Bottle filler

[audmkamp]

I need to buy a 4-6 spout bottle filler soon. Looking for advice on what to buy/not to buy. I'll be bottling 600-1500 bottle batches at a time.

Thanks for any input!

 

[JohnT]

Check out the All-In-One..

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/

 

[audmkamp]

Check out the All-In-One..

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/

Thanks but I'll need to do more than one at a time. Looking for feedback on equipment like these pieces:

https://morewinemaking.com/products/wine-bottle-filler-professional-4-spout.html?site_id=5

http://www.gwkent.com/6-spout-gravity-filling-machine.html

http://oakbarrel.com/floor-gravity-filler-3-spout/

 

[JohnT]

I find that the aio or the enolmatic can fill a bottle in about 3 or 4 seconds. Not sure why you need to do more than one at a time.

 

[jpftribe]

I find that the aio or the enolmatic can fill a bottle in about 3 or 4 seconds. Not sure why you need to do more than one at a time.

https://morewinemaking.com/products/wine-bottle-filler-professional-4-spout.html?site_id=5

I think they have already answered.

"A favorite of small wineries, clubs, and out-of-control home winemakers."

 

[JohnT]

OOOOOOPS! I missed that bit about 600 to 1500 bottles at a time!

Sorry!

 

[whackfol]

About 6 years ago I purchased the F Ili Marchisio Hobby-4 tabletop after an intensive search. (I think the Marchisio Hobby 4 is the one Morewine has listed). It's difficult to compare the pros and cons without either talking with an owner or seeing them. After actually touching and testing the Zambelli Tivoli and the GAI 2004, I liked them better. However, the price difference was substantial and the Marchisio Hobby 4 was a good value. I probably use it twice a year and bottle between 35 and 50 cases at a time. With five people (one moving bottles, one operating the filler, two corkers and one feeding corks to the corkers), I can knock 50 plus cases in less than two hours including cleaning (probably closer to 1.5 hrs). Don't forget that your process will be limited to the speed of your slowest process. Adding filler capacity only shifts it somewhere else. I think I have found my optimum for my four spout filler with two corkers and five people. I do sparge.

A few days before bottling, I pump my wine up to a higher position and use gravity to fill the tank. The float that comes with the filler works well. If you pump to the filler, you will need to look at high and low level switches to control the pump. There is also a pump and filter that comes attached with one of the Hobby models. It did take me a while to figure out is how best to prime each spout and how to adjust the fill levels. I can't say if it was me or a filler issue. Cleanup is fairly easy.

Be aware there are a number of different option for this filler: pumps filters, stands and combinations.

I do recommend the Marchisio Hobby 4 if your usage is in this range. Higher, I suggest looking at more spouts unless you have labor and time. Below 10 - 15 cases and I use my Enolmatic.

I never looked at the filler GW Kent offers. It might be made by someone else. Regardless, I find GW Kent to have some of the higher quality products. I have been upgrading all my vct's to those they sell because of the wall thickness and the Tri clover fittings.

Whack

FWIW, The following are manufacturer web addresses from the different filler manufacturers I researched:

www.perugini-enoagricole.it MEP - St pats has these
www.zambellienotech.it Zambelli Enotech
www.tem.it Toscana Enologica Mori (TEM)
www.enotecnicapillan.it Enotecnica Pillan
www.gai-it.com GAI - AWS Prospero has these
www.fratellimarchisio.com F Ili Marchisio - If I properly identified the models, these seem to be widely distributed and is the one Morewine shows.
www.grifomarchetti.com Grifo Marchetti
www.spagni.com Spagni

 

[audmkamp]

Thanks for the feedback!
I ended up going with the GW Kent one because, as you said their products tend to be very good quality, plus it had tri-clover fittings to fill & I think the Marchisio ones were 1/2" so I'd need more fittings to adapt the equipment I have already. Plus for a couple hundred more I may not have to fret with upgrading size wise for quite a bit longer as I'll have 6 fill spouts vs 4 with Marchisio (company I was going to buy from is out of stock on 6-spout Marchisios).

About 6 years ago I purchased the F Ili Marchisio Hobby-4 tabletop after an intensive search. (I think the Marchisio Hobby 4 is the one Morewine has listed). It's difficult to compare the pros and cons without either talking with an owner or seeing them. After actually touching and testing the Zambelli Tivoli and the GAI 2004, I liked them better. However, the price difference was substantial and the Marchisio Hobby 4 was a good value. I probably use it twice a year and bottle between 35 and 50 cases at a time. With five people (one moving bottles, one operating the filler, two corkers and one feeding corks to the corkers), I can knock 50 plus cases in less than two hours including cleaning (probably closer to 1.5 hrs). Don't forget that your process will be limited to the speed of your slowest process. Adding filler capacity only shifts it somewhere else. I think I have found my optimum for my four spout filler with two corkers and five people. I do sparge.

A few days before bottling, I pump my wine up to a higher position and use gravity to fill the tank. The float that comes with the filler works well. If you pump to the filler, you will need to look at high and low level switches to control the pump. There is also a pump and filter that comes attached with one of the Hobby models. It did take me a while to figure out is how best to prime each spout and how to adjust the fill levels. I can't say if it was me or a filler issue. Cleanup is fairly easy.

Be aware there are a number of different option for this filler: pumps filters, stands and combinations.

I do recommend the Marchisio Hobby 4 if your usage is in this range. Higher, I suggest looking at more spouts unless you have labor and time. Below 10 - 15 cases and I use my Enolmatic.

I never looked at the filler GW Kent offers. It might be made by someone else. Regardless, I find GW Kent to have some of the higher quality products. I have been upgrading all my vct's to those they sell because of the wall thickness and the Tri clover fittings.

Whack

FWIW, The following are manufacturer web addresses from the different filler manufacturers I researched:

www.perugini-enoagricole.it MEP - St pats has these
www.zambellienotech.it Zambelli Enotech
www.tem.it Toscana Enologica Mori (TEM)
www.enotecnicapillan.it Enotecnica Pillan
www.gai-it.com GAI - AWS Prospero has these
www.fratellimarchisio.com F Ili Marchisio - If I properly identified the models, these seem to be widely distributed and is the one Morewine shows.
www.grifomarchetti.com Grifo Marchetti
www.spagni.com Spagni

 

[whackfol]

Excellent, I'd love to hear your experience when you use it.

FWIW, I'll share my manual corker experience. If you are looking for a comparable "manual corker" consider one of the Rapid series from Amez Droz. I first purchased the Portugese and then upgraded to an Italian corker. When the Portugese stopped working, I split the cost of a Rapid 12 with a fellow home winemaker. It's the entry corker for them, but, of the ones I have, by far my favorite. When we bottle we operate two corkers to one four spout filler. The person manning the Italian starts losing steam while the person operating the Rapid rarely complains. The jaws are better, the action is smoother, the insertion rod is 90 degrees to the cork and, in general, it feels more substantial. With six spouts you may be looking at one of the automated corkers.

 

[audmkamp]

Excellent, I'd love to hear your experience when you use it.

FWIW, I'll share my manual corker experience. If you are looking for a comparable "manual corker" consider one of the Rapid series from Amez Droz. I first purchased the Portugese and then upgraded to an Italian corker. When the Portugese stopped working, I split the cost of a Rapid 12 with a fellow home winemaker. It's the entry corker for them, but, of the ones I have, by far my favorite. When we bottle we operate two corkers to one four spout filler. The person manning the Italian starts losing steam while the person operating the Rapid rarely complains. The jaws are better, the action is smoother, the insertion rod is 90 degrees to the cork and, in general, it feels more substantial. With six spouts you may be looking at one of the automated corkers.

Thanks for that info. I have an Italian corker. I have no doubt that will be my bottleneck to start out. After I get some revenue coming in I'll probably be looking into those you mentioned. Thanks!

 

[applelover12]

Hello
I have bought the enolmatic filter and the enolmatic bottle filler, but I have problems using them.

I set it up as described and I can use the bottle filler without problems, but when I hook up the filter, the filling of the bottle takes several minutes for just one bottle.

The wine gets sucked into the filter but I can see that on the output hose it is filled with foam and bubbles, which is probably CO2.

What can I do to be able to fill bottles with the filter.
If I got a Buon Vino filter - can I filter with remaining CO2 ?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I would recommend contacting the manufacture and hopefully they can straighten you out.

Hello
I have bought the enolmatic filter and the enolmatic bottle filler, but I have problems using them.

I set it up as described and I can use the bottle filler without problems, but when I hook up the filter, the filling of the bottle takes several minutes for just one bottle.

The wine gets sucked into the filter but I can see that on the output hose it is filled with foam and bubbles, which is probably CO2.

What can I do to be able to fill bottles with the filter.
If I got a Buon Vino filter - can I filter with remaining CO2 ?

 

[Brub58]

I've had much the same problem and I think it leaks at the seal where the lid joins the body. Make sure the filter is as far in as you can get it and then screw the lid on really tightly. I get a good seal if I don't put a filter in the body of the unit so I think the filters are a tight fit and if you aren't careful you won't get a good seal.

I have also tried shaving any high spots off the bottom of the filter and that seems to help as well. You can also try putting a finger over the inlet and sucking on the outlet (before you start). If you can draw any breath at all, you're not sealed.

Good luck with sorting it out. It's a great unit once you work out what you need to do to seal that filter.