How do you guys move your wort to your fermenters.

I dont have a pump or anything and just started AG batches. My issue has been that I have a 15 gallon SS pot with 7-9 gallons of wort in it. Which is close to like 100lbs!! What is the best way you guys have figured to get your wort into a fermenter. I have been using a gallon pitcher that I sanitise between each scoop and pour. Is there an easier way? The pot has a spigot but will that move to slow and risk contamination? Thanks

Git yer ass to the gym, first off.

I dump mine manually, but my wort is about 5.75 gals at that point. Many people whirlpool after cooling with an IC or CC, then the use a siphon to get the wort to the fermenter. The whirlpooling moves all the crud and solids into a nice cone in the center of the bottom of the kettle; you just keep the siphon tip towards the outer edge and you'll do fine.

I make ten gallon batches, but I ferment in five gallon pails. So I bring my pails outside to the kettle, fill them up, and bring them in to ferment.

Fingers said:

I make ten gallon batches, but I ferment in five gallon pails. So I bring my pails outside to the kettle, fill them up, and bring them in to ferment.

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+1 Keep it simple. Buckets for mash water to MLT. Gravity to Kettle, gravity to fermenters, fermenters are 5 gallons, kegs are 5 gallons, all easy to lift and carry.

You've got a spigot but aren't using it?

Problem solved man.....

Gee thanks Evan. I'm a clinical lab. scientist I use my brain muscle hahahaha. I have tomorrow off so i think im gonna try to figure out some kind of gravity method with an old TV stand and aluminum rack. Thanks guys.

Just put in a weldless fitting. Fairly cheap, easy.

I just use my automagic racking cane. The only tough part is lifting the kettle up to the workbench. Sitting on the burner it's not high enough above the carboy to start the siphon.

rtp-brew said:

I just use my automagic racking cane. The only tough part is lifting the kettle up to the workbench. Sitting on the burner it's not high enough above the carboy to start the siphon.

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That is why you buy the autosiphon. A few pumps and you're fine. I've managed to move liquid from two even level vessels that way.

jezter6 said:

That is why you buy the autosiphon. A few pumps and you're fine. I've managed to move liquid from two even level vessels that way.

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Huh? If you have done this, then you have relieved our reliance on fossil fuels!! The economy will boom. The US will remain the only super power for hundreds of years!! Plese explain?!

wedge421 said:

The pot has a spigot but will that move to slow and risk contamination? Thanks

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I'm baffled that only one person reponded to this portion of the OP's question and that was totally skipped over. You have a spigot, use it. No, it's not too slow. Do you think a syphon would move any faster? And as long as you sanitize the inside of your tubing you'll be fine.

This is my primary method of getting from the Kettle to the fermenter. Good aeration with minimal risk of contanmination.

This is a semi-issue for me too. I figure dumping it right into the carboy with a huge funnel is a good way to aerate-so I don't use the autosiphon. Only problem is that this is the one thing that I seem to need an extra hand to do...especially if I used loose hops that need to be strained out. I dump while someone else holds the funnel/strains the hops. Not a big deal when someone's around, and I could likely pull it off-but the idea of wort spilling from the kettle all over the basement floor is not a pretty one.

I let mine gravity flow out of the spigot in the boil pot into a 5 gal. cornie keg which I fill about 2/3's of the way full. (I'm doing 10 gal batches). My fermenter is in my basement while the rest of my equipment is in the barn. It takes 3 runs with the cornie keg to the basement to haul all 10 gal. I can make more runs with less weight if I needed too.

The flow from the boil kettle thru the spigot then splashing into the cornie, then the sloshing around in the cornie keg as I haul it to the basement helps aerate the wort.

Sounds like you are being far too careful about your sanitation to me. But that's just my opinion.

Aust1227 said:

Huh? If you have done this, then you have relieved our reliance on fossil fuels!! The economy will boom. The US will remain the only super power for hundreds of years!! Plese explain?!

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You can start a siphon between 2 evenly placed vessels and the liquid will equalize the level in each. Of course, once the level is even between the two, you have to pump the autosiphon to continue to move whatever is in your source container.

No more lifting for me!

I'm gonna pop the cherry on the new brewing tree tomorrow:



The bottom tier is on a sleeve which makes it liftable with a boat winch:

Bernie, that's one of the most clever ideas I've seen. Think you could hook some hydraulics up to it and make it ever easier?

+1 for the spigot in the boil kettle.
Soooo easy.

How do you guys keep the spigot free of debris?

SWMBO has a collander/spahetti strainer that fits in the top of a fermenting bucket. I put a piece of pantyhose over the strainer, set it in the bucket, and when the wort is cool I just pour. Strains out any gunk thats left at the bottom of the pot and aerates it pretty good at the same time.

The bottom tier is on a sleeve which makes it liftable with a boat winch:

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You stole my idea!
except mine has all three moveable so everything can be done from ground level.


if the spigot is installed thru a threaded bung that is tapped all the way thru to the interior of the kettle you can do as I have.
I took a stainless braided washing machine hose (ensure it is stainless and not plastic made to look like stainless). Cut off both ends and remove the vinyl tubing. Fold one end over a few times and pinch it shut. Install a barbed fitting into the interior of the kettle (may have to back the valve off a bit from the outside) and install the braid with a stainless hose clamp.
It filters the hot break (cold break too if you chill in the kettle) and hops.
Try and find the larger diameter braided hose and barbed fitting to minimize the reduction in flow.

Sanitize a piece of tubing from the spigot to the fermenter.


(oh yeah, watch out for free ends after you cut the fittings off the braid. Those bastards will stab you. As small as they are you'd be amazed at how much they hurt and bleed.