Bottling from a Corny

[conorm]

I've a Triple conditioning at the minute under ~15psi. I'd like to bottle some of it to give as gifts. I don't have a beer filler / gun etc.

Should I wait until it's fully conditioned and carbonated and just fill bottles from the tap and hope it holds enough CO2? Or pour now, decarb, and prime with sugar?

 

[Its 6pm somewhere]

This is something I've pondered and said to myself that I must test it but never have...but this has spured me on to actually do it.

For this test I counterfilled a small bottle from the keg @15psi at 4c...fizzy. I opened and took off the carb cap to simulate putting a standard cap on after the transfer but put it back on so I can hook a blowtie up to it in a while and see what the psi is at.
Will revert in a few hours.
Granted this assumes screw top bottles are being used and while it's fine for a few bottles I wouldn't be bottling a full kegs worth this way

 

[conorm]

Thanks, Interesting!

It's four swing top 500ml glass bottles. For the hassle that's involved I think I might just prime them. They've another 4 weeks of conditioning before drinkable anyway. Means I can have them wrapped up and delivered to my neighbour this week.

In future, I think if I'm partially bottling a batch, I'll just bottle straight from the FV after 2 weeks and prime bottle at a time. Always hates that part of brewing but can tolerate if it's just a couple bottle per batch. Also means I can brew standard 23-25l recipes, bottle a few and still have 19l for the corny.

 

[Its 6pm somewhere]

Ah this isn't the answer for you so but if it's something you fancy trying in the future I'll post the results anyway.

Hard to get a good pic of the reading but it's around the 13/14psi mark so little to no loss in this instance.

I use a variation of this method all the time for beer on the go, I just leave the carb cap on and use 1.5l coke bottles but for gifting it's good to know I can do it this way...there is a bit of a mess if you take the carb cap off straight away and too fast, it was attempt two used for this test

 

[Leon103]

Just get a proper counter pressure bottle filler and don't ever think about plastic bottles.

 

[Sadfield]

I've a Blichmann beer gun, but if I want to do one or two bottles I use this. Cheap and easy to make up.

I've also seen people use a standard bottling wand pushed into a party tap.

Belgian beers are normally bottle conditioned though, so that's probably the best option with a tripel.