Can this bottle filler be modified? How?

[doctorcosmonaut]

Through a long story that I'm not going to get into, I have this vacuum bottle filler (primarily used for bottling wine). I have cider I'm wanting to bottle, and I'd hate to throw the thing out. Can a vacuum bottle filler be used for carbonated products? If not, but with a little modification, what must be done to make it appropriate for filling already carbonated liquids? Could it also be modified to force carbonate still products in the bottle? I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions/instructions on how either or both of these could be accomplished.

 

[Arne]

I think you are going to loose at least some of the carbonation by vac. filling. You might be able to keep the carb. in by putting your filler tube at the bottom of the bottle you are trying to fill. (Don't know, just a thought.) I don't believe you are going to be able to force carbonate with a vacuum. It tends to suck the carbonation out. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[olusteebus]

I used a vacuum bottler on beer and it seems fine to me. However, the carbonation took place later in the bottle as it was conditioning.

 

[richmke]

In general, you do not bottle what is already carbonated. You bottle something that is non-carbonated, add sugar (or "condition"), seal the bottle, and then wait for yeast to ferment the sugar and add carbonation. This is how beer and sparkling wine are made.

Under that scenario, your bottle filler is fine.

Note: you can also force carbonate (with CO2 from a tank) in a keg, or other similar device (soda stream).