Alternative to a Mini Auto Siphon - How to Rack without Siphon?

[calmingapple]

Well, here I am again. I think this is my new home (which is A-OK with me!) I just hope I'm not being a pain in the ass around here.

Okay, so I managed to de-gass the wine every day thus far. So while I was going through my equipment, I figured "oh hey I should test out this auto siphon I just got". So I took some empty gallon carboys to test that it is all working and I realize this is a gigantic auto siphon meant for 5-6 gallon carboys.
It is simply too big to fit into the neck of my standard one gallon carboy.

So I rack the apple wine for the first time in about 8 days from now. Anyone have any suggestions on how to rack wine with only the tubing until I hunt down a mini siphon of sorts?

Now I'm thinking why the hell isn't everything standard sizing? The bf will flip when he sees me ordering more equipment Lol!

 

[mythbustingpyro]

Its not super recommended, but getting a t-barb from the hardware store will let you suck start it without your mouth coming in direct contract with the tubing.

Much more recommended is to prefill the tubing with water and it should siphon.

 

[calmingapple]

Hi mythbustingpyro

Thanks for the quick tip.

Are you referring to this thingy?

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/plastic-id-barb-tee-3-8/924663

Do I just attach it to the tubing I already have???

Its not super recommended, but getting a t-barb from the hardware store will let you suck start it without your mouth coming in direct contract with the tubing.

Much more recommended is to prefill the tubing with water and it should siphon.

 

[JasonKH]

I use a rubber bung with my transfer hose and a needle (for inflating a sports ball) with a small hand pump. I seal the bung into my carboy and use the pump to presurize the jug and it pushes the wine out. Great if you store your carboys low to the floor.

 

[kcmobrewer]

deleted hah, shoulda read the title more carefully

 

[Arpolis]

To be honest I do not worry about my mouth touching my tubing. It is all going in my belly so why worry as long as you take a few sanitary measures. I use a little mouthwash prior and sanitize my hose. Then I place the full carboy on a counter and the empty one on the floor. Put one end of tubing in the full carboy and suck on the lower end just enough to get the liquid over the hump of the tubing and then direct that end into the empty carboy. I have it down good and rarely even spill a drop. I have done other ways of pressurizing one carboy to push liquid and all but I see little to no benefit from it for more hassle.

 

[mythbustingpyro]

Yes thats it, make sure it fits on your tubing, I had mine towards the middle but at the end should work too. Just keep the t facing up.

Sucking the end with mouthwash, worked for me too without issue, most times you will be ok with the higher abv of wine. I wouldnt be confident for beer or low alc cider

 

[bernardsmith]

Its not super recommended, but getting a t-barb from the hardware store will let you suck start it without your mouth coming in direct contract with the tubing.

Much more recommended is to prefill the tubing with water and it should siphon.

Filling the tube with water or K-meta solution is a good way of starting the siphon but you need to practice this technique so that you don't get any significant amount of the sanitizer in your target carboy or a significant amount of the wine on the floor. Sucking is not good practice but it works well but if you can get hold of a small auto siphon that would be best. If the issue is that you NEED to rack your apple wine in 8 days, that is one thing. If the issue is that you had planned or want to rack it in 8 days that is a very different story. IMO, it might be better to wait until you can get a small auto siphon and then rack... But bulk aging rarely (if ever) involves a drop dead deadline. As long as your carboy is well sealed (with an airlock) and as long as you ensure that there is enough free SO2 to inhibit oxidation your carboy will act like a large bottle for all intents and purposes.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

there are 3 or 4 different sizes of auto siphon. just get the one that fits your demijohn, you've got 8 days after all.

 

[Yooper]

I didn't even use an auto siphon until a few years ago- most winemakers just use tubing to start a siphon. It takes practice, but once you know how to do it, it is super quick and easy.

You just fill the tubing with water or sanitizer. Put your finger over both ends, then keeping your thumb or finger over the "receiving" end, and holding it lower than the one going into the wine, put the open end into the wine. Take your finger off of the other one, and into a pitcher let it start. Then, once the wine starts to flow, take it from the pitcher to the new vessel just by pinching the end for a moment. Once the wine starts flowing, you can push down the tubing to the very bottom to get all but the lees in the first vessel. Make sure you put the tubing in the receiving vessel to the very bottom also, in a circular way, so the wine doesn't splash at all. You want to siphon "quietly", without any splashing or mixing of air and wine.

Try it with water a few times, because it seems awkward at first. But once you got it, you can't screw it up. It's cheap (free), easy, and convenient.

 

[Honda88]

Turkey baster works great for sucking on the hose....

 

[calmingapple]

Mine has a fairly weak suction... so I think mouthwash & lips-to-hose are it for me.

Mini siphon is now on order. :-D

Turkey baster works great for sucking on the hose....