Siphon hoses - food grade?

[guntadri]

Does siphon tubing need to be food-grade for transferring cooled wort or fermented beer? I'm having a royal pain finding food-grade where I live, but regular tubing is plentiful. LHBS (if you can call it that) only sells it packaged with a cane, which I don't need and I don't feel like paying $10 for the bundle.

 

[masterfool101]

First off, I find it really odd that your LHBS doesn't sell tubing by the foot. Almost every LHBS I've ever been to sells it this way.

That being said, I would always use Food Grade siphon tubing. Even if the wort is cooled, you don't want any potential leaching or odd flavoring going on, and food grade siphon tubing won't do either.

If your LHBS won't sell it by the foot, try a hardware store. They often have similar products. You're looking for silicon, reinforced vinyl, or similar. If you can't find it at all, you can always order it online from Midwest Supplies, MoreBeer, or a number of other online brewers supply shops.

 

[501irishred]

If you have a Home Depot or Lowes in your area, then you can get tubing. Vinyl tubing works just fine, just don't go with a rubber compound. It wont be as nice as silicone tubing, but every bit as good as the tubing that comes packaged with most canes.

 

[guntadri]

I checked the local hardware stores for food-grade vinyl, but I didn't think to ask a bout alternatives. I'll check into that. Thanks.

My LHBS is severely lacking. It's really more of a specialty wine and craft beer store that dedicated a small corner to brewing supplies, so I can see how they don't have the shelf space for a lot of brewing equipment. It's a shame. Next closest HBS is an hour away.

 

[501irishred]

I checked the local hardware stores for food-grade vinyl, but I didn't think to ask a bout alternatives. I'll check into that. Thanks.

My LHBS is severely lacking. It's really more of a specialty wine and craft beer store that dedicated a small corner to brewing supplies, so I can see how they don't have the shelf space for a lot of brewing equipment. It's a shame. Next closest HBS is an hour away.

Just ask for vinyl tubing. -- You could ask them if they carry 16d zinc sinkers and they would probably look at you like you just laid an egg . Ask them for a 16 penny zinc coated nail with a finish head, and they would take you straight to it....... I always look at going to a BBS as real time practice at playing charades!