Tapcooler Counter Pressure Bottle Filler Review

Tapcooler Counter Pressure Bottle Filler Review
After a full year of using a Tapcooler counter pressure bottle filler here are my pros and cons on the Tapcooler bottle filler.
Highly recommend taking a look at Great Fermentations for this one but I will leave a link to two other quality sellers of the product.
Great Fermentations
shop.greatfermentations.com/c...
MoreBeer
www.morebeer.com/index?a_aid=b...
Adventures in HomeBrewing
www.homebrewing.org/Tapcooler...

[@vv-mc7io]

"You got to lubricate it up a little bit and shove it in." Quote of the month!

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

Thanks, as my wife always says "I think I'm funny" but most people don't get my humor. I worked with a 20 year retired Chief from the Navy for 2 years before one day he started listening to what and how I said things and realized just what I was saying and to customers, of course and without them being aware of it. I have certain family members that watch my videos so I have to be careful what and how I say certain things but if it sounds wrong or off-beat it is probably intentional or just the way I think. At the end of the day I am a guy so it might just be the way most guys think.

[@johnmal801]

Thanks for the review and good video.. Just got mine in today.. We'll see how it works..

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

Awesome and thanks for the reminder. I need to bottle off some beer tonight and almost forgot. 😀 I think you will be very happy with it as it is one of the better ones and by far the easiest if you are just one person to use.

[@youmbgtube]

I have one of these and used it twice. Maybe I misunderstood you but don't think you are following the directions to a "T." Or maybe I'm messed up. Here is what I do: 1) Put a gas line to the TapCooler at keg pressure. 2) Hook it up to the faucet. 3) purge the bottle with CO2 by pressing the button and let air escape from the bottle. 4) push the silicone piece on the bottle to make a seal. 5) open the tap. 6) open the relief valve until the beer starts to flow. 7) close the relief valve to stop flow. 8) close the tap 8) close the tap - yes remember #8. Others have said if works better to use up to 20psi on the inlet but haven't tried this myself.

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

Sorry for the late response as I'm usually crazy quick to respond but didn't get the email notice on this and one other comment. I'm doing everything you are stating except for the pressure. I have seen where I should be using more pressure but I have a huge issue with mine if I do so which was my only issue (I didn't hound them) when I reached out to support (only twice) and never heard back. I only run about 5 psi or much less (like 3 to 4 psi) otherwise when I start filling my bottles I get a ton of air still coming in from the CO2 flushing part even if the button isn't pressed. I have found that it has to be super tight or it leaks CO2 even with only 3 psi on that side. I'm not sure if mine is defective but like I said it leaks CO2 hard if I push the PSI up over 5 psi even if the valve is super tight. (I can't imagine this being defective unless something didn't get drilled correctly which I did have this with an Intertap faucet when I purchased 8, one had a whole that was not drilled in the correct location for the flow control creating tons of problems, My flow control could go all the way around 360 degrees. I had to send lots of photos to prove it to them for a warranty swap as the company I had purchased it from only a week early didn't want to help me as he didn't believe me until I send tons of comparison photos from the 7 working vs the 1 not working properly.) If I did 20 psi I'd have a huge foam mess. Maybe I need to find someone local that has one so we can do a comparison to see if mine is defective but I use it all the time and can work around the issue I have with it as it is a lot easier to work with as one person vs other the other counter pressure filler I have, that I actually like better but is hard to work with as one person with the long hoses everywhere.

[@kenfowler1980]

never had any problems with this product I think it’s excellent (far better than some other counter pressure/ beer guns) great review

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

I still use it the most but I do have issues with the air shut off port sticking no matter how much I clean it. Very frustrating but still a great product overall. I agree with you about the tapcooler being one of the best products available but I still think it could use a little fine tuning, like making the pressure relief button a little taller to allow for a spring that isn't so compressed. I recently bought a few more new adapters for it and wish the case I bought was a bit wider at the very top but I like the ring release part.

[@kenfowler1980]

@@BitterRealityBrewing i modified mine with an extension hose (my taps are mounted on top of my kegerator) made from bits out of my spare part box. the gas leak can be a problem i use the little tool to lever it up when it happens.

[@gregbublitz2580]

Aren't you supposed to have the relief open a little when purging with CO2? Then you don't have to move the bottle. When you are ready for CP filling just tighten relief.

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

Yeah but I'd have to open it a lot but it is much faster to slightly wiggle the bottle and start filling. I really need to order a check valve for that CO2 line as sometimes the beer tries to go up that side instead of out the relief/drain side. I recently replaced all of my airlines so I probably need to do that soon to keep them clean.

[@Duci1989]

Did you use the iTap and if so, which do you like better, this or iTap?

[@BitterRealityBrewing]

Sadly I haven't had a chance to test out an iTap although I've heard good things and like the way it clamps onto the bottle but not thrilled with the back end connections but still plan to eventually get one just to test it out and see if there is a way to integrate it into a keeze without leaving the hoses exposed. Kind of like the dual tap one a lot.

[@Duci1989]

@@BitterRealityBrewing thanks! I'm really curious about your opinion