Multiple Siphon Before Bottling

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markluckhardt

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Hello-
I am doing my second brew. It is a California Steam beer. I am just getting started and haven't invested in a glass carboy yet, so I am sticking with only primary fermentation. My first brew had a lot of settlement end up in the bottles. I was wondering if it would work to siphon the beer from primary fermenter into the bottling bucket, let it sit, siphon back into the (cleaned) fermentation bucket, let it sit, and then siphon into the bottling bucket. My thinking is multiple siphoning will get rid a lot of the sediment in the bottom. Any thoughts?
 
You just need to work on your process you can also place a hop bag over your racking cane to act as a filter

Place your racking cane partially/halfway into the beer and begin siphon, as the level drops lower your cane. Stop siphoning once you get just above the trub layer:)
 
The sediment consists mostly of yeast. You want that in the bottle so that your beer can carbonate (and do some final conditioning). Plus multiple siphoning won't really get rid of the yeast since it is suspended in the liquid anyway. If you are really concerned about having sediment in your bottles, there is a YouTube video (CraigTube I think?) that describes a device that you can use with your bottles that actually removes the sediment. I'll find the link and post it for you. I've never used these things, and I've never even seen them advertised, but the concept seems fairly sound if you can find them.
 
I agree that you need some yeast in suspension in order to get good carbonation.

He beat me to it but yeah I would have recommended that Craigtube video with the sediment catchers. The only thing that concerns me is I think those work for twist off bottles only. I'm not positive on that but I can't seem to find the answer on their website.

Craigtube also has another video about a beer that had primary or secondary fermentation and its effects on carbonation. If I find that link ill post it.

Another thing for your idea of the multiple siphon is that you'll definitely have a rush of oxidizing your beer with that much movement.

Many homebrewers nowadays just do primary for 2 or so weeks and then directly to bottling bucket for bottling. I have brewed for about a year and my last batch I did this and just let my beer sir in primary for 3 weeks and bottled it and I honestly have very clear beer with only a small amount of sediment in the bottles which is easily avoided if you decant correctly.

Hope this helps, cheers.
 
Thanks for the tips! Good to know that yeast is needed for the carbonation. The sediment in my last beer was easily removed by decanting, its just when you drink it straight from the bottle it is an issue. But I'd rather have carbonation than no sediment....we'll see how this one goes!
 
Thanks for the tips! Good to know that yeast is needed for the carbonation. The sediment in my last beer was easily removed by decanting, its just when you drink it straight from the bottle it is an issue. But I'd rather have carbonation than no sediment....we'll see how this one goes!

You need to siphon to the bottling bucket carefully so you don't such up trub.

There is plenty of yeast in suspension so you should not be trying to get anything you can see.

Do not siphon twice. This is likely to cause more problems than any benefit of reducing sediment.

Don't drink your homebrew from the bottle. Pour it in a glass leaving a little bit and the sediment behind in the bottom of the bottle.
 
Thanks for the tips! Good to know that yeast is needed for the carbonation. The sediment in my last beer was easily removed by decanting, its just when you drink it straight from the bottle it is an issue. But I'd rather have carbonation than no sediment....we'll see how this one goes!

Another thought. If sediment has really got you down, you can brew using yeast that is highly floculant. Highly floculant yeast will tend to clump together over time and drop to the bottom forming a solid(ish) cake. I have noticed this particularly with WLP002 (London Ale). There are others, of course, and you can see their relative floculation level in their description. It is much easier to leave the sediment at the bottom when decanting a beer that was fermented with these types of yeast. A few days in the refrigerator will help the yeast settle too.
 
Technique I use is to tilt the primary with a piece of 2x4 the day before I plan on bottling. The sediment on the bottom slides into the 'corner' reducing the surface area of the trub. Much easier to place the bottom of the siphon just above the yeast layer.
 
The beers I made early in my brewing had lots of sediment. Then I learned to give the beer more time in the fermenter so the yeast had time to settle out. The beer that sat in the fermenter for 9 weeks had so little sediment it was hard to see. It still carbonated just fine.
 
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