Bottling sticks are
useful for bottling beer, they allow a bottle to be filled with minimal
disturbance to the beer eliminating the risk of oxidation. There is a simple
needle valve at the bottom of the stick which allows beer to flow when it is
pushed against the bottom of the bottle. Once the stick is removed, the valve
automatically closes stopping the flow of beer. To use, fill the bottle to the
brim, remove the stick. The volume the stick occupied while in the bottle means
it is filled with just the right amount of beer.
To fit the type of bottling stick shown to a fermenter tap use PVC tubing,
available from good homebrew shops (and Caravan shops).
The size of tubing required will depend on the type of tap.
Drum taps (top left) accept 5/8" (16mm) tubing. To adapt that to
a bottling stick, use a short piece of 1/2"(12mm) tubing, which fits neatly
over the 3/8" (9mm) tubing which fits neatly over the bottling stick. (top
right)
Lever Taps (bottom left) accept 1/2" tubing, this can be adapted
to the bottling stick by sliding a piece of 3/8" tubing over the bottling
stick and pushing that inside the 1/2" tubing.
Lever Taps (Bottom Right) these accept 1/2" or 5/8" tubing.
In the picture a piece of 1/2" PVC tubing has been pushed over the spout,
the other end has been pushed over some 3/8" tubing which has been pushed
onto the bottling stick.
Bottling sticks are
useful for bottling beer, they allow a bottle to be filled with minimal
disturbance to the beer eliminating the risk of oxidation. There is a simple
needle valve at the bottom of the stick which allows beer to flow when it is
pushed against the bottom of the bottle. Once the stick is removed, the valve
automatically closes stopping the flow of beer. To use, fill the bottle to the
brim, remove the stick. The volume the stick occupied while in the bottle means
it is filled with just the right amount of beer.