Any tips to getting all the beer out of the carboy?

[AllGoNoShow]

Did the bottling today of my first brew. Used the siphon to transfer from the glass carboy to the bottling bucket but there was a ton of sediment in the bottom of the carboy....I tried to tilt the carboy to the side so that I could get the last 3/4 of a gallon out but that just aggravated the sediment and so I just gave up.

Is there any tips out there to make sure you get all (or most) of the beer out without picking up a ton of sediment? I only ended up filling 44 1/2 bottles....trying to make sure I get the full 48!

Also, another question (and probably the reason I have so much sediment in the first place). I tried to strain the wort through a funnel with a 4 inch strainer attached in it when I originally brewed everything...but it clogged in the matter of a 1/2 gallon so I had to remove it and just dump the wort right into the carboy. Is there any better way to do this (maybe a bigger strainer?) so that it does not clog?

 

[mrkristofo]

Brew 5.5gal instead of 5gal next time. There will always be a trub loss with your beer.

I assume it clogged due to hop pellet matter? Did you use a fine mesh hop-bag? If not, try that. Otherwise, you're right, use a larger strainer. Those dinky little ones that sit in the bottom of the mondo funnels are pretty worthless, I've found.

 

[Blender]

You are always gonna lose some beer to avoid trub. Tilt the fermentor a few days before siphoning and then you won't have to do it when the time comes. Brewing 5.5 gallons is a great way to get full 5 gallons in the end.

 

[krispy d]

when it comes to racking day, or bottling day, or kegging day I like to get my carboy into position a few hours before I get started. This lets everything settle down and I tend to get most if not all of my beer out. I keep my carboys in milk crates and built a "tilted base" for racking. It is basically just some ply wood and 2x4s but it will hold my carboy steady at about a 30 degree angle. I put the carboy on it in the morning and start getting ready for everything else, then a few hours later I rack after all is settled.

 

[5 Is Not Enough]

If you use irish moss or fining agents, the sediment is usually "harder" and less susceptible to getting mixed back in.

 

[malkore]

tip the carboy a day in advance so it can settle.

and you will lose beer every time you rack. its unavoidable.