Auto Siphon vs. Sterile Siphon

[Rob2010SS]

So what is the difference between a typical auto siphon and this sterile siphon, other than the obvious functionality differences?
https://www.morebeer.com/products/s...lon-carboy-smooth-necks.html?a_aid=brulosophy

 

[brew703]

I trashed the auto siphon a year ago. Never could get it to work properly. I went with the sterile siphon and never looked back.
For me, it's much easier and less hassle.

 

[Rob2010SS]

What problems did you have with the auto siphon? I've used it a number of times with ease. 1 or 2 pumps of the handle and you're off to the races...

 

[bleme]

I don't use carboys often, so the sterile siphon wouldn't work for me. I've used an auto siphon for years but when it stops working, I will be replacing it with this T-siphon: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=25774

 

[mabrungard]

Huge difference if you use CO2 to push the beer out of the vessel. All contact between beer and air is damaging the beer and shortening its life span. After almost two decades of brewing, I finally saw the light and recognized that my beers were oxidizing too quickly and transferring my beer from the fermenter into the keg using CO2 was the difference.

With that said, the sterile siphon is a nearly useless contraption if you don't use CO2 to push. The only advantage is that you're keeping more airborne organisms out of your beer.

Use the idea presented in the MoreBeer photo and add a female gas in fitting and you'll be far better off. It's not that difficult and your beer will benefit.

 

[MaxStout]

I went through two autosiphons. Each one developed poor sealing between the plunger and tube, drawing air bubbles into the stream. Should call it the "autoaerator." Got tired of my beer oxidizing, so I bought a sterile siphon and still use it today for racking. I use CO2 (a few PSI is all that's needed) to force the beer. I keep the CO2 running throughout the whole racking process, so little air is introduced.

No more cardboard-tasting beer.

 

[brew703]

What problems did you have with the auto siphon? I've used it a number of times with ease. 1 or 2 pumps of the handle and you're off to the races...

I never could get it to seal properly to transfer- just got tired of messing with it.

 

[brew703]

Huge difference if you use CO2 to push the beer out of the vessel. All contact between beer and air is damaging the beer and shortening its life span. After almost two decades of brewing, I finally saw the light and recognized that my beers were oxidizing too quickly and transferring my beer from the fermenter into the keg using CO2 was the difference.

With that said, the sterile siphon is a nearly useless contraption if you don't use CO2 to push. The only advantage is that you're keeping more airborne organisms out of your beer.

Use the idea presented in the MoreBeer photo and add a female gas in fitting and you'll be far better off. It's not that difficult and your beer will benefit.

Your right and getting a keg setup is in my future. I'm contemplating getting just CO2 for transfers but haven't done it yet.
I've been using the sterile siphon for over a year now and never had an issue with oxidation or anything. Actually the only time I do have oxidation issues is when trying to brew NEIPA's so I stopped brewing them until I get my keg set up.

 

[GHBWNY]

Been using an auto siphon racking cane for nearly 4 years. Never had a problem with contamination/aeration/oxidation. With the clear tubing, I can see if and when trub might be getting sucked up and stop it before it enters the bottling bucket. And since I use buckets/BMBs and not glass carboys anymore (since a near-disaster), the auto siphon for me offers a lot of maneuverability and control.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Been using an auto siphon racking cane for nearly 4 years. Never had a problem with contamination/aeration/oxidation. With the clear tubing, I can see if and when trub might be getting sucked up and stop it before it enters the bottling bucket. And since I use buckets/BMBs and not glass carboys anymore (since a near-disaster), the auto siphon for me offers a lot of maneuverability and control.

That's kind of where Im at with it. I like being able to see what's going into the racking cane. I just transferred a pale ale into the keg last night and by being able to see through the cane, i kept all sediment out while trying to get as much beer as possible.

Speaking of oxidation, when you fill a keg through the open top, close it, connect the co2, and purge it a couple times, doesn't that force the oxygen out and prevent oxidation anyway?

 

[MaxStout]

Speaking of oxidation, when you fill a keg through the open top, close it, connect the co2, and purge it a couple times, doesn't that force the oxygen out and prevent oxidation anyway?

The problem remains with the air leakage during racking when leaky seals in an autosiphon cause air bubbles to collect in the beer stream. By the time the beer gets to the keg (or bottling bucket), some of that air is in solution. Using CO2 to purge O2 from the space above the beer in the keg prevents further oxidation, but does not address the issue of the O2 that has just been put into solution by the siphon.

 

[GHBWNY]

The problem remains with the air leakage during racking when leaky seals in an autosiphon cause air bubbles to collect in the beer stream.

Must be I have a good quality siphon because in nearly 4 years of brewing with it, I've never had an issue of "leaky seals". When siphon is initiated, there are only two places that can take in air: the plunger grommet at the bottom of the plunger tube and around the tubing attached to top of it. If either were to leak, it would be obvious and an easy fix. I would bet for most brewers who continue to use the plunger-style auto siphon, this is not a "problem".

 

[mabrungard]

Speaking of oxidation, when you fill a keg through the open top, close it, connect the co2, and purge it a couple times, doesn't that force the oxygen out and prevent oxidation anyway?

Not even slightly! I found that out the hard way. When I starting filling my kegs with sanitizer and pushing that out with CO2 and then using CO2 pressure to push the transfer into my keg through the OUT line, my beer longevity improved markedly.

 

[Sadu]

If you have a pressure fermentor you can also purge the empty sanitised keg using CO2 from an actively fermenting batch. Connect fermentor gas to keg liquid, then a spunding valve on the keg gas. There is a thread on here somewhere that details how this gives the best purge quality, and its certainly easier/cheaper than filling with starsan and pushing it out again.

 

[Tommydee]

Not even slightly! I found that out the hard way. When I starting filling my kegs with sanitizer and pushing that out with CO2 and then using CO2 pressure to push the transfer into my keg through the OUT line, my beer longevity improved markedly.

I use a sterile siphon, and make a point to immediately purge the keg to minimize time of contact. Recently, I couldnt minimize due to 2 clogs, so I'm considering doing this too.


One reason I haven't is process safety. Any connection of pressurized vessel (bottled gas) to a glass one has always been forbidden in the industrial setting. I'm not saying absolutely don't do it, but like a chainsaw, know the risk and be careful. I really think that as these Co2 siphon assemblies are getting more common with all the LODO buzz that suppliers may consider putting a simple PRV in the assembly. Just pay attention.

Martin, this reminds me I need to PayPal you today, I think I used your spreadsheet for the 10th time last week!

 

[mabrungard]

I stopped using glass fermenters over 15 years ago and moved to stainless. The main reason was to avoid dropping a glass vessel, but your comment on not pressurizing a glass vessel is valid. In my opinion, if you are using a pressure-regulated CO2 supply and only apply a few psi, it should be reasonably safe.

 

[RM-MN]

I went through two autosiphons. Each one developed poor sealing between the plunger and tube, drawing air bubbles into the stream. Should call it the "autoaerator." Got tired of my beer oxidizing, so I bought a sterile siphon and still use it today for racking. I use CO2 (a few PSI is all that's needed) to force the beer. I keep the CO2 running throughout the whole racking process, so little air is introduced.

No more cardboard-tasting beer.

My autosiphon sucked air between the plunger and the tube so I put a few drops of water on top of the plunger and the problem went away.

 

[MaxStout]

My autosiphon sucked air between the plunger and the tube so I put a few drops of water on top of the plunger and the problem went away.

I had tried that, too, but the water just blew out through the gaps and the air resumed passing through. The two autosiphons I had must have been cursed. Actually, I suspect that those devices are sourced from various Chinese mfrs., with various standards of QC. That other posters here have had good results suggests that they perhaps got better models. YMMV

I haven't had a problem with the sterile siphon, and since I use it with a rubber carboy cap I can move the racking cane around to avoid trub just as well as the autosiphon.

 

[Tommydee]

I stopped using glass fermenters over 15 years ago and moved to stainless. The main reason was to avoid dropping a glass vessel, but your comment on not pressurizing a glass vessel is valid. In my opinion, if you are using a pressure-regulated CO2 supply and only apply a few psi, it should be reasonably safe.

I absolutely agree. I just want everyone to remember to keep that reg to a few psi only, no matter what, especially if you clog the siphon. Many things would have to go wrong to blow up a carboy,

I am also considering going to stainless or just fermenting in a corny keg.

 

[The_Bishop]

If you have a pressure fermentor you can also purge the empty sanitised keg using CO2 from an actively fermenting batch. Connect fermentor gas to keg liquid, then a spunding valve on the keg gas. There is a thread on here somewhere that details how this gives the best purge quality, and its certainly easier/cheaper than filling with starsan and pushing it out again.

Don't really need a pressure rated fermenter if you've got enough headspace. Just route the blowoff to a keg via the liquid out connector and run the gas in hose to a container of water. All the CO2 developed while fermenting will purge the hell out of the keg, for free!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I had the same problems with the autosiphon (believe I went through 2 of them before giving up).

I currently push with CO2 but I ferment in a 15.5 gal Sanke keg. I agree that if you're using a glass carboy, I wouldn't recommend a pressurized transfer.

Here's what I do on the few occasions where I actually need to rack something from a carboy (i.e. wine):

• First, I got a 1/2" stainless steel racking cane. I've had issues with breaking plastic racking canes trying to get the tubing off, and stainless is easier to clean and less scratchable than plastic. Plus, the 1/2" diameter compared to 3/8" in a standard plastic cane racks the beer faster.
• Second, I immerse the entire cane and tubing into star-san, and suck star-san in to the tubing so the entire inside is full of sanitizer. I then put the cane and tubing back into the star-san so the area my mouth touched gets sanitized.
• Third, with my hand fully dipped and sanitized and covered in star-san, I plug the end of the tubing and pull the entire assembly out of star-san, putting the racking cane into the carboy.
• Holding the end of the tubing away from the receiving vessel, I start the siphon by removing my thumb and allowing the star-san to start flowing into either a dump bucket or onto the ground (if outside). This starts pulling beer through the tubing.
• As soon as I see that beer is coming out of the tubing rather than star-san, I put the tubing into the receiving vessel and let the siphon continue normally.

This has always worked well for me.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I've got one, but I haven't even used it yet because I ferment in a bucket so often. Obviously the ability to push beer out of a carboy with co2 is great for people with co2. I just bottle, so all it'll get me is a relatively easy to start siphon and somewhat less chance of infection. Being able to easily adjust the height of the racking cane by moving it in and out of the carboy cap is a plus as well.

 

[GHBWNY]

My autosiphon sucked air between the plunger and the tube so I put a few drops of water on top of the plunger and the problem went away.

Are you saying your siphon was dry when you racked your beer? I always sanitize the siphon and tubing by dunking the whole thing in StarSan then siphon a few pumps through it. Just before racking, shake it off and leave it wet. Never a seal problem.

 

[RM-MN]

Are you saying your siphon was dry when you racked your beer? I always sanitize the siphon and tubing by dunking the whole thing in StarSan then siphon a few pumps through it. Just before racking, shake it off and leave it wet. Never a seal problem.

Sometimes there just isn't enough sanitizer to make the seal. A little water takes care of that.

 

[GHBWNY]

Sometimes there just isn't enough sanitizer to make the seal. A little water takes care of that.

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