bottling 2019

Here's my over-the-stove ergonomic bottling setup. Not shown is my homemade pail perch which helps exclude white foam.

These yellow caps contain a drip-less valve for upside-down storage.  I attach a upside-down label to my third hand (T-square), then transfer the label to the bottle.   Not perfect, but this process helps appropriately place the label.

ergonomic bottling

Here's a photo during my fourth round of bottling.  Also shown is the last phase of bottling where I tilt the bottler with a homemade pail perch. 

Kitchen cabinets limit my ergonomic bottling options, but there's one place!   Over the stove and with the help of a short four legged stool, I can comfortably stand and bottle honey.   Repetitive bottling can be a literal pain in the neck if I don't create a proper work environment.

Just a coincidence, but the sturdy four legged stand is decorated with a stylized bee.

bottle without white foam - pail perch

I was able to eke out a few more bottles of honey without white foam by tilting the pail. This homemade pail perch requires an extra pail lid, 2x4 scraps, fender washers and wood screws. For stability, a string connects the pail handle and pail perch.  To counterweight the tilted pail, I borrowed a heavy canned good from the pantry.

Before tilting the pail, I left a generous amount of time for bubbles to rise then I bottled honey to a point just above the honey gate.  After tilting the pail, I let the bubbles rise again before bottling the remaining honey.