Enolmatic Beer bottle problems

[Cellar_Rat]

Does anyone else bottle beer with the Enolmatic.?
Some of my bottles JUST fit - most of them don't. Has anyone else had this problem?

[mcblades]

I shall have a look. I just put on some beer to test the enolmatic. This is v.worrying. Is it the neck diameter, height if bottle or some other factor?

I've just tried fitting the following bottles to mine and they all seem to fit:

Marstons
shepherd neame
youngs brown bottle
bernhard dark lager (swing top)
grolsch (swing top)
St Peters bottles also fit (hipflask style bottle)

Haven't tried filling or adjusting the fill level other than to screw the height adjusting nut to where I think a fill level should be. I am bottling the beer in a couple of weeks so will be unimpressed if I have to go back to a little bottler!

good luck with yours Brian

[Cellar_Rat]

neck diameter is the prob - they just won't go on. There seems to be some variety here.
I might end up making a gauge to test they!

[Cellar_Rat]

Yiketty yikes. The narrow neck kit is another £100 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mcblades]

what size bottles are you filling?

[Cellar_Rat]

500ml - std beer bottle size.

[mcblades]

This looks the same as my set up. Tyhese look to be standard beer bottles. Is your head wider?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfR4NO1e4OM

[Duffbeer]

Mine fit's standard beer bottle too, the down side to using enolmatic for beer is the foaming, you end up with 1/4 of a bottle of foam and have to wait for it to settle before filling more. I found it quicker using a bottle rod and syphon.

[mcblades]

I must admit, I was wondering about all the dissolved co2 coming out when I bottle the beer. what about turning the vacuum right down? still loads of foam?

[Rich]

Getting the beer cold before bottling might help to hold the co2 in.

I use a syphon and bottling rod too. I have plans to make a counter pressure filler when I get more time (and an adjustable pressure release valve) Koomber has spurred me on a bit at the last Aberdeen brewers meet, having got hold of some stainless tube.

[Cellar_Rat]

I Will go and measure my neck :-)

[Cellar_Rat]

The ones that don't fit are id 15mm and have really thick glass. I think these are old imperial ones. I have a few others that are ok 'cos they are modern ones. Interesting that the od is the same. This cannot be said about newcastle brown ale bottles which have slightly smaller od and don't quite cap properly.

I think it might he better to change some of my bottles rather then the $$$$ yikes on a narrow filler.

[Cellar_Rat]

Mine fit's standard beer bottle too, the down side to using enolmatic for beer is the foaming, you end up with 1/4 of a bottle of foam and have to wait for it to settle before filling more. I found it quicker using a bottle rod and syphon.

What is causing the foaming do you think (a) the vacuum or (b) the beer not filing from the bottom? ie splashing the beer in ?
Until now I too have used a bottle rod and syphon with a corny party tap and a bottom filling tube. Think skinflint beer gun.
The party tap give full control and the bottom fill reduces the foam.party syphon tap 2.jpg

[Duffbeer]

I think it is the splashing like you say, most beers are designed to be foamy when agitated which is what the enolmatic does. Great for wine but not for me with beer.

[rjb222]

I think it is the vacuum that the Elgomatic uses to move the product. If the temperature of the beer was cooler then the product would have a stronger surface and hold the CO2 in suspension better. Vacuum negative pressure will pull the CO2 out of suspension by increasing the size of the bubble this is what we see as foam.