here I come)! Then go for direct filling from tap as that may be fastest.... but probably aerates the beer too much?? Corny kegs are appealing but need a full kegerator set up etc. May be cheaper to get another King keg and tall fridge on EBAY.


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[BarnBrian]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I will try a new wand as the first option. (Diagon Ally here I come)! Then go for direct filling from tap as that may be fastest.... but probably aerates the beer too much?? Corny kegs are appealing but need a full kegerator set up etc. May be cheaper to get another King keg and tall fridge on EBAY.


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I've been using cornies for over a year and still haven't got round to sorting a kegerator so I wouldn't say it's essential. I will be making one next month though.

 

[MarkBowie]

With the wand I have (I do also appreciate the Potter reference) I have to angle the bottle slightly to help the flow of the beer. If I keep everything straight it doesn’t flow properly.

 

[Yabezag]

With the wand I have (I do also appreciate the Potter reference) I have to angle the bottle slightly to help the flow of the beer. If I keep everything straight it doesn’t flow properly.

Ah yes ! My daughter, aka master bottler, did say she needed a certain pressure/position or the wand would not work it’s magic!


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[Yabezag]

With the wand I have (I do also appreciate the Potter reference) I have to angle the bottle slightly to help the flow of the beer. If I keep everything straight it doesn’t flow properly.

Ah yes! My daughter, aka master bottler”, did say that she needed a certain pressure/position or the wand would not work it’s magic! Hopefully Gringotts will dispense me some funds to acquire a new wand!


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[MrL73]

Just wondering if fitting a second tap to the bottling bucket and running two wands at once would work...? That should (in theory at least) halve the time...it was something I was contemplating the other day as my bottling session took what seemed like forever.

 

[sdt7618]

Have bottled some batches without the wand, just straight from the tap, angle the bottle to run down the sides and on you go. Seems to be working ok and no issues with oxygen etc

 

[chewie]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I will try a new wand as the first option. (Diagon Ally here I come)! Then go for direct filling from tap as that may be fastest.... but probably aerates the beer too much?? Corny kegs are appealing but need a full kegerator set up etc. May be cheaper to get another King keg and tall fridge on EBAY.


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It's also worth using some silicon tubing to connect the wand to the tap which is long enough to reach the floor, having the bucket on top of a bench and all your bottles in crates on the floor with a long enough piece of tube means you can fill bottles PDQ. I use two wands which are tee'd together which allows me to fill two bottles at a time, i do also use swing tops which means i can fill and cap a crate in about 3 mins at the most.

Placing the bottling bucket on the bench the day before will also help reduce sediment as it gives it a chance to settle out which will help keep the wand clear.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
As the level of beer in the bottling bucket falls the rate of fill will decrease - you can't avoid that.
At the risk of using the "s" word, it's science.