Oxygen from racking cane?

[Bobcatbrewing42]

I was racking a batch of Irish Red from the carboy to the keg and air started getting into the line. Both ends were well submerged. I think that the gasket on the racking cane is getting worn out. I tried to close off the opening with my hand and a sanitized sponge but it didn't work. It kept siphoning but it was quite bubbly. I should have just stopped but panic makes people do stupid things. Has anyone seen this happen? What is the predicted result with the beer? This recipe is supposed to age in the keg but with O2 in there, maybe it will be better drunk quickly. Any ideas?

 

[vNmd]

The issue I have is where I attach the hose to the cane. The hose has a loose fit and no matter how far I shove the hose on - there is small bubbles. I tried using a smaller hose and stretching it out to fit the cane, but that was a pain each time. So I use a hose clamp the clamp it down each time I transfer. Seems to work very well.

 

[MrFeltimo]

I often get bubbles streaming down the tubing and all i do is squeeze the part where it meets the racking cane and it goes away. I wouldn't worry to much about it. it probably would be advised to change your cane if you think the gasket has worn out.

 

[flars]

A steady stream of air into your beer will oxidize it. It doesn't happen immediately though. The bad flavors will develop with time.

I think I read a HBT post about removing oxygen from kegged beer by streaming CO2 through it to scrub it out. Someone else will have to confirm whether or not this is true.

Since you mentioned a gasket, you are talking about an auto siphon, and the air is not getting in at the cane and tubing connection? The gasket on the inner piece can be deformed by storing the siphon assembled. Long soaks in cleaners and sanitizers could also damage the soft rubber.

Take it apart and clean thoroughly. Use it to siphon some plain water. If the bubbles continue, pour some water into the outer tube, one inch of water will do it, to see if that completes the seal and the bubbles stop.

 

[Smellyglove]

Had this happen to me. I bought a new autosiphon. Like flars is saying it happens if you store the siphon assembled, or at least stored in a manner where there u
is gravitational pressure to one side of the gasket and it becomes deformed over time.

 

[mtnagel]

I bet your beer will be fine, but to avoid it in the future, I now lube up the gasket in the autosiphon and use a tube that fits very tightly (though the clamp idea is good too). The tube is so tight that I have to use hot water to make it more pliable before fitting over the cane. Works well for me though.

 

[01TRV]

I have noticed that once in a while I get a little air stuck at the connection point for my tubing. I acts like its sucking in air, but it really is just the air bubble trying to travel upstream against the flow of beer. If I lift the tubing so the air bubble can can float up and away from the junction point a bit, it clears. Not sure if that is what you have going on though. Sure had me thinking I had an air leak though.

 

[bobtheUKbrewer2]

01TRV - that will be dissolved CO2 becoming free CO2 because of the vacuum

 

[ncbrewer]

I bet your beer will be fine, but to avoid it in the future, I now lube up the gasket in the autosiphon

What do you use to lube the gasket?

 

[mtnagel]

Keg lube.

 

[ncbrewer]

Keg lube.

Great - Thanks.

 

[Bobcatbrewing42]

Thanks for the suggestions. After the crisis, I tested my racking cane with clear water when nothing was at stake. It is not the tube/cane connection but a worn out gasket. I tried the Irish red after one day of carbonation at 25psi and it was remarkably clear and tasted great. I was stoked.... However at the end of 55 hours, the ruby red color had turned darker and noticeably brown and the flavor tastes sort of stale and "off". It is drinkable but I think the O2 is a problem. I fear that it will get worse with time instead of the usual improvement. I have another carboy of the same beer so I will have a control group for feedback. Live and learn! Next time, I'll just stop if air is getting into the beer and rack with the spare cane or just a tube. Maybe the leaky cane can be used for transfer from the boil kettle to the fermenters as a sort of auto-oxygenation system.

 

[01TRV]

01TRV - that will be dissolved CO2 becoming free CO2 because of the vacuum

Except it only happened just after I get the siphon started and didn't come back after positioning the hose to release the trapped bubble from the high point in the cane. It sure did look like it was sucking air as the beer rushed by even though there was no leak.

 

[ncbrewer]

However at the end of 55 hours, the ruby red color had turned darker and noticeably brown and the flavor tastes sort of stale and "off". It is drinkable but I think the O2 is a problem. I fear that it will get worse with time instead of the usual improvement.

You'll just have to drink it really fast. It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.

 

[Bobcatbrewing42]

Thanks for all of the input. The problem did turn out to be the gasket in the auto siphon and not the tubing to racking cane connection. I have replaced it. The beer tasted bad at first but rather than pour it out, I let it rest in the keg. The color was a walnut brown instead of the expected ruby red. Several people noted that oxidized beer tastes worse with time but this batch improved and several people really like it........go figure. I just kegged the second carboy with no O2 problems. it will be interesting to compare the two.