Hi David, thanks for answering my previous question so quickly! I have another one for you. How long should you purge? I’ve just watched a dozen of videos and they all have different techniques and times. Some purge wit the valve open, letting the CO2 out directly, others (like you) do it with the valve closed. Some do both. Some purge for second and others for up to 20 seconds. Given you tons of experience, What is your advice?
My iTap arrived this week and I made a rig like yours. The unit is absolutely brilliant. My only grumble is some of the glass bottles I have seem to have a slightly wider neck!!!
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I have alot of Trappist bottles. They are extremely thick. Bonus is you have to buy great beers first! I have a crate from Westvleteren.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew OK, this is crazy simple to use and to set up! Thank you so much for your suggestion! I guess tomorrow is Farmhouse Ale bottling day 😉
Hi David, I know its been a year since this review. I am confuse which one do I have to order, the Itap classic or the ItapX? I will use it for my beer, cider and soda water. Thanks. And happy new year.
Hello David. I just went through the comments and did not find an answer to my question. The iTap is made in Russia and appears to be now distributed through BOEL in Portugal. How is the support as far as parts? I can see certain seals available but not the other plastic parts. I am not sure how long the product has been in service but we know that issues will eventually arise so the support by a Russian company is a concern. Any feedback would be much appreciated before I pull the trigger on the purchase. Thanks, Miro
Thank you David for one more excellent video. How do think this works with Fermzilla? Is it possible to Connect directly? Also, do you always need to have the T-line of CO2? Or you can just simply add some CO2 to the Keg and the use the direct line to the itap? Thank you!
I would like to test the beer with, and without counter pressure filling after a given amount of time. Preferably after 6 weeks or so. Just to have an idea if counter pressure filling indeed makes a difference. I work with instrumentation and automation. And one thing I know. For flow, if pressure upstream and pressure downstream is equal in a vessel, then flow is zero. So where does the air go with this counter pressure? There has to be a way to evacuate the air somewhere. Or did i miss something? Worth asking I think.
Hi Curt, this is a proven method that is used via automation in brewery bottling lines. The bottle is purged with C02 before filling pushing out oxygen.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew There must be a channel somewhere for the air to evacuate. Again, I may have missed that. I don't doubt that it works but it would be great to do a comparison with and without after an extended time. Go ahead, call me anal😉
hi David, Great video! At the moment I am using a Grainfather conical with a pressure transfer kit and Blichmann beer gun. Do you think the iTap would work with the Grainfather conical and pressure tranfer kit? Would it be better than my current setup? Thanks!
Hi David, Yes it works! The flow rate is not very strong, but it work’s perfectly. I first had to file of a millimeter of the metal for Vichy bottles to fit the itap, but there were no issues with the Grainfather conical with pressure transfer kit.
Hi David another great video, I've been looking at these for a few weeks and you have answered all my questions apart from one. I make wine as well as beer and want to carbonate and bottle my wine, will this work with typical prosecco bottles?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Hi David I contacted the manufacturer and I can confirm that you can use these with prosecco/champagne bottles as long as you you purchase a different clamp (roughly an additional £25)
If the inner diameter is 6.3 would you not need a guest 3/8 to 5/16 in your case? Guest usually uses outer diameter, no? I need to order all and I’m on 5/16. Want to make sure :)
Sorry for silly question David, but is the splashing a concern as the beer goes into the bottle? With my tapcooler it fills from the bottom so no splashing. I would like to try one of these though.
The daunting thing about this one is how many pieces it has. Looking at the manual I wouldn't want to take it apart. I also wonder if it's all stainless steel to the bottle, or if there are plastic pieces that make contact. I also dislike that there's no tube to bottom fill. Even though there's a purge, there will still be plenty of oxygen throughout the bottle. I also worry about foaming because of no bottom fill. I really liked the idea of this simply for not having to hold the bottle, but now that TapCooler has a bottle holder attachment I think I will stick with that one for now. I have seen some create a bottle holder out of PVC for the MoreBeer filler. I would go that direction if I had to choose again.
Hi Timothy! The bottleneck is sealed to a food grad silicone o-ring, so the bottleneck doesn't contact any metal or plastic pieces. iTap is quite unique because the beer goes on the sides of the bottle. That's why there's no need to add a tube. As you can see from the video, there's no foam while bottling. There is a little foam in the end, and that is necessary to prevent any contact with oxygen until the bottle is capped. After you purge the bottle with CO2, you're supposed to open the valve on the right and release the air from the bottle via the drainage tube. You can do it just once if you're going to drink the beer within a few days. And if you want to store it for months, it's better to purge and release the air 2-3 times. This way there will be no oxygen left in the bottle. Feel free to reach us if you have any concerns left! boel.company boel.shop@gmail.com
Hi Timothy, I do use the itap now already since July 2019 and so I can say to have experience with it. Had on the beginning also thoughts like yours about it and if it could really work. But yes, it works really great and it keep your brew really good fresh - as long you use it right. The itap do not need something to fill from the bottom. First of all you purge the co2 into the bottle, the O2 goes off the bottle through the drainage valve. Then you close this valve and purge again co2 to set it under pressure. When you open the handle and adjust with the drainage valve the flow rate. There is no foaming cause it's a counter pressure system. If you want to see more videos of that itap system you could check out my channel for it. I made some - of course not so nice and professional like David but do hope it helps people to make their buying decision more easy. Happy brewing, Robert.
I’m new to homebrewing and haven’t found a good solution for bottle filling. This sounds interesting... I assume I could connect something like this to my Grainfather FV instead of a keg like in this video to get the same result 🤔
Did you use Duotight reducer 9.5 mm (3/8”) to 8 mm (5/16”)? I see that 9,5mm EvaBarrier has ID of 6,3mm so that should fit the iTap. Or did the iTap come with those hoses?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I did a bottleling since I pop my question and I tried between 0,5 to 0,8 bar, but still I get to much foam (I lose about 1/3 of the beer to teh drain) and despite how much I try It's very difficult to get the last 5 -7 cm filled in the bottle because it just foams over in the drain without rising the beer level in the bottle. Any ideas? Beer is about 0 degrees and bootles comes from the fridge.
Are the lines you use cleaned each time after using? Seems odd that you have foaming considering your numbers. Are you lines long and you are doing this in a warm area?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew the line is outher dia 8, clean and sanitizer, about 2m long (the kit that was delivered from Ölbryggninh with the iTap) I have about 18 degrees in the room.
Hey David, we cannot see the rear of your setup: how did you managed to set the iTap on your tower? I have the same tower but it would be impossible to screw it without drilling.
I tried your setup, but had a problem with space to fit the last part tight enough. The part where you connect the beer line. Missing 3-4mm ish. Did you do any modifications to the black plastic nut to make space or is your stand just the perfect width for all parts to fit?
Hi David. Great video as always. I like your suggestions on alternative solutions for mounting the gadget. If possible, it could be really great with a video comparing this equipment with e.g. the tapcooler or other alternatives.
I mentioned this in the video. It is a flexible ABS plastic that was chosen to be very tough and impact resistant. Ive no experience of anything exploding, so its hard to say but If you follow the products instructions for use then all will be good.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew The question is, is this plastic safe for our health? You never know when a bottle is likely to explode. It may be slightly damaged. Where there is pressure, there must be safeguards.
The brown bottle was beer. I used a clear bottle and water to show how it works more clearly. I am not going to put beer in a clear bottle though and film it, that would send out the wrong message.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks for the clarification, looks like the counter pressure does a good job suppressing foam. To be fair, beer in the clear bottle would give the best visualization of the filling process. You can typically see the CO2 atmosphere during purging and aside from oxygen uptake, foaming is one of the most critical measurements of filling performance.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew how cold would it need to be? What would be the consequence of about 10-12 C? Thank you. Also I have seen that the bottle neck needs to be a certain size or you need a new silicone seal, but doesn’t mention anywhere the size that is considered short. Do you know?
The iTap comes supplied with a choice of seals that covered all my bottles that are in various volumes. To use this effectively you will need to store the beer in a keg in a fridge. 5C is ideal. I hope this helps.
Hello David! Do you have any recommendations for counter pressure bottle fillers? I’m in the market. I would use it to bottle periodically for friends...
Ordering direct from Boel if you're in the UK is problematic. It seems that shipping direct from Russia is not possible, and the product has to be forwarded via one of their EU dealerships. I couldn't find a supplier of the iTap (for glass) in the UK, so ordered direct at end of Jan - still waiting. Have since discovered that The Malt Miller in the UK is now stocking this model.
Despite shipping issues, I still think its a great product for a bottling station with the ability to change the "bottle holder" to accommodate PET, Crown cap or Flip-top. So hopefully won't be too long before arrival.
Thanks for the review David! Do you have any idea why my NEIPA's and IPA's last fresh longer in a counter pressure filled bottles vs closed loop transferred kegs? My NEIPA bottles have stayed fresh more than three months (the longest I've tested) but if I have a keg that's half full usually they start to taste stale after 1,5-2 months time eventhough they should not never come in contact with oxygen.. I've never been able to figure this out and I'm thinking of starting to bottle all my hop forward beers when there is no bigger event or party planned.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew usually it takes more than 30 minutes. I don't use external co2 to push it out from the Fermzilla. I just place the fermenter higher than my keg, hook it up to a keg and then reduce some pressure from the keg and then the transfer starts slowly. I don't think it's a problem. Kegs are kept in a fridge.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew cheers.. I purge the keg via fermentation CO2 from the zilla. I've understood that this is a viable method. Maybe I should try the traditional way of filling the keg with star san and pushing it out with co2.
Personally I add cleaner into a handpumped bottle and clean this way. Cheap and effective. Here is a video showing this product:- ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eV5v2HpWQ-s.html
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thank you. Do you think that this kind of filler is better than the stainless steel ones made in China and sold by many brands (kegland included)?
I really like the iTap personally. However there are various other solutions that also work. In the end it is a question of how you intend to use such an item and look at which mounting option works for you best vs the price.
Sorry I should have given you this the first time! Here is the Doutight parts list:- Two of Duotight - 8mm (5/16) x 9.5mm (3/8) Two of Duotight - 8mm(5/16) x FFL One of Duotight 8 mm (5/16”) tee piece
When you switch between the beer lines, there's no beer left in the tubes. So there's no cross contamination: you can pour an IPA from one line and Stout from the other, and there will be no issue. Also, there're no drainage losses when you're switching the line. And we haven't seen it anywhere else!
Awesome review David! I think this device ssems sooo handy....but I've got the counter pressure filler from Pilsnerkokarens that really do work great too!
I was also thinking of buying a beegun, but my local homebrew group said it's probably not so a great idea. This on the other hand seems pretty good. It's not dirt cheap as some of the aliexpress counter pressure fillers but I'm allways cautious of cheap stuff^^
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I guess it can work, but it can also spray beer around your kitchen. And I'm not sure my girlfirend will tolerate another beer explosion in her kitchen^^
@@DavidHeathHomebrew their answer to my unhappy email; We warn our customers that the shipping is quite long due to the pandemic. We ship from Russia, so it takes time. Anyway, your package is already in XXXXX and will be delivered to you in a few days. The long shipping is the major disadvantage of iTap, so we're solving it by working with local dealers.
lol. Well, you know how it is Bradley! Before you know it 30 people want to know how much it costs in Brazil, New Zealand, USA, Finland, Norway, Spain, Denmark, England, Sri Lanka and more and expect me to know :P
