Recommendations for the best counter pressure bottle filler please.

[Galena]

I have decided I want one to fill a few bottles direct from keg, the Boel itap looks great but not available now it seems and as they appear to be Russian made then that's a good explanantion why.
I have looked at the Nukatap and the Kegland version and also the Tapcooler, I think for now at least I will use it by connecting both beer and CO2 through disconnects so probably needs to have the right connections to enable that.
Thoughts?

 

[private4587]

I have a Boel tap and it is a great success, I believe they are still in business and that they have moved to Portugal
[email protected], https://boel.company/
these are the addresses I have from my latest dealings with them

 

[Galena]

I have a Boel tap and it is a great success, I believe they are still in business and that they have moved to Portugal
[email protected], Beer tap for brewery and bar | Order a counter pressure beer tap
these are the addresses I have from my latest dealings with them

Thanks, do you have yours attached to anything? As yet I don't have a kegerator so wondering how to mount it or if I need to?

 

[JockyBrewer]

I have the Tapcooler. It’s actually great - I can fill high carbonation beers foam and oxygen free. The kegland one wasn’t available when I got it, but it basically looks like a copy of the Tapcooler.

I’ve also bought several add one for the Tapcooler:

The extension to connect direct to keg, rather than from a tap. It’s fine, although I don’t use it any more since I got nukataps.

The bottle clip. Essential if you’re filling lots of the same bottle.

Gas disconnect adapter. Great for me as I just steal gas off another keg and connect it.

PRV drain tube. Not at all essential, but saves a lot of mess in my setup.

 

[private4587]

Thanks, do you have yours attached to anything? As yet I don't have a kegerator so wondering how to mount it or if I need to?

i have my attached to a simple wooden stand that I made up

 

[LeeH]

I have a Boel tap and it is a great success, I believe they are still in business and that they have moved to Portugal
[email protected], Beer tap for brewery and bar | Order a counter pressure beer tap
these are the addresses I have from my latest dealings with them

This, they are fantastic but being Russian, supplies have been ebay only shipping from Ukraine.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I’ve got a cheap ali express thing I was gifted and it’s great, one of those T-valve things. I rigged up a wooden frame for it with some ball bearing drawer runners so I can lift it up to load it. Also got an iTap I use in my garden ‘taproom’ which works great too but more of a faff to clean. Either options work great and I’ve had hoppy IPA’s in. Titles for months with no signs of oxidation so work great.

 

[Rwilts]

If it's only an occasional thing you could do what I do. I have one of those t piece plastic screw on caps. I have a bottle cap on one disconnect and a length of tubing that reaches to bottom of bottle from the other.

I then put the co2 on the top disconnect to purge, swap for the beer line and use the side cap to let the pressure escape whilst filling the bottle.

Then unscrew and replace with bottle lid.
I have also used this method a few times.to bottle direct from the fermizilla when pressure fermenting.

 

[Siscokid85]

These are an option too

http://brewcrafter.shop/?fbclid=PAA...KOugEXWPejrwkJtt9DSuFxF2fVXz48O1xJuZPngNoOQI0

I chose these as they aren’t Russian (boo) and I think the way the flow rate is set differs from the boel.

Haven’t used mine much but seems really good

 

[Galena]

These are an option too

http://brewcrafter.shop/?fbclid=PAA...KOugEXWPejrwkJtt9DSuFxF2fVXz48O1xJuZPngNoOQI0

I chose these as they aren’t Russian (boo) and I think the way the flow rate is set differs from the boel.

Haven’t used mine much but seems really good

Thanks, first time I have seen that I will check out some reviews.

 

[Galena]

If it's only an occasional thing you could do what I do. I have one of those t piece plastic screw on caps. I have a bottle cap on one disconnect and a length of tubing that reaches to bottom of bottle from the other.

I then put the co2 on the top disconnect to purge, swap for the beer line and use the side cap to let the pressure escape whilst filling the bottle.

Then unscrew and replace with bottle lid.
I have also used this method a few times.to bottle direct from the fermizilla when pressure fermenting.

I was considering trying that but I generally only use glass bottles.

 

[Galena]

I’ve got a cheap ali express thing I was gifted and it’s great, one of those T-valve things. I rigged up a wooden frame for it with some ball bearing drawer runners so I can lift it up to load it. Also got an iTap I use in my garden ‘taproom’ which works great too but more of a faff to clean. Either options work great and I’ve had hoppy IPA’s in. Titles for months with no signs of oxidation so work great.

Do you have a photo?

 

[Galena]

i have my attached to a simple wooden stand that I made up

Any photos by any chance?

 

[Galena]

I have the Tapcooler. It’s actually great - I can fill high carbonation beers foam and oxygen free. The kegland one wasn’t available when I got it, but it basically looks like a copy of the Tapcooler.

I’ve also bought several add one for the Tapcooler:

The extension to connect direct to keg, rather than from a tap. It’s fine, although I don’t use it any more since I got nukataps.

The bottle clip. Essential if you’re filling lots of the same bottle.

Gas disconnect adapter. Great for me as I just steal gas off another keg and connect it.

PRV drain tube. Not at all essential, but saves a lot of mess in my setup.

Thanks, I may well go with this for now and get the itap or the linked to brew crafter when I get a Kegerator (one day)

 

[stripeyjoe]

Carb cap and a PET bottle. Use CO2 to purge the bottle, stick a beer line on and crack the carb cap a little to release a little pressure and let the beer flow. Worked out recently you don’t even need any silicon hose attached, means you can fill the bottle all the way to the top.
At about £1 for the carb cap from AliExpress it’s definitely the budget method!

 

[MashBag]

Is this not beer gun territory?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Do you have a photo?

Some photo's attached...

It's rough and ready made from wood scraps I had lying around. The stand in the 'down' position. For small bottles I need to place the bottles on a block of wood but for 500ml bottles its fine...

An image of it in the raised position for bottle loading....
Its on short draw ball bearing runners from B&Q.

And a close up of the unit itslelf. Its attached by a couple of large cable U-clamps off eBay...a few quid each.

I bottle from a keg, so have a liquid line from the keg to the RHS port, and the gas line goes to a John Guest Y-connector with one going to the CO2 bottle and one going to the keg.
I can bottle a 19ltr keg by myself in under an hour once you get things set up and get into a flow. I can also use it with PET bottles if I wrap loads of PTFE tape around the tapered silicone bung so it can seal against the wider opening of the PET bottle. The weight of the thing is heavy enough to not need any external pressure to maintain a seal too.

Process is:-
1. Load bottle
2. Turn black valve knob to the left (gas side) to pressurise bottle
3. Turn black knob on the right to release gas to purge bottle for 5 seconds (purges from the bottom up so get perfect purge)
4. turn black valve knob to the right (liquid side) and slowly release the pressure via the black knob to allow beer to flow. I aim for a slow flow to prevent foaming. Have to slow it down to a trickle sometimes as the beer level gets to the neck.
5. Once at the desired level then turn valve knob back to the left hand side gas position to pressurise bottle for a second before moving the valve knob back to the neutral position
6. raise the device up and cap bottle. Usually get a little 'pschhh' and maybe a bit of foam spitting out as the pressure of the bottle equalises, but this is good as it means you're capping on foam.

Its amazing how after a few you just get into a rhythm and it all becomes a mindless mechanical motion.

 

[Justin Dean]

Boel tap through side of my kegerator. Perfect and tidy. So easy. I have a tapcooler that I used to use but upgraded and boel is better

 

[JockyBrewer]

Thanks, I may well go with this for now and get the itap or the linked to brew crafter when I get a Kegerator (one day)

I meant to say if you're never going to have taps then building a stand for a cheap counter pressure filler might be better...

... but if you plan to get taps then the Tapcooler (or Kegland knock off) ability to plug straight into a tap is very useful as you don't have to sanitise or clean any beer line. It takes 30 seconds to set up:
- Squirt a bit of starsan around the filler.
- Stick filler into relevant kegerator tap
- Disconnect gas from another keg and click it onto the filler
- Fill bottle

Cleaning is just as easy - 30 seconds to disassemble, stick it in a small jug with a quarter teaspoon of PBW and fill up with water from the hot tap. Leave for a few minutes then rinse.

In comparison I've never understood the enthusiasm for the iTap. Looks like a PITA to setup and keep clean. It doesn't even purge/fill from the bottom of the bottle, which is pretty essential for low DO filling.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Boel tap through side of my kegerator. Perfect and tidy. So easy. I have a tapcooler that I used to use but upgraded and boel is better

I'm interested in how you find it better?