racking question

[polamalu43]

I have struggled using a racking cane with my racking tube. Thus, when racking my beer and bottling it, I put my clean thumb over one end of the tube, and submerge it into the wort with my hand. Does anyone think that this would be a source of infection in my beer?

 

[TheOceaneer]

You should probably sanitize, not just clean, your thumb. Actually, your whole hand -- the end of the tube that you are holding is going to be immersed in beer eventually (if you are racking to a secondary). If you do that, I wouldn't expect it to be an issue.

What sort of issues are you having with the racking cane? Are you using an auto-siphon? I know that I wrestled with mine the first couple of times, until I:
1.) Got a longer piece of hose, and
2.) Put the source significantly higher than the destination; I generally sit my primary on a chair and put my secondary/bottling bucket on the ground.

 

[cglkaptc]

If you don't have an auto siphon get one. Good investment and not expensive.