Purging bottles with co2 prior to filling from the keg

[phildo79]

Hi guys

I have done everything I can to eliminate the ball-ache that is bottling but every now and again one needs filled for a comp or a swap.

It is a pain to do and sometimes doesn't work out very well. I need to purge my bottles, first and foremost, so what are some of the cheaper gizmos available that do the job? I am not interested in buying a beer gun or that intertap cooler thing that costs £100. I just want a device that purges the bottle and then I can fill using a length of beer line shoved up the faucet spout.

Thanks in advance
Peace ✌

 

[uDicko]

I use PET bottles with a carbonation cap, length of tube on the cap outlet to the bottom of the bottle and fill.

As for the purge element. You can get two of these and a T piece. So one for the gas and one for the liquid. Enabling you to purge then fill.

https://brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/gas-co2-equipment/products/carbonation-cap-tee-piece-kit
Works a treat but only with screwtop PET bottles.

 

[uDicko]

I use PET bottles with a carbonation cap, length of tube on the cap outlet to the bottom of the bottle and fill.

As for the purge element. You can get two of these and a T piece. So one for the gas and one for the liquid. Enabling you to purge then fill.

https://brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/gas-co2-equipment/products/carbonation-cap-tee-piece-kit
Works a treat but only with screwtop PET bottles.

You can do it from the keg direct rather than the spout

 

[BeerCat]

I have a splitter on the line that comes of my regulator with a tap and 40cm length of 3/8" tube. Chill the bottles, purge and fill from the faucet slowly at low pressure.

 

[kelper]

I fill the bottle until some foam overflows. The foam bubbles are CO2 so the bottle is purged of all air.

 

[dave_77]

I have a splitter too on the gas line with a picnic tap and tube to purge the bottle. Then I made the filler below with a silicone bottle cap,bung and Syphon tube. The silicone tube I fit over a picnic tap to fill on low pressure.. pushing the silicone bottle cap against the bottle does work like a cheap counter pressure filler. It's similar to one on Dr Hans YouTube channel.

 

[uDicko]

I have a splitter too on the gas line with a picnic tap and tube to purge the bottle. Then I made the filler below with a silicone bottle cap,bung and Syphon tube. The silicone tube I fit over a picnic tap to fill on low pressure.. pushing the silicone bottle cap against the bottle does work like a cheap counter pressure filler. It's similar to one on Dr Hans YouTube channel.View attachment 32235

Silicone wine stoppers work very well for this set up too. Again tho no co2 purge as part of the bottling but you can counter pressure fill up and leave very little headspace in the bottle to minimise o2

 

[SteveH]

I've been filling with a cheap plastic pluto gun, and a piece of 5/16" beer line pushed into the outlet which works quite well (no purge though).

I'm now wondering if I can adapt that setup with a silicone stopper, and perhaps run an additional 3/16" line through the stopper which can be connected to a Co2 line...

 

[uDicko]

Silicone wine stoppers were what I referred to as my 'ghetto' bottle filler. Worked well on any bottle.

Bang a hole in the top of one of these Silicone Wine Stoppers Leak Free Wine Bottle Sealers for Beer Bottle Cap #8Y | eBay
Thread your tubing in, leaving enough length to adjust for differing bottle sizes
I used to attach the other end to the tap (used semi flexible racking hose, jammed on the end of the tap)
Pull tap and away you go.

The wine stopper did a good job of stopping/slowing the flow about half way up the glass when it equalised. Just either squeeze the stopper or somehow slowly release the stopper from the bottle and pressure does the rest.

Does the job

 

[uDicko]

I've been filling with a cheap plastic pluto gun, and a piece of 5/16" beer line pushed into the outlet which works quite well (no purge though).

I'm now wondering if I can adapt that setup with a silicone stopper, and perhaps run an additional 3/16" line through the stopper which can be connected to a Co2 line...

You could (maybe) stick two holes in the top of the wine stopper. Use one for purge and one for liquid as described above and all good.

 

[phildo79]

I use PET bottles with a carbonation cap, length of tube on the cap outlet to the bottom of the bottle and fill.

As for the purge element. You can get two of these and a T piece. So one for the gas and one for the liquid. Enabling you to purge then fill.

https://brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/gas-co2-equipment/products/carbonation-cap-tee-piece-kit
Works a treat but only with screwtop PET bottles.

Yeah, I was thinking PET bottles were the way to go. Seems more straightforward and has the added bonus of not worrying about breakage during transit. I have a JC splitter that I can connect to the reg (knew it would come in handy some day) so no need for an extra co2 filled keg as a source. Seen a fella on YouTube doing that. Seems so unnecessary.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I just give my bottles a bit of CO2 from the cylinder (via a bit of 3/8") after i've rinsed them, then rest the sterilised caps on until I'm ready to fill them. The CO2 is heavier than air, so it should just sit in the bottle and be displaced when I fill, I reckon

 

[JockyBrewer]

I fill the bottle until some foam overflows. The foam bubbles are CO2 so the bottle is purged of all air.

Totally this.

I've experimented a lot recently with filling a NEIPA into bottles, and as long as I fill the bottle up so that foam is coming out the top and then cap on that I've not seen any issues with oxidation and no difference from bottles I've CO2 'purged' first. And this is in a beer desperate to oxidise. The foam is all CO2 so there's no oxygen left in the bottle (any tiny amount left is dealt with by the oxygen scavenging liner in the crown cap).

The most reliable filling was with a party tap connected to the keg via about 180cm of 3/18" line, and then just pouring down the inside of the bottle. I also have a fancy Tapcooler counter pressure filler, but honestly I might sell it. At best now it works as a way of filling direct from the tap on my keezer.