Beer Forum

I was wondering if anyone had some tips for filling a bottle from a keg that doesn't involve buying a counter pressure filler or a beer gun. I eventually want to get one, but for now I have people who want bottles of my beer, and no interest what so ever in filling bottles.

I don't suppose anyone has an idea?

I have a friend that uses one of those cobra head plastic taps with a piece of poly tube in the end of it

He says it does ok but I've never had any of the bottles that he has made that way

If you want detailed instructions just say the word

Blowmax10 wrote:I have a friend that uses one of those cobra head plastic taps with a piece of poly tube in the end of it

He says it does ok but I've never had any of the bottles that he has made that way

If you want detailed instructions just say the word

Yup, this is what I do. Works just fine. Piece of broken racking cane and a no. 2 stopper.

I don't even use the stopper. I cut a piece of racking cane long enough that I can fill a growler and then cut a 45 degree angle on the end. Stick the flat end into a cobra tap (its a tight fit). Dial the pressure down to 3-5 psi and bleed the pressure out of the keg. Put the 45 end all the way down to the bottom of the bottle and begin to fill. Be sure to fill enough that you can cap on a layer of foam. It also helps to freeze the bottles or growler first. It helps prevent excessive foam. Using this method, I've had bottles over a year old that were still carbonated properly.

I concur. I own a counter pressure bottler but I don't use it. I use a bottling wand shoved into a picnic tap. Cap on foam and it works great.

Nice video showing the Racking-tube-shoved-in-a-cobra-tap-with-a-no.-2-stopper method. This is what I do but I do purge the bottles with CO2 first. When I'm done, I give each bottle a quick little shake and then cap on the foam that rises. Sorry about the cheesy music, but the method is easy and works great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwIbFQcHYyo

Thanks for all the advice folks. I'm looking forward to filling some bottles this week.

This is pretty handy if you've got forward sealing faucets with removable spouts.