• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Pressure used for Counter-Pressure Filler

BeerSmith

Staff member
Administrator
Grandmaster Brewer
Joined
Apr 5, 2003
Messages
6,172
Reaction score
119
Location
Virginia
Here's an advanced topic...

1. What pressure do you run your counter-pressure filler at?  I used mine a while back and had great results but the last time I used it at around 5 psi and had excessive foaming in the beer and a loss of carbonation.

2. Also wondering how long the beer input line should be - it seems to me that this could have a large impact on the pressure at the filler, but I have not seen it mentioned anywhere else as a factor.

Always looking for ways to improve with this gadget - it seems to be a little tempermental.

Cheers!
Brad
 
I slightly overcarbonate my beer, and then fill with 18 psi. That's what was recommended to me on the HBA board, and it has worked nearly flawlessly, except with one beer that I overcarbonated too much. My method:

-- slightly overcarbonated beer
-- cold beer (under 40F)
-- frozen bottles
-- 18 psi on the filler

That has worked great in the 10 batches or so I've C-P filled.
 
I had a feeling that I may have turned the pressure down too low this time - but I could not remember the setting I used last time.  

I will try a higher pressure this time -- but what line length do you use?

Cheers!
Brad
 
After force carbonating the beer, I usually chill the beer down to the low 30's, elevate the keg and fill using 15 lbs pressure. I do not chill the bottles down, and have had great success with this method. I cap every bottle as quickly as they are filled.
 
I have a problem with beer volcanos!  I filled at 22psi....  It's ok when using frozen beer bottles, but once they thaw, it turns into a nightmare.   Next time I will try the 15 - 18 psi range....


borny
 
Length of the beer line is whatever the company that made the filler gave me! I just checked, since I'm doing some filling, and the line is about 3 feet long. I'm not sure if the length of the line matters or not.

borny, are you filling and capping immediately? Or are you taking all of your bottles out of the freezer and then filling? I found I need to cap immediately, and I have to keep the bottles in the freezer until just before I fill. I take out six or so (more when the weather's cold), fill, then get six more, fill, etc. That's the only way it works for me.
 
Yeah, basically I've been impatient and not letting the bottles fully freeze before filling them.  The first couple bottles go well, but once they thaw it can be quite messy!


cheers,
borny
 
Back
Top