Bottling from a Fermzilla gen3 - possible without CO2 tanks?

[DominicRL]

Hi folks - hope all well. I'm currently looking into investing in the Fermzilla gen 3.2 with pressure brewing kit, after 16 or so brews using basic plastic buckets (very happy with what I've made, but keen to level up). I see the malt miller has a good deal, and keen to snap up if a sensible purchase.

My logic for this is 1. I'd like to make pilsner and don't have space for lagering pre-bottle (so would like to be able to brew under pressure), 2. I would like to be able to remove some of the trub as I don't use a secondary fermentor and think this is occasionally impacting my beer, 3. As my house gets cold, a wrap-around heating unit will likely be better than my heating pad at the moment and 4. In time I'd like to get into oxygen free transfer.

At the moment I'm not in a position to buy CO2 canisters, bottling guns and the like (that would be my ideal set up as I'd like to be able to send hazy IPA to friends). So my question is, is there any way to bottle from a Fermzilla (I typically use a bottling wand connected to my plastic bucket and rely on gravity, and have used a siphon in the past but I'm not sold on it due to oxygen/sploshing), without CO2 canisters aiding with the process? Or should I just wait until I'm in a position to buy canisters/bottling gun etc.?

Much appreciated in advance!

 

[rekabmit]

Got excited reading your question as have similar, just bought the 3.2 and now wonder how I bottle from it.
Then disappointed no responses

 

[DominicRL]

Got excited reading your question as have similar, just bought the 3.2 and now wonder how I bottle from it.
Then disappointed no responses

Yes mine has just arrived, I’m thinking for my mini kegs that gravity will do the job with a beer line (provided the keg starts slightly lower pressure, connecting gas-to-gas I believe should equalize the two, also a good way to push sanitiser out the keg), the malt miller YouTube channel has a good video on that. I picked up some extra plastic mini kegs cheap to do this with my more fragile batches.

For bottling, I’m going to buy a stainless steel siphon and put through the hole I currently attach gas/spunding valve too. It won’t be oxygen free but it’ll be much better than my current bucket fermentor (taking the whole lid off), and oxygen free dry hopping is now an option.

It looks like for proper lager/oxygen free bottling CO2 tanks are the only option (for the former, it apparently needs to be at pressure immediately to stop the esters, rather than building up to pressure like an IPA). In the meantime I’m going to make some west coast Pilsner, hoppy IPAs and hazies.

Another trick I’ve learnt with plastic bottles to avoid oxygen is to squeeze the filled bottle before screwing on the cap, I’ve done three brews now half with, and half without screwing on, and after six weeks or so the difference has been stark. Very little oxygen when following this method. Hoping fermzilla reduces even more during primary.

Hopefully some of that helps, and someone more knowledgeable than me eventually responds!

Best,
D

 

[Larse]

I don't package without CO2, but your method is correct. Gas to gas and liquid to liquid, you're essentially siphoning using head pressure. It's slow, but prevents the beer foaming in the keg. I take it you have the pressure kit for the Fermzilla.

Bottling is a different kettle of fish since you won't have a closed transfer and a way of equalising the pressure. So you will get foaming in the bottle. One way to avoid that is to release any pressure in the Fermzilla and just use gravity. But there will still be dissolved CO2 in the beer, so no way to avoid foaming completely. Maybe loosen the cap or remove the gas post. Have not tried this, so no idea how effective it will be.