Blichmann Gun Discussions

[GuingesRock]

I have some tips on using the gun, learnt by trial and error …

If your beer carbonation is around 2 or a bit above, set the CO2 on the keg around 10 or 11. Bottle over a pot or bucket.

When you are about to gun your first bottle, waste some beer into the pot first to cool the lines and gun with cold beer, otherwise your first bottle will foam over like a bugger. If you go away to get more bottles or anything, when you get back the gun and lines will have warmed up so will need to be cooled down the same way before attempting to bottle.

I put the gun back in a bucket of starsan between each filling. This starsan must be cold to keep the gun cool and reduce foaming.

Obviously press the co2 button to purge the bottle and start with the tip of the gun at the very bottom. Then withdraw the gun from the bottle as you fill, but keeping the tip well below the surface of the beer, otherwise foam will explode out of the bottle. After a few fills, you'll get the knack of it, and will be able to cap on foam without foaming over too much, if at all.

I spread an old towel on the floor and bottle over a large stock pot on the towel, with the capper beside the pot, and the bottles and caps in a bucket of starsan. on the other side. That way I can sit on a chair and happily bottle away for a few hours, if I have a couple of kegs to do.

When I clean my kegs I use one step H2O2 no-rinse cleaner, and I’ll run some from the keg through the gun. I’ll leave this solution in the gun and lines, until I need to use the gun, then I will run a bit of beer through into the pot and I’m ready to go. I haven’t had any infected bottles. I think if you did that with starsan though it would damage and stain the tubing.

I still have one major issue, and that’s the rubber tip keeps falling off. So far my only way around that is to watch it like a hawk and push it back on if it seems starting to be coming off. Make sure you have a spare rubber tip or two and know where they are! they are inexpensive but tiny and easy to misplace/lose. Keep the spare right beside you when you are bottling, they disappear into the bottle, starsan bucket etc. and they don't float.

I can imagine everyone does it differently. Any other tips?

Here’s my setup.....

[LeafMan66_67]

Nice summary.

[HPhunter]

I bent the metal prong a bit where the rubber tip goes on. It helps a lot to keep it from falling off. And yes I have a spare because it does happen. I try to be diligent on not moving the wand around once I insert it into the bottle. Good summary of the process. They do work very well.

[GuingesRock]

I had been thinking of bending that damn thing so it is perpendicular to the shaft rather than on a slant. Thanks, I think I'll do that.

[Keith]

I have some tips on using the gun, learnt by trial and error …

If your beer carbonation is around 2 or a bit above, set the CO2 on the keg around 10 or 11. Bottle over a pot or bucket.

When you are about to gun your first bottle, waste some beer into the pot first to cool the lines and gun with cold beer, otherwise your first bottle will foam over like a bugger. If you go away to get more bottles or anything, when you get back the gun and lines will have warmed up so will need to be cooled down the same way before attempting to bottle.

I put the gun back in a bucket of starsan between each filling. This starsan must be cold to keep the gun cool and reduce foaming.

Obviously press the co2 button to purge the bottle and start with the tip of the gun at the very bottom. Then withdraw the gun from the bottle as you fill, but keeping the tip well below the surface of the beer, otherwise foam will explode out of the bottle. After a few fills, you'll get the knack of it, and will be able to cap on foam without foaming over too much, if at all.

I spread an old towel on the floor and bottle over a large stock pot on the towel, with the capper beside the pot, and the bottles and caps in a bucket of starsan. on the other side. That way I can sit on a chair and happily bottle away for a few hours, if I have a couple of kegs to do.

When I clean my kegs I use one step H2O2 no-rinse cleaner, and I’ll run some from the keg through the gun. I’ll leave this solution in the gun and lines, until I need to use the gun, then I will run a bit of beer through into the pot and I’m ready to go. I haven’t had any infected bottles. I think if you did that with starsan though it would damage and stain the tubing.

I still have one major issue, and that’s the rubber tip keeps falling off. So far my only way around that is to watch it like a hawk and push it back on if it seems starting to be coming off. Make sure you have a spare rubber tip or two and know where they are! they are inexpensive but tiny and easy to misplace/lose. Keep the spare right beside you when you are bottling, they disappear into the bottle, starsan bucket etc. and they don't float.

I can imagine everyone does it differently. Any other tips?

Here’s my setup.....

Everything looks great, however I personally filled all the advent beers from the keg at 5psi which completely reduced foaming. I then purged the headspace with co2 from the gun.

I used a glass pitcher to hold the beer gun between fillings filled with starsan. Highly recommend something sturdy.

As mark said, towel, and rinse bucket for the filled bottles is a must.

One question. Why don't you use Starsan on the lines and gun mark?

[GuingesRock]

5 PSI is great Keith but it will take twice as long to do your bottling and it is tedious enough. The CO2 will rise on top of the beer, you need to purge bottle before gunning, so you shouldn't need to purge the top. I think you should be capping on foam also. I don't think you will easily get the foam to cap on at 5 psi. I use what I have in the kegs at keg washing time. I find Starsan yellows and damages PVC tubing if left in there for any time.

YMMV

[RubberToe]

+1 to cap on foam

I've never had starsan yellow my beer line and I've left starsan in my lines on multiple occaisions. I've had it yellow other tubing though.

[Keith]

What is the benefit to capping on foam? I personally just purged the headspace with a shot of CO2 when filling.

[RubberToe]

What is the benefit to capping on foam? I personally just purged the headspace with a shot of CO2 when filling.

The foam is bubbles of CO2. I bet more O2 will get in when you shoot CO2 from the beer gun, air flow, etc.

[GuingesRock]

Oh, just neurotically making sure there is minimal O2 in there. If you purge the top with CO2 then move the bottle over to the capper, some CO2 will spill out and some air will get in before you put the cap on.

[Keith]

Oh, just neurotically making sure there is minimal O2 in there. If you purge the top with CO2 then move the bottle over to the capper, some CO2 will spill out and some air will get in before you put the cap on.

I use a hand capper. Hand capper moves to the bottle. So throws that out, but yea I'll try to foam up a bit and see how it works for me.

[GuingesRock]

Oh, just neurotically making sure there is minimal O2 in there. If you purge the top with CO2 then move the bottle over to the capper, some CO2 will spill out and some air will get in before you put the cap on.

I use a hand capper. Hand capper moves to the bottle. So throws that out, but yea I'll try to foam up a bit and see how it works for me.

It's probably splitting hairs Keith, but if you do increase the pressure, it will be less like having a pee with prostate trouble, and you'll likely end up with foam to cap on.

Each to his own, but I like to set the reg to 11 PSI, and I'll give the ring a short pull before I start, to make sure the pressure in the keg isn't higher than that.

I also adjust the amount of foam by changing the angle of the bottle while filling. Straight up = more foam, 45 degrees = less.

[Keith]

Good to know. I've only done 30 bottles so it is all fairly new still.

[GuingesRock]

There's a guy at Blichmann I had been talking to before (he sent me the replacement part for my pot and the free brewing gloves that time) and I sent him a link to this to see if he would comment. He says don't lift the gun up, but I find it is ok providing you don't get near the surface.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the link and the image. I would like to be able to comment on the thread but we try not to get involved in HBT and other forums of this variety. We feel that if we become, as a company, a part of the forum we would be obligated to maintain a presence and be available to answer our customers. Because we are a small company we cannot provide the proper resources to maintaining this relationship with forum members at this time. I hope you understand.

The comments you made were very good advice for the other members. I would caution that moving the BeerGun vertically while filling is likely contributing to some of the foam and can lead to inconsistent fill levels. With the BeerGun placed on the bottom of the bottle you avoid the turbulent liquid at the surface and have the perfect head space every time. If you have further questions please let me know and I would be happy to answer them. Have a great day.

Nick

[Tony L]

If your beer bottles are cold it helps to keep a bit of CO2 in solution as well as keeping the initial beer just a bit cooler than you would normally keep it. Keeping the wand to the bottom increases the time you have before the bubbles break the surface, so you keep a bit more co2 in solution.
In addition to the initial blast of co2, I also give it a shot as I am removing the wand.

[GuingesRock]

More ways than one to skin a cat. I might be the odd one out (as usual ) capping on foam with the gun.

[GuingesRock]

I've just done over 100 bottles and still not done. I think I've perfected my technique.

1) keep the tip of the gun at the bottom of the bottle like the Blichmann guy said.

2) when beer (not foam) starts overflowing from the bottle, release the trigger on the gun suddenly. If you release it slowly you get crazy foaming.

3) remove the gun

4) watch the foam slowly rise to the top of the bottle. If it doesn't reach the top, hold the bottle by the neck and shake the base of the bottle rapidly from side to side until it does.

5) cap on foam. It worked every time for me.

6) I used 12 psi.