Guest Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Gday Folks, I picked up a tip a few months ago that has made botteling day so much easier than it traditionally has been. Will try to get some photos sorted later but for now here is a desription. It was not my idea but Ive certainly adopted it and now wouldnt do it any other way. Rack and Bulk prime (Not required) Place FV up high on a milk crate on the bench. Get one end of a 1.5m long 8mm hose [FOOD GRADE]and put into tap of FV.(snug) Fit 10mm hose x 25mm to other end of 8mm Hose, slide over 8mm hose by half it's length. Attach bottle wand thingy to open end of 10mm Hose (Fits snug as) line up all bottles on bench.(put drops/sugar in here if this is your method Turn tap on abd bottle like you never have before. The weight of the hose and Wand will hold it in the bottle, you dont even need to be touching it allowing you to Fill and Cap at the same time, in fact Ive been able to cap 3 (best effort) while 1 bottle is filling, so by the time Ive filled my last bottle Ive already capped the rest. It makes life so much easier to be able to take the wand to the bottle, not the bottle to the fermenter. Not sure how many people are aware of this method but I tells ya.. I FREAKIN love it and it saves so much time in the whole process. It also means you are not leaving open bottles of beer exposed for very long at all... 10 shades of awesome!![ninja] Yob [edit] do not use bunnings hose line (I just threw out about 3 rolls of the stuff) as it is not food grade and will let off nasty smells when boiled and will possibly transfer to your beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I was kind of hoping for at least 11 shades of awesome! It sounds pretty nifty though. Look forward to seeing the photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 It makes life so much easier to be able to take the wand to the bottle, not the bottle to the fermenter. Agree but I do not like the idea of putting the wife out of work. Quality time together and all that. She fills them with the hose/wand with the bottles in $2 plastic trays. As she fills I cap them - too easy. I am never more than a bottle or two behind her. I have everything ready(bulk primed,etc) and when I call her to assist the whole exercise takes about 15 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Well done John. My wife has done it once. Haven't been able to convince her to do it again. Whenever I trick someone into helping I find it takes no time at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 Picture 1 as described above with the length of food grade hose from FV Picture 2 Tilting to get the last drops made easy 11th shade of awesome is drinking the beer[lol] [edit] damn it.. thats not how ya insert a picture...[annoyed] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Here's Yobs Pics: I sometimes use this method - Just don't get distracted if using the handfree method [rightful] (I may or may not know someone who got a little distracted and made a mess [innocent] ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 [lol] nice one MW, sure do have to keep an eye on it hardly lost a drop thus far though.. I'll have to go and re-read that "insert a picture" topic again.. I thought I had it[annoyed] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Love it. Did not know you could get teats for beer bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FraserH Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I was told this method just after my first brew so have been doing it since, although I still manage to keep the wife employed helping me while I bottle , she does drink half of it afterall[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 Love it. Did not know you could get teats for beer bottles. who doesnt love teats?[innocent] From memory it was a windy day and I opted for an option to minimise open exposure time. probably excessive paranoia but the old shed doesnt seal to well and wind is the enemy[bandit] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Hey Yob, Do you have a little bottler connected to the hose? If not what stops the overflow, seeing you said it works no hands then the hard tube must be open all the time. I think Muddy saw thinking of me when he made that comment. I simply bulk prime, stick a little bottler in the tap, sit down and bottle with ease, no hose and no mess (mostly) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Attach bottle wand thingy to open end of 10mm Hose (Fits snug as) Weggl, I'm guessing he does but calls it his bottle wand thingy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 correct, you can see the 'bottle wand thingy' in the first photo sitting in the bottle... all it needs is the 'connecting' 10mm hose to fit over the 1.5m length and the bottle wand thingy plugs into the other end. I suggest you take the Little botteler to the LHBS so you can get the right size 'connector' hose to do the job. If you do this when you are buying other stuff, as you only need an inch the LHBS may even just snip you off a bit for nix. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 I simply bulk prime, stick a little bottler in the tap, sit down and bottle with ease, no hose and no mess (mostly) I used to use a chair on wheels in the kitchen and roll all over the place, apart from being a bitch on the back, I always found to to be awkward with the little botteler in the tap raising the bottles up to it, I find it LOADS easier to bring the 'bottle wand thingy' to the bottle. as with all things brewing though, different techniques suit different brewers and what is best for some may not be best for others. Its such a simple (but genius) idea and much easier on the back[bandit] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Loving Trent Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 That's a good idea, I cap each bottle as I go, never had a problem with it, as for cutting down the time please don't tell my wife, she always complains how long it takes me to bottle, she reckons it takes me an average of 3 hours to bottle when I drink. The truth is the only time it did take me 3 hours to bottle, I almost went drink for bottle and by the time i capped the last bottle I could barely stand up[bandit]. I proved her wrong last Friday night when i did the whole lot in under an hour, that's including marking and sealing the boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 I know people who do this as well. However, rather than 2 hoses they have 2 "bottle wand thingys". One with the end (nipple?) removed, from the tap to the hose and the other from the end of the hose to fill the bottle. I think my way is still a lot easier.... syphon hose to the tap and place the other end at the bottom of the keg. By the time I fill the keg I am down to only one lid to fit... then I just fit that to the keg and it's all done. Matty will experience this luxury soon. [w00t] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Seeing that the \u201clittle bottler\u201d is now named a \u201cthingy\u201d I am wondering Yob if you have registered the name? I would if I were you just to stop the (few) thieving bastards that use this site. (Remember my case of Cenelson that was knocked off) Also I don\u2019t believe your system would work with PET bottles, simply because the weight of the hose and your \u201cthingy\u201d being on an angle, would tip the bottles over. What doyareckon? Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I almost went drink for bottle and by the time i capped the last bottle I could barely stand up [rightful] Hairy promotes the responsible consumption of alcohol[rightful] Nah, actually I couldn't care less. I just wanted to use the little policeman smiley. I've never had the opportunity before. [rightful] Bill, stop making people jealous[rightful] Sorry, getting a bit carried away with the policeman now. Carry on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 Also I don\u2019t believe your system would work with PET bottles, simply because the weight of the hose and your \u201cthingy\u201d being on an angle, would tip the bottles over. What doyareckon? Warren PET or glass, the method would still work, you would just have to be a bit more hands on, or rig up a system that keeps the bottles from falling over. Still I think there would be time savings in it for you. I personally dont use PET for anything but yeast storage. I have almost 400 750ml glass bottles (only half of them full)so I dont mess about with plastic too much[innocent] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I think my way is still a lot easier.... syphon hose to the tap and place the other end at the bottom of the keg. By the time I fill the keg I am down to only one lid to fit... then I just fit that to the keg and it's all done. Matty will experience this luxury soon. [w00t] I sure will :). Even had the SWMBO searching for gear to buy. The only issue with that is she will see the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 PET or glass' date=' the method would still work, you would just have to be a bit more hands on, or rig up a system that keeps the bottles from falling over. [/quote'] I just put all my empty PET bottles in the box they come in and bottle away - Easy as [cool] (Take the lids of first Warren) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FraserH Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Just a few pics of my setup i thought id share with you all http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/dscf0559m.jpg/ http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/263/dscf0560cq.jpg/ http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/192/dscf0561s.jpg/ http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/714/dscf0562c.jpg/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FraserH Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Oh k so that didnt quite work how i wanted but you can still see them The drying rack was made in 10 mins at work one day and then coated with about 4 layers of marine polyurethene and I must say it works perfectly The cabinet with everything in it was an old wardrobe thing that was going out to the rubbish dump but I salvaged it and gave it new porpose, with a heatpad under the fermenter and a small light in the bottom(for those really cold nights) it keeps everything at near perfect temp. the space in the top has now been filled with 45+ grolsh bottles that I filled last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Nice Collection of Grolsch bottles Fraser. I love those bottles and have myself a little collection of the 1.5L ones. I only have a couple of these so I tend to age my beer in them and pull them out for special occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Yob, I don't have the time to hunt for glass bottles, most people drink stubbies thes days which makes long necks a little hard to find. I have over 700 full at the moment, so you see the problem I would have had collecting long necks. Me being the clumsy bugger that i am, am in a much safer place with PET's.[roll] Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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