Little bottler

[Springer]

I quite fancy one to these to help out with bottling, people seem to like them.
Trouble is I don't want to spend £8 with half of it getting me a plastic tap that I don't use. :)
So anyone got a picture of the business end of the bottler, presumable they come to pieces for cleaning
S

 

[LeedsBrewer]

just get a bottling wand or bottling stick whatever you want to call it. £4 :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

So anyone got a picture of the business end of the bottler, presumable they come to pieces for cleaning

Can give you a description :grin:
Tube with cap, cap has hole cut in it, disc with seal and pin like a letter T (disc diameter larger than hole in cap but smaller than tube) sits inside tube with pin poking through hole in bottom of cap, like so
T
U

Seal on underside of T seals under pressure from beer above, press pin onto flat surface (bottle) seal broken beer flows
Simples :lol:

 

[PD]

a little one way valve..

 

[Baz Chaz]

So anyone got a picture of the business end of the bottler, presumable they come to pieces for cleaning

Can give you a description :grin:
Tube with cap, cap has hole cut in it, disc with seal and pin like a letter T (disc diameter larger than hole in cap but smaller than tube) sits inside tube with pin poking through hole in bottom of cap, like so
T
U

Seal on underside of T seals under pressure from beer above, press pin onto flat surface (bottle) seal broken beer flows
Simples :lol:

or the shortened version .... :lol:

a little one way valve..

Little Bottler is a bit of kit I wouldn't be without, lot less messy for bottling and it comes apart easy enough for cleaning as well :thumb:

 

[Springer]

Thanks for the replys chaps.
I didn't realise a wand was the same thing . At four quid, not a problem...................but what diameter are they and approx how long does it take to fill a bottle. :?
At present I use a tube from the bucket tap, which is not a good idea, so trying to get as efficient as possible and don't know how much "oxidisation" I am introducing, but why take the risk. :)
S

 

[fermentall]

hi S,they fit into standard syphon tube ok & a bottle takes about 8-10 seconds i would guess as i have never timed it : ken.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have two but find the valve can stick open. I don't know if this is to do with pressure from the Fv but it aint half a PITA.

 

[oldbloke]

approx how long does it take to fill a bottle. :?

If you're quick, you could get one capped while the next is filling.

The 2 main advantages are (a) you need fewer hands (b) it fills from the bottom of the bottle so lower oxidation risk

It's a very simple valve and will drip a little bit in the closed position, but hey

 

[Springer]

Why do the valves stick open G. :?
How do you cap one OB, whilst holding the other up for filling. :? No wonder you need extra hands. This might not be a problem for me as I am trying to grow an extra one for use with my counter pressure bottle filler that I am working on. :lol:
It is really quite amazing just how much we/I can learn for such a simple question, thanks for the replies.
Do we need a better design or is the old one ok. :?
S

 

[SloeBrewer]

Bottling sticks will fit on 5/16 tubing. Just stick the tube in boiling water for 30secs to get it on with ease :smile:

 

[oldbloke]

How do you cap one OB, whilst holding the other up for filling. :?

with a bottling wand on the end of some tubing, you can dump it in the bottle and leave it to get on with it while you do something else
with the full little bottler rigidly attached to an FV, not so much

 

[Vossy1]

At present I use a tube from the bucket tap, which is not a good idea, so trying to get as efficient as possible and don't know how much "oxidisation" I am introducing, but why take the risk. :)

Keeping in mind priming has to take place any 02 will be mopped up easily enough unless it's a foam party....relax...don't worry...have a home brew :drink:

 

[Springer]

Thanks again all, well I have been working with a tube and tap for ages and not had a problem, so I hope you are right V.
I started to worry as I am building up a big stock and don't want it to go to waste. :cry:
Sometimes I think we can go over the top with brewing worries. :)
S

 

[seanymc]

hi springer,i dont have a little bottler, so what ive done is fitted some more tubing on the tap of my syphone, then i pushed the end of the tubing through the little funnel i use to prime my bottles with,and then making sure the tube hits the bottom of the bottle. Try it on a empty one to get the tubing at the right length, the funnel will then hold the tube in place in the bottle .so you can then control the tap with to hands, jobs a good one. i have done this and it works for me, hope this helps, you can use it as a temporary measure till you get one. :thumb:

 

[fermentall]

Little bottler is a great bit of kit,attach it to 5/16 syphon tube & place in bottom of bottle.The bottle will fill & when ale reaches top rim of bottle lift to shut valve off & place in next bottle to repeat, this takes about 10 seconds or so & is so easy. When the bottler is lifted out it leaves the right ammount of headspace ready to cap,I can bottle a 23lt brew in less than 15 minutes & it is relatively mess free.
By the way i have 3 little bottlers & not one of them leaks in my opinion a must have gadget for the homebrewer unless you don't bottle of course. : ken.

 

[Springer]

Thanks Sean, quite happy with my method, i.e. 15mm tube on a nice tap, fills em quick but was just a bit worried about introducing air, but I think I will stay with it and blame V if it goes belly up. :lol:
Have you tried batch priming, you won't need a funnel then. :)

By the way i have 3 little bottlers & not one of them leaks

Why do you have three ken, .................Grays has two. :? :lol: Are these gravity or do they have a spring.

I am thinking that they are a bit slow in filling a bottle against my "risky" method

S

 

[fermentall]

Hi S, got two bottlers as pressies after i bought one , anyway invest 3.99 in one & try it you wont want to go back to your original method me thinks. The bottlers are gravity fed & are really quite quick.
atbgnfm
(all the best good night from me)hahaha.
:

 

[Fil]

It may be risky? but when botteling i have 1/2" hose attched to the tap, and a second inline syphon tap with enough 3/8" pipe following that to dip into a bottle. the end cut made very clean and square.

Generally controlling the fill with the inline tap, surface tension keeps the beer in the shorter 3/8" pipe between bottles. but if clumsy and you knock it about too much, it will drop out...

 

[fermentall]

In today's brewing why would anyone risk anything ?, :nah: for the princely sum of less than £4 a little bottler takes out the Risk factor & any mess, it probably costs more for tubing taps etc than the LB.ken :