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bottling Bottling system better than funnel?

C

chitownpepper

Has anyone found a better way to fill 5z woozies?  Just looking for something more efficient and standard vs using a funnel.  I tried searching online for a DIY manual hand pump of some sort but haven't found anything yet.  I also strolled the aisle of the local Home Depot but nothing has clicked yet.
 
Hoping someone has already thought of something.
 
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300 bucks, geez. Would just using one of those big gatorade dispenser buckets be too slow? Some kind of big cooking syringe?
 
If you had a piece of acrylic the same diameter as the bucket you could weight it to make it go faster, maybe.. Although thats kind of ghetto..
 
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Gatorade buckets don't keep the temp of the sauce up where it needs to be..... there's more to it than just dispensing a liquid. 
 
 
 
some use turkey basters
 
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I use the handyfiller to bottle 35 - 40 cases of 12 oz bottles a batch (thats 420+ bottles)  - I could not possibly do that with a funnel.
 
I can recommend the handy filler - its worth the $$$. Its not a precision instrument (meaning it wont dispense exactly the same volume every time) but after a while you get the "feel" of it (how fast to pull the back stroke to get the right volume)
 
It also seems to be pretty durable - I've done 4 or 5 batches with it with no issues
 
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the big squeeze bottles they set on your table at restaurants. Red for Ketchup yellow for mustard, clear for mayo. YOu may need to snip the spout to widen it a little, you can get them at rest supply places usually about 2 bucks
 
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You can make a fill pot out of a stainless steel stew pot. You drill a hole on the side towards the bottom and put a valve with a handle on the side. Do not use just regular plumbing fittings, use all food safe stainless fittings and you should be good.
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This is mine. There is another piece attached to an elbow that has a straight piece of stainless tubing that goes right into the bottle. Mine also has a thermometer so you can monitor temp. 
 
I used to fill a lot of bottles with a funnel as well and don't miss it. Good luck.
 
 
 
Cheers
 
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I second the handyfiller. It is nice but not accurate, you just get the feel of it and go. I attach my 5 gallon pot with a bulkhead and cut off valve then make my sauce on an portable induction burner. So when sauce is done I hold from 190 to 200 and by the time it makes it to my bottles I am well over the 185 degree mark the is required by my process authority statement 
 
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@capsaicin that's a cool idea.  I came across several brewers kettles (for making wort) that go for $100-$200 and look just like what you put together with the thermometer and all.  I like the cheaper price tag (vs handy fill) and the fact that it can sit on the stove to maintain fill temp.  Where did you get your food safe elbow from?  I believe these are 1/2" but not sure if Home Depot would have a food safe elbow.  .
 
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Chitownpepper, go to brewing websites and look for your equipment they have it all, bulkheads, ball valves elbows etc... they should all be 316 stainless steal. also shop the prices I found some ball valves to be $50 and I found mine for $27 the exact same product.
 
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@chitown: addiction hit the nail on the head, brewer's supply houses are the way to go. Sometimes the big restaurant supply places may have some, but all of my stuff came from a local home brew shop, which I'm guessing you guys have in numbers up in Chicago.
 
Good luck, and post what you end up with. I am always looking to improve the system.
 
Cheers,
 
Jeff
 
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I'm going head out to a local brew shop this week and pick up one of these kettles.  In addition to everything else it has going for it valve, built in thermometer, it's also a huge kettle which is perfect.  Thanks for all the suggestions!
 
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Couldn't you have the sauce near boiling then have your bottle(s) in a boiling water bath (with a smidge of water in there). The water in there will fill the bottle with steam. Take the bottle(s), invert them, then dip the opening of the bottle below the sauce surface. Steam in bottle should condense, creating a vacuum and sucking the sauce in.
 
Just a thought.
 
And new here so hi all you all !
 
Hotcanoe
 
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welcome Hotcanoe,
 
thanks for your suggestion.  It's an interesting concept.  Usually processors try to avoid getting the sauce on the outside of the bottle (as would happen if doing the inverted/suck up method). 
 
I'm afraid we're stuck with ladles and funnels until folks can step up to the Handyfiller or similar.  :( 
 
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Just a thought:
 
I am reticent with the temperature warning on the Handyfiller. They only recommend its use at temps below 180. Most processing authorities seem to require time at temperatures above 185 (mine is 200). I just assume they have some sort of plastic parts that don't like high temps. And for $400 I would like to be certain. I like all stainless contact personally, particularly with high acidity.
 
Anyone had problems with theirs at high temperatures?
 
Cheers
 
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The handyfiller tubes and fittings are made with food grade silicone which is rated to high 300's in temp
 
On the model I have the temperature limiting components are the non return valves which are rated to 180 but the manufacturer says he tested them at 210 for an hour with no adverse effects 
 
I maintain my temp between 180 and 190 while bottling and have not had any problems. I figure there is a factor of safety in the temperature rating. I do however, plan on treating those valves as consumables and replacing them periodically (probably every 10 batches or so, or sooner if they show any signs of degradation)
 
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Thanks for the response Matanzima. In that case it looks like a pretty cool product. I'm only doing 150-200 bottle runs on my cook days so for now my pot with a spigot will work great. That filler may be my next step...that I will hopefully need someday soon.
 
Cheers.
 
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I know of a very well known hot sauce maker that started out useing a 5 gallon pail with a food grade spout with a tube attached to it to fill his bottles......just an idea...
 
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