How to siphon from a Carboy???

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5gBrewer

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Just got my first glass carboy! I'm stoked, but have a concern.

I've been brewing with buckets since i started last spring, and have never used a carboy before. Siphoning from the buckets was simple (fill siphon with fluid, submerge in bucket, let loose into new bucket).

Dow does one siphon from a carboy? I can't see the technique I've been using with the buckets working at all with the small opening of the 6.5g carboy. Do you suck start?

I feel like such a turd for not knowing how to do this properly, but I haven't been able to find/read a detailed description on what to do, and I've never seen anyone do it before.

Thanks!

5gB
 
Do you have a few bucks to get an autosiphon? Those things are pretty nice to have around. I use mine all the time
 
You need a racking cane - a rigid plastic or glass that fits into the end of your racking tube. It's about 24" long. You fill the entire thing with water. Then, in one fluid motion, shove the cane end into the carboy and raise the other end of the tube above that so that the water starts to flow into the beer. As soon as the cane is submersed in the beer, lower the other end of the tube so that it is below the carboy. You will achieve a siphon quickly; as soon as you do, drain the water in the tube into a bowl, and as soon as it turns beer-colored, move over to the bucket/carboy, and let it go.

If you don't have a cane...I wouldn't even try it.
 
THanks Guys! After I posted, I just saw that other thread too! BIG helps!

Evan, I do have a racking cane, so i think i'll try you're method out first. Thanks!

5gB
 
It's been said many times but... a $12 autosiphon is probably the best bang for the buck headache saver in brewing history. OK, maybe it's never been said exactly like that. It certainly is not a gimmicky gadget. If you try it once, you'll never play the water siphon-start trick again.
 
Bobby_M said:
It's been said many times but... a $12 autosiphon is probably the best bang for the buck headache saver in brewing history. OK, maybe it's never been said exactly like that. It certainly is not a gimmicky gadget. If you try it once, you'll never play the water siphon-start trick again.
Click to expand...

Ahh, you know, my thing is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe someday I'll drop the $12 on one...but, hey, I just dropped $15 to upgrade my HBT membership! Manual siphon works for me, always has. It's second nature now. Now, what it would be nice for is taking samples from carboys---that's the only reason I'd bother, if I do. Currently, the way I take samples is to put the racking cane into the carboy (with tube attached, and suck on it until the beer gets close to my mouth...then I cap the end of the tube with my tongue, pull the cane out, and release the beer. Usually, the amount of beer that fills up my tube and cane is a perfect amount to take a hydro reading. But, yeah, it would be nice for that...just, I could care less about the actual siphoning.
 
I'll agree that the autosiphon is well worth it's price. Also make sure you DO NOT suck to start a siphon..........you'll likely end up with an infection. From Palmer's book:

How to Siphon
When racking or bottling , you cannot start a siphon by sucking on it or you will contaminate and sour the batch with bacteria from your mouth.

All parts of the siphon (racking cane, tubing, and cutoff valve or bottle filler) need to be sanitized, especially the inside. After sanitizing, leave the siphon full of sanitizer and carefully place the racking cane in your beer. Release the clamp/valve or your clean-and-sanitized thumb and allow the sanitizer to drain into a jar. Make sure the outlet is lower than the fermenter, or you will drain the sanitizer into your beer.

As the sanitizer drains, it will draw the beer into the siphon and you can stop and transfer the outlet to your bottling bucket or bottles. Thus you can siphon without risk of contamination.​
 
Yeah, unless you're taking a sample (like I was talking about above), which will never go back into the batch, then using your mouth is a super-duper no-no.
 
Evan! said:
Yeah, unless you're taking a sample (like I was talking about above), which will never go back into the batch, then using your mouth is a super-duper no-no.
Click to expand...

I have a wine thief for samples. It's nice - it fills up and you just drop your hydrometer in - bingo! You don't even need to monkey around with a test jar.
 
Evan! said:
Ahh, you know, my thing is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe someday I'll drop the $12 on one...but, hey, I just dropped $15 to upgrade my HBT membership! Manual siphon works for me, always has. It's second nature now. Now, what it would be nice for is taking samples from carboys---that's the only reason I'd bother, if I do. Currently, the way I take samples is to put the racking cane into the carboy (with tube attached, and suck on it until the beer gets close to my mouth...then I cap the end of the tube with my tongue, pull the cane out, and release the beer. Usually, the amount of beer that fills up my tube and cane is a perfect amount to take a hydro reading. But, yeah, it would be nice for that...just, I could care less about the actual siphoning.
Click to expand...

This belongs in this thread... no?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18617&highlight=secret
 
rdwj said:
I have a wine thief for samples. It's nice - it fills up and you just drop your hydrometer in - bingo! You don't even need to monkey around with a test jar.
Click to expand...

I've got a thief too, but it's only like 10" long. Not long enough to do anything with unless it's in a bucket.
 
Let me just add my voice to those singing the praises of the auto-siphon. I've had it since I brewed my first batch, and I've never had any difficulties with racking at ALL. It kicks ass, and is totally worth it to me. I can't imagine having to use water tricks and such to get the thing going. Buy one; you won't regret it.
 
Bobby_M said:
It's been said many times but... a $12 autosiphon is probably the best bang for the buck headache saver in brewing history. OK, maybe it's never been said exactly like that. It certainly is not a gimmicky gadget. If you try it once, you'll never play the water siphon-start trick again.
Click to expand...


2nd that...
 

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