autosiphon and better bottles

I have a brew in a 6 gal BB primary that I will need to rack to my bottling bucket in the near future. I use an autosiphon. When I look at the BB there is a "punt" or indention on the bottom. To me that would mean the middle has the smallest amount of sediment and that would be the best place to put the autosiphon.

Anyone have a comment on their technique for where to place the autosiphon in a better bottle?

I've used the indention in the BB like you described before, it works just as well as any other method, but I prefer to keep my siphon above the trub until the beer is almost all the way transfered, then I stick the siphon a little lower for a few seconds to ensure I have picked up enough yeast for bottle carbing. The latter part is probaly not needed but I do it any ways.

+1 to Brady's technique. I do pretty much the same thing. I try to keep the bottom of the siphon about 1 inch below the surface of the beer the whole way down until I get to the bottom, in which I tip the almost empty carboy to pick up as much beer as possible. The only thing that I don't do is stick my siphon directly into the trub, although tipping does disturb the sediment, and I probably pick up just as much as he does when racking.

I let it sit right in the trub, the siphon (with cap installed) is designed to draw the beer a half inch above the trub anyway, what little bit of yeast I get, is of little concern. I even forgot to put the cap on once and it just added a few days to the clearing process, it really doesn't pick up much unles you are moving your siphon around.

I even put something under my carboy to tip more beer towards the siphon.

I want to get the most beer I can from the carboy, I have had as many as 3 extra bottles doing it this way

billc68 said:

I let it sit right in the trub, the siphon (with cap installed) is designed to draw the beer a half inch above the trub anyway, what little bit of yeast I get, is of little concern.

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I wish I could do that, but most of non-brewing/good beer knowing friends would get freaked out because of floaties in their glasses, even if it is very minor stuff.

billc68 said:

I let it sit right in the trub, the siphon (with cap installed) is designed to draw the beer a half inch above the trub anyway, what little bit of yeast I get, is of little concern.

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Me too, and it works fine.

since I keg I dont usually worry about a little yeast cake getting transferred, I autosiphon from the edge of my better bottles, I also have the bottle slanted to get that last little bit out, I have noticed that after crash cooling the cake is very compacted and is not usually an issue with the autosiphon cap in place.

I prop mine up on a large 3 ring binder (so it slants) put the autosiphon on the lower corner. When the beer drains you get the most from the lowest point. I end up with almost all of my beer and very little trub/yeast if any. I usually only get a little when I am not paying attention and doing something else during the siphoning... then I just listen for the sucking sounds and I know its time to pull out.

BrewSpook said:

I just listen for the sucking sounds and I know its time to pull out.

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Sounds like a sig line in the making.

When I said I drop the siphon right in the trub, I meant it and I get very little transferred, then I remove the end piece when I bottle and I have yet to get any floaties in my brew. I do usually strain some of the hops out before it hits the fermenter.

lol.. yeah I was wondering how long it was going to take someone to comment on that. I just couldn't think of another way to put it.

I used to rest the tip of the autosiphon on the bottom outside ridge of the BB during a siphon. Worked pretty well. I have since upgraded to the adjustable racking attachment that is sold by BB. I really like how the racking adapter thing works.

I made this and it works great.



Here's the thread.