Tips on siphoning from primary fermenter to bottling bucket - Page 2

GAbrewer · 01-23-2009, 04:50 PM

I second (third, fourth, fifth?) the autosiphon. I made it through 3 batches before I got tired of siphoning by mouth or spilling the water I filled my hose with all over the place. I believe I spent about $15 on mine at the LHBS, and it was well worth it.

natefrog255 · 03-22-2012, 05:25 PM

So if I am getting siphon tubing (5/16") and a racking tube, all I really need to buy is an auto siphon device and I should be good to go...?

**Camride** · 03-22-2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAbrewer

I second (third, fourth, fifth?) the autosiphon. I made it through 3 batches before I got tired of siphoning by mouth or spilling the water I filled my hose with all over the place. I believe I spent about $15 on mine at the LHBS, and it was well worth it.

It only took me one time siphoning by myself to get an auto-siphon. Best $15 spent.

**DeafSmith** · 03-22-2012, 05:47 PM

I have the larger size autosiphon (1/2 inch) and found that the vinyl tubing was a real pain to get on and off the cane. Now I use 3/8 ID silicone tubing and it works great - easy on and off, makes an airtight seal without needing a hose clamp, and can be sanitized by boiling.

**Malticulous** · 03-22-2012, 05:48 PM

I given up on auto siphons. The two I have are junk. I have a stainless 1/2 cane and expect it to last me for the rest of my life. It dosen't self prime but it dosen't leak air in ether. I prime it by filling it with water or sanitizer. Water I just let go in the keg/secondary. Sanitizer I run off into another container.

SamHain · 03-22-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMSetzler

You will want your siphon tube to go to the bottom of the bottling bucket in order to minimize oxygenation of the beer.

Sorry for the partial hijack here but...what is the effect of oxygenating the beer?

When I siphon I make sure the hose is at the bottom of the bucket and i add the priming sugar at this point too, but i stir my beer at this point too. Im wondering if im oxygenating the beer.

zeg · 03-22-2012, 06:23 PM

I find siphoning with a racking cane and tube to be just fine, I haven't had any urge to get an autosiphon.

After sanitizing everything, I start siphoning it by filling the cane/tube with water from the tap. I then siphon a cup or two of sanitizer through into a waste container and stop the flow, keeping the siphon full. I then transfer the cane to the carboy and resume the siphon into the waste container until I reach beer, and finally switch the tube to pour into the output container.

This way, the siphon is full of sanitizer when it goes into the beer, so if there's any backflow it won't contaminate anything. Also, I usually make my wife handle the racking cane. If I were doing this solo, I might find the auto-siphon to be more useful.