Beer gun, worth it?

[RubberToe]

Did you end up getting a Beer Gun? I'm seriously considering getting one too. $70 here. Will likely order a bunch of things to make up for the shipping.

Not yet, maybe in the future after my system is complete.

[thirdeye]

I want in on this. I tried my discount beer gun and all I got was flat half filled beers and spray on the ceiling!

edit: These guys are great if shipping is too much from the US http://www.hopdawgs.ca/index.php/equipm ... /beer-gun/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bryan]

I have a beer gun, and I highly recommend it. I skipped the counter-pressure filling method, so I can't comment on that. However, the beer gun is simple to clean and sanitize, easy to set up, and I have had no foaming issues. Remember to keep your bottles and the beer gun in the fridge for at least an hour before bottling.

[jeffsmith]

I'm pretty damn tempted by these as well, though I mostly fill growlers from my kegs and I've had pretty good success (so far) with the racking cane jammed in a picnic faucet approach.

[RubberToe]

BTW, they sell it at Noble Grape for the same price as Hop Dawgs. Blichman, the same price everywhere... expensive!

[Graham.C]

I'm pretty damn tempted by these as well, though I mostly fill growlers from my kegs and I've had pretty good success (so far) with the racking cane jammed in a picnic faucet approach.

+1 and I have done some bottles.
Although I don't trust it to fill a bottle for a competition. I think I am going to ask for a beer gun for my birthday just for the purpose of entering comps from my kegs.

[jeffsmith]

+1 and I have done some bottles.
Although I don't trust it to fill a bottle for a competition. I think I am going to ask for a beer gun for my birthday just for the purpose of entering comps from my kegs.

I'm thinking it might go on my Father's day list this year.

[Jayme]

One hidden cost of the beer gun is the accessories kit. Not sure if others rigged it up without, but I forked out the extra cash and thought it was worth it. I also don't bother chilling the gun down itself, nor do I chill my bottles for over an hour. Usually 10min tops and they're as cold as the fridge according to my laser thermometer. So long as I didn't over carbonate the beer and take the psi down to about 5, I have no foaming issues.

[hogie]

I'm going to get both Accessory Kits 1+2 plus an MFL gas connector, and a few other bits:

http://www.homebrewing.org/Blichmann-Be ... p_779.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.homebrewing.org/Blichmann-Be ... _2680.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mr x]

Don't we have a canadian supplier for that?

Edit:

http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=434" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=435" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Higher price as usual, maybe make him an offer of 10-15% off or go US.

[jeffsmith]

Don't we have a canadian supplier for that?

Edit:

http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=434" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... tem_id=435" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Higher price as usual, maybe make him an offer of 10-15% off or go US.

Seems he's having some staffing/rage control issues:

http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... cle_id=136" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm very leery of purchasing from Randy. Numerous orders that I've received from him have been missing out of stock items and in order to be refunded, I've had to get in touch a couple weeks after the order arrived to inquire. At that, all he gave me was a store credit with no compensation for the cost of shipping for the missing items. I was made to feel like I was inconveniencing him or trying to rip him off by asking for a refund for the items I didn't receive as well. I've completely given up ordering from him unless it's something absolutely not available anywhere else. I'd be more likely to give Chris at Hopdawgs my money instead:

http://www.hopdawgs.ca/index.php/equipm ... /beer-gun/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

His service is top notch and he gets orders sent out pretty quickly.

[mr x]

Hopdawgs it is.

[LiverDance]

I was made to feel like I was inconveniencing him or trying to rip him off by asking for a refund for the items I didn't receive as well. I've completely given up ordering from him

I had the same thing happen, he'll never get my business again.

[jeffsmith]

I was made to feel like I was inconveniencing him or trying to rip him off by asking for a refund for the items I didn't receive as well. I've completely given up ordering from him

I had the same thing happen, he'll never get my business again.

Good (and bad) to know it wasn't just me then. Dude really needs someone to act as a business manager/customer support person on his behalf. His communication skills are fucking horrible.

[mr x]

Sticky has been edited.

[derek]

Seems he's having some staffing/rage control issues:

http://www.homebrew-supplies.ca/viartsh ... cle_id=136" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm very leery of purchasing from Randy

And he needs to learn some basic website design. You can't actually get to the "Contact" page without having a login...

[Jayme]

Another negative Randy story - last year I contact him early on in January, pre-ordered a bunch of hop rhizomes (2 of each variety). He replied saying no problem, order was logged. When rhizomes actually came up for sale my roommate ordered some so I decided to contact him and see when I should pay. Got a reply back saying most varieties had already sold out and I should have pre ordered... Even forwarded him our original correspondence and he denied ever having sent it. Soooo needless to say I'm yet another customer lost.

[Graham.C]

+1 here.

I forget all the details now but I remember the website quoted a ridiculously low amount for shipping a bag of grain. I knew it was too good to be true but I put it on my order anyways. After a bit of a delay I got an email saying that they cancelled my whole order and they don't ship full bags of grain. Fine, so be it. I needed some stuff so I ordered from brewers pantry. Two days later he sent me an e-mail saying he was going to refund only the bag on my order and the rest would ship. When I told him I had made other arrangements because he told me the order was cancelled he just told me I was wrong. End of conversation, end of consumer relationship. Not planning on going back.

[mr x]

OK, sticky shall be quite clearly updated. In the future, when you guys have bad experiences with vendors, let it be known asap so we can make informed decisions.

[Graham.C]

OK, sticky shall be quite clearly updated. In the future, when you guys have bad experiences with vendors, let it be known asap so we can make informed decisions.

Which sticky? Vendor discussion?

[mr x]

http://www.brewnosers.org/forums/viewto ... ?f=3&t=465" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tony L]

There is a tread on HBT right now about a DIY CPBF http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-cou ... ler-27171/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hogie]

Well I used my new beer gun for the first time tonight. For the most part, it was pretty easy to use... except that on the very first bottle, the little rubber stopper on the tip came off into the bottle and I had to pour the whole thing back through a filter to get it back.

Anyway, we'll see on Saturday how the carbonation is.

[thirdeye]

Did you chill everything to begin with? I've yet to get anything near full carbonation with the homebrew beer gun, any tips?

[Bryan]

Did you chill everything to begin with? I've yet to get anything near full carbonation with the homebrew beer gun, any tips?

I've successfully bottled three times with the beer gun so far. A couple tips:

1) Make sure your beer is carbonated properly. Pour your beer into a glass before you bottle your beer. If you dispense with very little pressure (say 2 PSI), this will represent the amount of carbonation in your beer. The first time I went to bottle with my beer with the gun, I had slightly over carbonated my beer.

2) Chill all the equipment for the Beer Gun process (beer gun, lines, bottles, beer) prior to using the beer gun. I put it in the fridge for about an hour prior to use, and I keep my kegs in the fridge.