Starting siphon w/mouth for tasting sample - ok?

[brewinginct]

I know that starting a siphon with your mouth is generally a risky practice.

But what if you're only siphoning off into a sampling glass and it doesn't matter if your sample is sanitary? I can't imagine that any bacteria from your mouth would travel up the siphon into the beer but who knows.

 

[Ingvaroo]

Well, your germs go on the outside of the tube i would think, and germs can spread out fast. Soon as you put it in a bottle, the beer touches the outside of the tube, covered in your germs.


Auto syphon is cheap, i recommend getting one its awesome.

 

[Frankiesurf]

Just go get a turkey baster or a wine thief.

If you are just taking a sample, I don't think it is that big of a deal, just don't let any liquid flow back into your fermenter.

 

[Andy101]

I know that starting a siphon with your mouth is generally a risky practice.

But what if you're only siphoning off into a sampling glass and it doesn't matter if your sample is sanitary? I can't imagine that any bacteria from your mouth would travel up the siphon into the beer but who knows.

I fitted a tap to all my fermenting bins Easy to take sample

 

[brewinginct]

Thanks for the quick replies. I usually stick with a wine thief for sampling but didnt have it on hand so i ended up starting the siphon with my mouth. I had a tube on a racking cane and had the sample cup on the ground so I'm almost positive that I avoided any flow back.

Even though i probably won't end up with an infected beer I am going to hold off until I have a sanitary means of sampling in the future so that i can avoid the infected beer worries