I just got my kegging set up and was going to buy a beergun today but I have seen some posts talking about turning the pressure way down and just using the picnic tap. Am I foolish dropping $100 on the beergun?
I have used a Counterpressure Filler I bought from Morebeer about 5 years ago. It still works great and I think its easy to use.
I have one and really don’t like it. Hard to get a good fill with it. It seems to foam a lot more than the Counter-pressure filler I have. I’ve had to gushers in comps and both have been with the Beer gun. If I was just bottling for personal consumption or a lot of beers it might be ok, but for the handful I bottle for comps it’s not to my liking.
My counter-pressure filler is the one valve model that MoreBeer Sells
I have a counter-pressure filler and it is good if I am bottling a lot, not worth the hassle for a few. What I don’t like about the beer gun is it doesn’t keep pressure in the bottle. I would put some tubing with a stopper in the picnic tap so you could have it pressurize a bit and just “burp” the stopper when filling slows, or go with a CP filler.
I like my beergun. If used with some common sense, it works great.
+1
I also have a counter pressure filler, but usually use the “tube in tap” method if I’m only going to be filling a few bottles. The CP filler is nice though if you will be filling several.
Its not a beergun, but I have a spare CP filler that I would part with if you are interested.
I’ve been really pleased with the beer gun that I’ve semi-permanently borrowed from a friend. Use it for comps all the time. If the beer is cold and you turn the pressure down to like 5 psi it works like a charm. It might be less effective for long term bottling than a CP but it’s much simpler to use also.
+1
Mine works great! It can take a little bit of practice to work it.
I’m gonna say no, a beer gun is not worth the price. The El Cheapo method is a solid method for a fraction of the price.
How long have you had your beergun?
Glad I read this, I’ve nearly pulled the trigger on the Beer Gun couple of times. I’ve bottled from kegs using something akin to the video, except I didn’t use a stopper to hold in some pressure. I think that should help my method, I’m goign to try that next.
How long have you had your beergun?[/quote]
Like forever doooooood. Ummm yeah, I don’t own a beergun, what’s your point? My point is, the cheap method in the video works plenty fine. I don’t use the stopper either. Not sure that’s really necessary as long as you fill it up to about half an inch from the top.
It all depends on the amount of bottling you intend to do. When I break out the beer gun I usually bottle a gallon out of each keg. If I am headed to brew club I will use the cheap racking cane hooked to the picnic tap without sanitizing anything. I find with the beer gun that the first bottle is always too foamy until you get the pressure dialed in to around 2-3psi. Also all of the bottles must be cold. IMHO if you are bottling a gallon or more at a time its worth it. If you are bottling a little here and there to take along to a function than no stick with the cheep and easy set up. I bottle all of my competition beers with the beer gun, and have had no problems.
It is pricey, but I like mine. I use it a couple times a year when bottling for Christmas gift beers or for filling bottles to give to friends who ask; taking the keg off the CO2 and bleeding it down to 4-5 psi is key to working right. If I am going to a party, I usually pack a growler or two.
I don’t blame folks for going the cheaper route, which seems to also work fine.
[quote=“chuck”]This is what I use for less than $10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwIbFQcHYyo[/quote]Wow. Thanks for this link. I like the simplicity of this approach. Are beers bottled in this fashion as “long lasting” as a sugar-carbed or counter-pressure-carbed method?
I think bottle-conditioned beer is a little more stable since the yeast consumes the oxygen in the bottles.
I think it depends on how much head space you leave when you fill the bottles too. I leave very little.
I just won my first gold medal at a competition with the first beer that I bottled using my beer gun. One judge did say “could use a little more carbonation for my taste, but still within acceptable limits.” I think it makes a huge difference (compared to bottle carbonating) for styles where the best commercial examples are generally not bottle conditioned. I also think it’s noticeably better (less stale, oxidized) than filling from a picnic tap.
I like mine I have not used it a ton but like it.
I like the ease of being able to flush with co2 for long term storage.
