Alternative to Siphoning (I hate it.. Help!)

[ncbrewer]

I siphoned with just a racking cane and tube for a long time and never really had issues. But it always bothered me that I had to hold my thumb over the end of the tube while lowering it into the bottling bucket. It seemed like my arm touched the inside walls of the bucket or the tubing sometimes. So I started using the auto siphon, and it feels more sanitary to me. I may be solving a non-existent problem, but I feel better about it.

 

[byronyasgur]

I haven't read the thread and all this has probably been touched on but just in case:

Here is the real issue. Once I start syphoning, after a while the bubbles accumulate at the bends at the top and completely block the flow to the secondary.

not 100% sure what the problem is here tbh but I know I had some issues with my syphon when I got it and what I did was spent 30 minutes practising with it with 2 buckets of water - worked great - I had about 5 or 6 issues with it ( not your one ) but I figured most of them out

I am brewing in 6.5 gallon Ale Pail plastic buckets.

You'll need a 1/2" I'd say for that - not sure what you have - there might be larger ??

Plus it takes forever.

2 ( and AFAIK only 2 ) ways to speed up the syphon ( unless you've got blockages or something

1. Greater Height Difference between the two vessels
2. Larger diameter syphon

Kegging is not an option as I don't have the money & space for it.

Same here - but I'm thinking of getting the tap a draft system or something like that and maybe a second hand fridge - should be able to get full system for about 150 - or just put in the regular fridge either one at a time https://www.homebrewwest.ie/ibrew-tap-a-draft-4-by-10-pint-minikeg-system-40-pints-1446-p.asp

 

[Rhaop]

my link didn’t cover about taking the spigot apart but that’s what i was trying to get across so thanks Island Lizard


Okay for the guys fermenting with bottling spigots on are you using a pre drilled bucket or did you add the hole? I have some undrilled buckets that i am I interested in trying this out, just trying to determine the height I should stick to i guess an 1” or so from the bottom should still be above most of the trub

 

[allanmorgan]

Okay for the guys fermenting with bottling spigots on are you using a pre drilled bucket or did you add the hole? I have some undrilled buckets that i am I interested in trying this out, just trying to determine the height I should stick to i guess an 1” or so from the bottom should still be above most of the trub

I added the hole for the spigot. Big Mouth Bubbler. I put it about a 1/2 inch below the 1 gallon level. I tilt it to get the low level beer, minus trub and hop debris. So far, no issues.

Edit for typo
Edit 2: This also allows me a super simple way to recover yeast for future beers.

 

[AkTom]

https://www.allinonewinepump.com/ A little pricey compared to a siphon hose... I love it. I built a sliding shelf for my fermentation chamber. No more lifting carboys for me. I also use it to bottle.

 

[triethylborane]

There have been a few post lately about using sugar cubes when bottling beer. I don't bottle anymore, but if I was going to, I'd try the sugar cube trick and use a fermenter with a spigot and just bottle directly from primary. Less stuff to clean, less oxidation, I think its worth trying.

Aware me on the sugar cube trick my dude

1 sugar cube per 12 oz? Or?

 

[Rhaop]

Aware me on the sugar cube trick my dude



1 sugar cube per 12 oz? Or?

I recently recapped some porters i bottled and under primed by a long shot, dropped 1 cube per 12oz waited 3 weeks and had decently carbed beer, great for bottling parts of a batch when you want to age the rest as well

 

[triethylborane]

I recently recapped some porters i bottled and under primed by a long shot, dropped 1 cube per 12oz waited 3 weeks and had decently carbed beer, great for bottling parts of a batch when you want to age the rest as well

Huh, easy enough. Ive never had an issue with priming sugar and disproportionate carbonation, but I suppose if something goes awry that could be useful.

 

[Rhaop]

I literally had 2 batches out of dozens not bottle condition correctly both were a fault of my own, i was trying to carb on the lighter end for a stout and porter and ended up with too little volumes of co2

 

[Murphys_Law]

Sorry to thread jack...

Re sugar cubes, I seem to recall you use one Domino Dot per bottle - does this seem correct?

Do you just put the cube in the bottle and rack on top and cap?

 

[McKnuckle]

Yes, one Dot per 12 oz bottle. You can rack on top of the Dots, but that might be awkward with a bottle filler valve trying to find a solid surface. I prefer to fill all the bottles, placing caps on top loosely as I go, then at the end I drop a Dot into each bottle and secure the cap.

 

[beerkench]

I use a Speidel fermenter with a tap. Not siphoned since years.

 

[Zimm9]

Same here - but I'm thinking of getting the tap a draft system or something like that and maybe a second hand fridge - should be able to get full system for about 150 - or just put in the regular fridge either one at a time https://www.homebrewwest.ie/ibrew-tap-a-draft-4-by-10-pint-minikeg-system-40-pints-1446-p.asp

If you find a Tap-A-Draft please let me know. I've found them listed here and there but, like the link you provided, they're out of stock. They stopped making them several years ago.

I'd love to talk alternative options. Maybe in another thread?

 

[byronyasgur]

If you find a Tap-A-Draft please let me know. I've found them listed here and there but, like the link you provided, they're out of stock. They stopped making them several years ago.

I'd love to talk alternative options. Maybe in another thread?

yea funny I actually just discovered that the other day after posting - but in my search I did find this in case it's of any use to you but I'm not sure it's working properly
http://www.homebrewing.com/equipment/MB_tapadraft-homebrew-setup-KEG920/

 

[Zimm9]

Unfortunately not, but thanks. It looks like MoreBeer owns that domain now and clicking "buy" redirects you to a page not found.