Reduce your regulatorto around 2 to 4 psi and switch on the gas. Open the picnic tap and release any foamy beer from the line, until it runs clear, then close the tap. Insert the line into a clean, sanitized bottle, and open the picnic tap again, the beer should start to fill from the bottle.
Warm or hot bottles can also cause problems, especially when bottling beer with higher levels of carbon dioxide. Although commercial bottling lines work quite well with room temperature bottles, rinsed with ambient water, chilling glass at home is something that can be done if the need arises. This is not practical on a larger scale.
We all (hopefully) know not to bottle-carbonate beers beyond a certain volume, such as 2.5–3 volumes. Say that you have a highly carbonated brew (3.5–4 volumes) that you force carbonated in a keg and now want to bottle from the keg. If you bottle into a regular 12 oz. bottle will there be any issues with the CO2 coming out of solution if the bottle is at room temperature? Or can you pull this off safely since the beer is already carbonated vs. what happens as yeast eats sugar when you bottle-carbonate?A
Most bottled beers do fall into the 2.5 to 3.0 volume carbonation range, but there are styles that are typically carbonated to a much higher level. Many Belgian styles and German hefeweizens are normally carbonated to a higher level, sometimes pushing the 6 volume mark, and Champagne often times contains more than 8 volumes of carbon dioxide. The most important thing when bottling beers with higher carbon dioxide levels is selecting glass bottles that have a pressure rating aligned with the pressure developed in the bottle. Violating this basic rule results in exploding bottles; a safety problem and a product loss problem all in one.
And the last group of factors relate to the condition of the glass. Rinse your bottles before filling. Wet glass is much, much smoother than dry glass and commercial bottle filling operations always fill beer into bottles that are rinsed immediately prior to filling. Not only does rinsing make the surface smoother it also rinses off dust that may be present on the glass surface; dust is like a salt crystal and will act as a nucleation site if present on the bottle surface.
Another major cause of gushing during bottling is low headspace pressure in the bottle. This can happen if your regulator is set too low, or if you release the gas too quickly during filling. The thing about bottling that is quite different from filling a glass is that a very small amount of foam presents a very real problem because bottle necks are narrow; once foam rises into the neck and spritzes out of the gas relief valve more foam is often formed in the neck, resulting in slow filling and beer loss. The goal is to quietly fill the bottle all the way to the fill level without any foaming. Controlling gas pressure goes a very long way to accomplishing this goal. If you control the filling process correctly, you can induce a slow and predictable release of carbon dioxide after the bottle is full and before the cap is sealed. This is known as crowning on foam and is an effective means of reducing oxygen pick-up from the air that enters the bottle headspace when the filling tube is removed. One way to do this is to gently knock a full bottle of beer that has been quietly filled right before capping; that gentle knock causes gas to escape and foam the bottle. You can also do this as a rude party trick to set off bottle volcanos at will.
Remember when you are finished bottling, to again increase your regulator pressure to maintain the proper level of carbonation in your keg. Happy bottling!
There are commercial CO2 bottling wands, guns, beer guns… but they are entirely too expensive and unnecessary to accomplish this simple task. There is no need to spend $50, $60, or $100 dollars to fill a bottle with beer effectively. Here is how:
Once a brewer begins kegging, he/she will never go back to bottling, or will they? There is something to be said for the convenience of bottled beer. It travels well, it can be given as a gift and it is the only way to get it to a competition. How do we get that sweet carbonated nectar into the bottles?
You are now ready to bottle beer, and there are some simple rules and procedures to follow to be successful.
3 EASY ways to Bottle Beer from a Keg!
FAQ
Can you bottle kegged beer?
How do you store kegged beer?
Can you pour beer from fermenter into bottle?
Can you fill a keg with bottled beer?
Can you bottle beer from a keg?
If that is the case, you can still use a unique tool called a counter-pressure filler so that you can bottle beer from the keg. If you opt to keg your beer, you could build a kegging system or kegerator.
Is it safe to drink two beers a day?
Drinking two beers a day is generally considered safe for most adults, but it’s important to moderate alcohol intake. Excessive drinking can lead to health problems. If you have any medical conditions or are taking medications, consult your doctor to ensure it won’t interfere with your health.
Should you keg or bottle your homebrew?
There is pretty much no doubt whatsoever that moving up to kegging your homebrew is a fantastic step to take. While bottling home brew is both rewarding and can be beneficial for some styles, most would agree that kegging provides greater flexibility, ease of use and far less hassle in terms of cleaning and transferring.
Should you buy a keg or a beer bottle for a wedding?
However, the cost of beer bottles and cans will generally be higher than a keg, especially if you’re having a big wedding. You can offset this by buying beer by the case from breweries. If decor is a big part of your wedding, beer bottles may be the choice for you. Personalized beer labels have become a popular wedding trend.