help - i cannot syphon for some reason!

[schismatic]

this is probably the stupidest question ever - how do you actually syphon! i've got a simple racking cane with tube attached to it and I realise that you have to have your fermenter higher than the thing you're transferring to (a keg for me). but nothing is coming through the tube! how do i get it started? help much appreciated!

 

[chillHayze]

There are no stupid questions.

Submerge the racking cane into the source bucket, making sure to keep it off of the yeast cake on the bottom. I use tape for this.
Fill the tube with water, attach it to the racking cane in the source bucket, making sure to keep the opposite end (the end not attaching the the racking cane aka the output) above the level of the input.
Once the water filled hose is attached to the racking cane, put the output end into the destination (bottling bucket). Siphon will start, viola!

 

[djamwolfe]

Ive always found it hard to start a siphon using a racking cane, but ill try to explain how I do it --

Put the source bucket or carboy on a counter and the destination on a chair. Place the racking cane in the bucket or carboy using the clip that comes with it making sure to keep it off the bottom, take your tubing and put it in a bucket of sanitizer and make sure the whole tube fills with it. while holding the tube under the solution crimp off both ends of the tube so the stuff cant get out - attach one end of the tube to the racking cane and uncrimp the ends allowing it to flow into a SEPERATE bowl untill your beer comes out - then let it flow into your destination vessel.

Or you can always purchace an auto-siphon (like I need to) and be done with it in 2 seconds .


***EDIT*** chillHayze beat me to it - typing that and chasing around the kids took me 20 min!!!

 

[schismatic]

thanks for your advice guys, i actually managed to work it out before i realised i'd get replies to the post. forgot to put water in the tube to get suction through it.

 

[SteveM]

For the future, you might consider springing for an auto-siphon. They really make this part of the process easy.

 

[boo boo]

My vote is for the autosiphon also. Make sure your output tube is kept at the bottom of your receiving vessel so as to keep your wort from being oxidized.

 

[DJButtonup]

I've just been using ye olde boy scout method of sucking on it till it runs.

And, no, I haven't had any troubles with contamination. Maybe I've been lucky, but that's how gramps did it for some 50 years of brewing and wine making.

 

[Beer Snob]

In"The Joy of Homebrewing" there is actually an entire chapter on this Fill racking tube and hose with water and plug end of hose with thumb. Drop cane in wort beiing carefull to not drop it all the way to the yeast. Point hose end in a bucket or pot to let the water siphon out and let go of thumb. Siphon will start. Once beer starts flowing drop hoose end in your carboy or bottling bucket.

 

[Mark228]

I used the sucking method too, although I wrapped a small amount of tissue paper around the end so my mouth didn't touch any of the tubing.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I used the sucking method too, although I wrapped a small amount of tissue paper around the end so my mouth didn't touch any of the tubing.

in the future I would try to stay away from doing that as much as possible. last thing you want to do is infect your beer after spending so much time brewing it up.

 

[Ol' Grog]

It's really easy when your siphoning from a full bucket. 1. Put black cap on end or racking cane. 2. Put racking cane into bucket, secure with the clip. 3. Hold up hose above racking cane 4. Part of the hose will make a U shape, fill that up with beer 5. in one quick action, take the open end of the tube and place it into the new container. Liquid trapped inside the tube will draw beer out of the racking cane and into the tube. At this point gravity takes over. This only works when you got a full bucket of beer and they are at different levels meaning the racking beer container sits higher than the new container.

 

[Engelramm]

I never had any luck with the racking cane. I gave up and just used the hose as everyone has described (but without the cane). I did my best to keep the hose out of the yeast and sludge on the bottom and everything has been fine.

Although, I picked up an auto-siphon this weekend and I'll give it a try tomorrow.

 

[butler1850]

Now that I'm back into brewing for a 10+ year Hiatus (moves, apartments, lost equipment...), I got a auto-siphon.

Amazing piece of equipment. So easy. Best "gadget" I've ever bought, and probably one of the cheapest.

 

[Beer Snob]

in the future I would try to stay away from doing that as much as possible. last thing you want to do is infect your beer after spending so much time brewing it up.

Yeah.... that would really SUCK

 

[todd_k]

this is an excellent thread by Walker on siphoning by with a carboy cap

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2910&highlight=siphoning

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

Now that I'm back into brewing for a 10+ year Hiatus (moves, apartments, lost equipment...), I got a auto-siphon.

Amazing piece of equipment. So easy. Best "gadget" I've ever bought, and probably one of the cheapest.

Ditto.

I know it's been said like 12 times already but let me reiterate:

BUY AN AUTOSIPHON!!!!!!

I try to do this on the cheap as much as possible and kept putting off buying one. When I finally did because I melted my racking cane I was p!ssed that it had taken me so long. they rock, plus there is no added danger of contamination.

Siphon stops for some reason? No problem, just give it another pump!

 

[Engelramm]

I guess I'm an idiot because I couldn't get my new auto-siphon to work yesterday. I read the instructions and it all looked pretty simple but when I pumped it I got a decent stream of beer for about 2 seconds then it stopped. After a couple of tries, I just went back to my old method of filling my siphon hose with water and putting it directly into the beer.

Now I'll go search for a how-to so I can stop being an idiot.

 

[fiddup_is_a_middup]

Ditto on the Auto Siphon, I love mine

 

[Rhoobarb]

I guess I'm an idiot because I couldn't get my new auto-siphon to work yesterday. I read the instructions and it all looked pretty simple but when I pumped it I got a decent stream of beer for about 2 seconds then it stopped. After a couple of tries, I just went back to my old method of filling my siphon hose with water and putting it directly into the beer.

Now I'll go search for a how-to so I can stop being an idiot.

Just make sure you didn't forget the small plastic piece that fits on the bottom! Insert the Auto-Siphon, draw the inner racking tube up, then push it down. Once the flow begins, I find it helps to pinch the siphon hose where it connects to the plastic tube for just a second or two. It seems to expel any air bubbles and the beer flows freely.

I'll never use any other method to siphon!:rockin: That said, Walker's carboy cap looks like it would work well, too.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Ive never used a autosiphon. But Ive had my carboy cap since day one and love it. Never had a single problem with it. Its a breeze to clean and sanitize, and it puts the racking cane down at an angle to help pull every last bit of beer out.

 

[Evan!]

Wonder why all the problems with manual siphoning. I've never ever had a problem with it. Put the cane in the tube. Hold the cane and tube so that the ends are at the same elevation. Pour in sanitized water until it tops off. Raise the tube end high while, at the same time, plunging the cane into the wort. Immediately drop the tube below the elevation of the wort/beer, and the siphon should start. I like to catch the initial runoff (the water that you put into the tube) in a bowl, and quickly move it to the receiving container as soon as you see beer running through the tube.

This has always seemed like the easiest thing in the world.

The only reason I might buy an autosiphon is so that I could extract wort/beer from carboys to take hydro readings and/or taste.

 

[Bobby_M]

The manual siphoning has a couple issues going for it. First, you have to be careful not to dump sanitizing water into either beer containers in the process. I'd say probably 50% of us have done it at least once. Pouring sanitizing water into a tube isn't all that easy. Moving from the initial runoff bowl to the beer vessel can make a mess, etc.

I just transfered two different batches using my new auto siphon and THAT my friend is the easiest thing in the world (well at least in the scope of moving beer between two containers).

I've used the carboy cap method and had plenty of problems and I don't like putting my mouth near my beer until I'm drinking it. I've used your method a few times and it does work (even though I did dump some sanitizer into my priming sugar once). Autosiphon is the best $9 I ever spent on brewing equipment.

 

[Wheat King]

siphoning sucks!
ive had plenty of botched attempts in my 4 batches lol
next time i mailorder supplies or go to my LHBS im getting an auto siphon.
auto siphon ftw!

 

[Engelramm]

Just make sure you didn't forget the small plastic piece that fits on the bottom! Insert the Auto-Siphon, draw the inner racking tube up, then push it down. Once the flow begins, I find it helps to pinch the siphon hose where it connects to the plastic tube for just a second or two. It seems to expel any air bubbles and the beer flows freely.

I did have the plastic cover-thing on the bottom, but the idea of pinching the hose where it connects to the plastic "cane" is worth a try. I'll try it this weekend. Thanks!

 

[mmm beer]

I was raised with auto siphoning, with the old suck till you get liquid. It has worked for my parents and granparents, but i have found auto siphon and wont ever go back.