Super Automatic Bottle filler? Anyone got one?

[phatboytall]

Has anyone ever tried one of these? Just wondering if its a decent step up from the old bucket and bottling stick. Or once cleaned and up and running its actually not much better.

http://www.brewuk.co.uk/equipment/bottl ... iller.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueBv9vbY4-Q

[daddies-beer-factory]

It looks like it would oxygenate the beer which is not good.

no problems using a bottling wand free flowing on the end of some tube, the flow is controlled on the tap of the bottling bucket.

[Mr. Dripping]

I would go with the bottling stick personally.
If you have cornys and gas, the 'Blichmann Beer Gun' is worth looking at, though it does cost a little more.

[daddies-beer-factory]

get yourself one of these http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... 9LNuEAynXQ and remove the ball valve thingy
at the bottom , and then as mentioned above you fill the bottles.
1, open the dishwasher door
2, place 20 or so clean 500ml bottles on the open dishwasher door
3, put the filled bottling bucket just above said dishwasher
4, connect up the 5/16" tube to the tap & the bottling wand
5, fill the bottles with a steady flow (about 10 secs per bottle) controlled by the tap
6, i personally add sugar to the bottles before filling - some add a syrup to the bucket
7, the wand goes straight to the bottom of the bottle so no oxygen is introduce
8, quickly swap the wand over between bottles
9, top up the bottles with a jug if needed
10, when finished the 20 - lift the door & the spilt beer is drained into the dishwasher
11, cap on the hard floor (a tip is to leave the loose bottle tops on the bottles for a few mins - to let the gas purge - then seal the top)

do not mean to patronise , just a general guide for everyone !

[scuppeteer]

I used one of these when I first started brewing. It was great initially but after a few months I found the valve started to get stuck. Despite the adjustment nut it made no difference. I was always concerned about the valve area (the big flying saucer bit) which you couldn't clean properly as it always seemed to retain a certain amount of liquid, even running through with PAA it always had fluid in it. Not wanting to unscrew the whole thing for fear of breaking it completely I retired the unit and went back to the good old stick which is easy to clean and mostly reliable if you are paying attention.

[Big Al]

I'm umming and aaahhhing over using a bottling stick, I currently use the hose with a kink in it trick for filling bottles. BUt think the stick might be an easier cleaner method

[Jonnyconga]

I've got a normal bottling wand with the push valve in the end - works fine. BUT the best change I made with bottling was
1 getting a load of flip top bottles beer from Germany on a recent trip.
2 got a bench top capper - so much quicker and easier than those capping things with 2 small levers. Def worth the money.

[Lars]

This dude has the best single speedup for bottling day that I've ever seen
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/double- ... st-257264/

[oldbloke]

I'm umming and aaahhhing over using a bottling stick, I currently use the hose with a kink in it trick for filling bottles. BUt think the stick might be an easier cleaner method

Get one.
When I'm doing 2 gallons of TC, I don't bother, but when I have 5 gallons of mild to bottle, the stick is great. And my 10yr old can work it while I cap! (He insists on being paid though)
But, to get the siphon started when using a stick: I have a siphon tube with a tap on the end, get that started, turn the tap off, attach the stick to the tap with a couple of inches of tube.
Or you could use the "fill the siphon tube with water, as it runs out it'll start drawing the beer over" method - reckon you still need a tap in there somewhere. Handy in case there's any problem at all with the stick, anyway

[pads72]

This dude has the best single speedup for bottling day that I've ever seen
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/double- ... st-257264/

Sometimes simple does it!