Beer Gun

The beer gun is typically used to bottle from kegs, so you don't need one if you're not kegging.

 

I'm trying to think of a practical application for a beer gun other than bottling from a keg. And failing.

 

Actually, using CO2 to flush some of the O2 from your bottles before and after filling from your bottle filler would be a practical application for a beer gun, but you would need a CO2 tank too. Also, I'm confident that the vast majority (like 99.9%) of brewers who bottle condition aren't purging their bottles.

 

An easy way to do this without a co2 tank is to use a hand-held bike tire pump that uses the co2 cartridges. Just get some food grade co2 cartridges, attach one to the bike pump and blast a small amount into each bottle. It might not do anything, but it gives me peace of mind.

 

I have a new beer gun that's beem sitting in the bottom of my brew box for more than a year (it was a gift from my wife). I can't see a reason for using it. I usually bottle condition funky beers or sours; and keg hoppy beers.

Threadjacking question: has anyone used a beergun to bottle sours? Has the beer had the usual flavor evolution seen with bottle conditioning?

 

I agree with Vike that purging with CO2 before bottling, or transferring for that matter, can be one use for a beer gun.

but you can also just use a CO2 tank and regulator.

 

And by then you've stalked Craigslist for a cheap fridge because you know you're getting into kegging.

 

I use the beer gun to bottle Berliners occasionally and they do continue to develop in the bottle. I can't say if they develop in the same way as if they were bottle conditioned though, as I don't really bottle condition anything at all.

 

I don't keg, but from the tasting experience I've had, force carbed sours are way muted flavorwise compared to their bottle conditioned counterparts. This is commercial beers I'm speaking about.