Bottling Guns

[fgoulding]

I bought the Kegland bottling gun and it’s now sitting in my box of bad purchases. It was useless.

I then bought this counter pressure filler from AliExpress that wasn’t cheap but it works well as long as I chill the bottles.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_msrsrzi
To be honest, it doesn’t get much use these days as I tend to package my brews in a 19L corny and a 5L mini-keg. Then if I need bottles I draw from the keg into PET bottles and squeeze the air out.

 

[Libigage]

I bought the Kegland bottling gun and it’s now sitting in my box of bad purchases. It was useless.

I then bought this counter pressure filler from AliExpress that wasn’t cheap but it works well as long as I chill the bottles.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_msrsrzi
To be honest, it doesn’t get much use these days as I tend to package my brews in a 19L corny and a 5L mini-keg. Then if I need bottles I draw from the keg into PET bottles and squeeze the air out.

Did you get the kegland nukatap one or the other one?

 

[fgoulding]

Did you get the kegland nukatap one or the other one?

I have the older cheap one. I’ve not tried the nukatap.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I bought the Kegland bottling gun and it’s now sitting in my box of bad purchases. It was useless.

Are you able to share what issues you had?

 

[fgoulding]

Are you able to share what issues you had?

I found the handle was too tricky to hold in order to control the flow and it would get stuck sometimes. Maybe I just had a bad one…

 

[Dilettante Brewing]

I also have the Kegland one and TBH I find it a bit hit and miss. One consistent problem is that the stopper on the end either falls off completely or the rubber comes off and ends up in your bottle of beer or elsewhere. That is probably the most consistently annoying issue. Otherwise I find it inconsistent as to whether I can bottle from a carbonated keg without losing loads of beer. Definitely better for lower carbonated beers. But the fizzy stuff seems to be a challenge. I'm sure if I played around more with line diameter/length and keg/bottle temperature it might yield improvements. But it just generally seems hit and miss. I think I would go with the Boel itap if was going to have another attempt at this. But that's expensive and needs mounting somehow. Although if you already have a kegerator/keezer you might be able to incorporate it fairly easily (mine can't).

 

[Braufather]

Plus 1 for the James Bond blichman.

 

[dcbrookes]

I have the Nukatap filler winging its way from the Orient as I write. I will report back when I have had a chance to try it. I had the Kegland one for a bit but put it on Ebay after one foam filled disaster.

 

[Libigage]

I have the Nukatap filler winging its way from the Orient as I write. I will report back when I have had a chance to try it. I had the Kegland one for a bit but put it on Ebay after one foam filled disaster.

Nice one

 

[Graz]

I have the Nukatap filler winging its way from the Orient as I write. I will report back when I have had a chance to try it. I had the Kegland one for a bit but put it on Ebay after one foam filled disaster.

Will be interesting the hear how you get on as I'm also thinking about getting one. The Aliexpress price for it makes it a bargain. Their YouTube video makes it look easy enough to use.

 

[YeastFace]

May get one, not a massive write-off if it's rubbish, but have been impressed by Kegland products and the Tapcooler doesn't seem to be in stock in UK.

What sort of duties would you be looking at on the Nukatap filler?

 

[Graz]

May get one, not a massive write-off if it's rubbish, but have been impressed by Kegland products and the Tapcooler doesn't seem to be in stock in UK.

What sort of duties would you be looking at on the Nukatap filler?

Most of the time stuff I order from AliExpress just seems to get delivered without any extra fees. VAT is charged at source now.

 

[YeastFace]

Order placed.

 

[Leon103]

Tapcooler, so easy to use.

 

[YeastFace]

Order placed.

Arrived today (arrived in UK on 25th).

Not had a chance to use it, but looks like an impressive bit of kit, well made and comes with all the connections you could need. Very similar design to the Tap Cooler (which was my initial choice but out of stock at The Malt Miller who seemed to have exclusivity in UK), but a third of the price.

 

[Madhouse]

I’ve a beer gun, just checked and it’s the Kegland one. Personally I’ve not had any issues and have found it a useful bit of kit.

Key is not to bottle at too high a pressure, I started out chilling the bottles but got fed up with that and room temp ones have been fine. The beer line I have is both long and a small diameter which probably helps but it does mean filling a bottle may take a few seconds longer.
Beer’s always held up well in the bottles, maybe put a bit of extra carbonation in to counter any losses in bottling if you’re concerned.
Biggest issue I have is a lack of hands when bottling on my own, think I need to make some kind of holder for it that I can sanitise so I can put it down to put the cap on.
Of course the real answer to that issue is a counter-pressure filler, but without a dedicated brew bench I’ve nothing to fix it to.

 

[phildo79]

24 PET bottles - £10
Carbonation cap - £5
10" of beer line - 30p

Sometimes the simplest way is the best way. We all love a new gizmo and I did look into getting a filler gun but read so many mixed reviews that it put me right off forking out. Don't get me wrong, you can still balls up the method I use (and I have done) but at least you are only spending a few quid. And it does work pretty much the whole time. And if you are only filling them for a party etc. it's absolutely fine.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

24 PET bottles - £10
Carbonation cap - £5
10" of beer line - 30p

Sometimes the simplest way is the best way. We all love a new gizmo and I did look into getting a filler gun but read so many mixed reviews that it put me right off forking out. Don't get me wrong, you can still balls up the method I use (and I have done) but at least you are only spending a few quid. And it does work pretty much the whole time. And if you are only filling them for a party etc. it's absolutely fine.

Your method is also quicker, in my opinion.

 

[moto748]

I have a very simple method of bottling

<nervous types, please look away now>

Fill large 2 litre jug with beer. Place funnel in bottle. Fill bottles with beer, adding metered amount of priming solution to each.. Simple.

I have *never* had an infected batch.

Or (alternative explanation), loads of my beer is in fact infected, and I am such a fool I cannot tell.

You be the judge.

 

[Graz]

24 PET bottles - £10
Carbonation cap - £5
10" of beer line - 30p

Sometimes the simplest way is the best way. We all love a new gizmo and I did look into getting a filler gun but read so many mixed reviews that it put me right off forking out. Don't get me wrong, you can still balls up the method I use (and I have done) but at least you are only spending a few quid. And it does work pretty much the whole time. And if you are only filling them for a party etc. it's absolutely fine.

What do you do then, just fill the PET bottles up from the bottom through the carbonation cap + beer line? Presumably the cap is loosely fitted to let the air / gas out or you just unwind a little when the flow slows down. Do you purge the bottles first? Interested as I have a couple of boxes of Coopers PET bottles that I hardly ever use and it could be a useful thing to do for taking beer on holiday. I also have a carbonation cap and beer line!

Thanks.