Ghetto Bottle Filling

[grico]

So I have been trying to fill some cold bottles from keg with my picnic tap, old racking cane, and a stopper. I set my keg to 3psi just to push out the beer, slowly squeeze the stopper to let out the air, I get a good fill, and cap on the foam. But when I open the bottle, i get no head on the beer.

Anyone have luck with this setup? Am I doing something wrong? All help is appreciated!

[BrewMasterBrad]

How is the carbonation level in the bottled beer? No matter how careful you are, you will lose some carbonation while you transfer into the bottle. I usually over-carb in the keg just a little bit to make up the difference as this can effect head formation. Also, head forming proteins can only do their magic once. If you get too much foaming during the transfer, you will lose them forever.

[ocluke]

The beer loses head retention, or it loses carbonation?

If you're just losing carbonation, it's likely because of the head space you're leaving in the bottle. CO2 will come out of solution and fill the head space, so you'll need to completely fill the bottle (i.e. no foam, just beer...like a good growler fill) to keep your serving carbonation level.

I'm assuming this is beer you've kegged for serving, not primed with sugar for bottling.

[dhempy]

+1

How is the carbonation level in the bottled beer? No matter how careful you are, you will lose some carbonation while you transfer into the bottle. I usually over-carb in the keg just a little bit to make up the difference as this can effect head formation. Also, head forming proteins can only do their magic once. If you get too much foaming during the transfer, you will lose them forever.

[grico]

Carbonation is fine on the beer. If i pour the beer hard, it get ok head. I may just need to over carb a bit. Last bottle I filled, I had no foam while filling, and I filled it to the top, and toped it off as i pulled out the tube (got a little foam with that). Waited a few days, and opened a beer to test it. No noise when I opened the beer, poured into a glass, saw some tiny bubbles in the beer. Just didnt get a good head like normal bottled beers poured the same way.

[grico]

The beer loses head retention, or it loses carbonation?

If you're just losing carbonation, it's likely because of the head space you're leaving in the bottle. CO2 will come out of solution and fill the head space, so you'll need to completely fill the bottle (i.e. no foam, just beer...like a good growler fill) to keep your serving carbonation level.

I'm assuming this is beer you've kegged for serving, not primed with sugar for bottling.

I dont know if loses head retention is the right phrase, but its all I can think of. I get good head off keg, just not after I transfer it to bottle.

Ya, I keg for serving, but with all these comps coming up I need to get these into bottles. I assume writing pour hard on the bottle wont work

[BrewMasterBrad]

The beer loses head retention, or it loses carbonation?

If you're just losing carbonation, it's likely because of the head space you're leaving in the bottle. CO2 will come out of solution and fill the head space, so you'll need to completely fill the bottle (i.e. no foam, just beer...like a good growler fill) to keep your serving carbonation level.

I'm assuming this is beer you've kegged for serving, not primed with sugar for bottling.

I dont know if loses head retention is the right phrase, but its all I can think of. I get good head off keg, just not after I transfer it to bottle.

Ya, I keg for serving, but with all these comps coming up I need to get these into bottles. I assume writing pour hard on the bottle wont work

A good judge will pour down the middle of the glass to create head and release aroma. I tend to overcarbonate for competition as well since most judges will pour, smell, look at the color, swirl it around and smell again before tasting the beer. Extra carbonation helps ensure that there is enough bubbles left to properly convey the flavor profile you were shoooting for.