Syphons.

[JohnRB]

I'm making a tentaive return to brewing after a long absence.

One task I remember not enjoying too much was transfering a brew from one bucket to another. Has technology moved on are people still using a plastic 'auto-syphon' or a length of silicone hose. Advice will be much appreciated.

Thank you,

John

[guypettigrew]

First things first! Why would you want to move your brew from one bucket to another?

Guy

[Jim]

First things first! Why would you want to move your brew from one bucket to another?

Guy

Well, my guess is he'll need to get it out of the fermenter at some point, presumably into a keg or bottling bucket. At some point you always have to transfer it don't you.

My solution for this was to put a tap on my buckets to avoid having to much about with syphons.

[guypettigrew]

Yup, a tap would do it. But, if JohnRB uses a keg rather than bottles, syphoning straight into the keg would work.

Until we hear back, the tension will just build!

Guy

[Trefoyl]

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[Jim]

IMG_0587.png

[nallum]

Being able to transfer beer from vessel to vessel is a pretty basic skill all home brewers should be able to perform. Regardless how many times. It seems to be a bit of a 'bogeyman' mainly for those who can't be bothered to with corners. I still use a syphon very occasionally, when it's necessary, but, like Jim, I prefer taps and freely available gravity. If worried about the risk of oxidation, e.g., because of the style of beer or time it's going to be stored, again, being able to transfer beer from vessel to vessel is a pretty basic skill all home brewers should be able to perform.

[JohnRB]

Thanks everyone for your replies. They've prompted me think about not only syphoning but the whole brewing process which after a long break has to be a good thing.

Jim was right. I like to transfer from fermenter to bottling bucket and, in the past, have had problems with auto-syphons.I'll try the tap suggestion (don't know why I haven't tried that before) and probably use a length of silicon hose to minimise aeration. Now the next question! What's the best way to clean the inside of the hose?

Thanks again. I'm looking forward to that first brew!

John

[vacant]

What's the best way to clean the inside of the hose?

I drop a piece of string through the hose, tie a bit of rag to the end and pull it back through.

[JohnRB]

What's the best way to clean the inside of the hose?

I drop a piece of string through the hose, tie a bit of rag to the end and pull it back through.

That's rocket science as I like it. Simple and functional. Thank you.

[Trefoyl]

When siphoning out of a sealed vessel like a carboy I use CO2 to push it out using a bung with two holes, one for the racking cane and one for the gas.
Out of a bucket I would start the siphon by partially filling the hose with water and as that drains the flow will start. The small amount of water isn’t enough to dilute anything.
I didn’t get on with the auto siphon. It works like a pump and pushed an alarming amount of air into the beer that disturbed sediment and possibly oxidized the beer.

[Cobnut]

This talk of siphons reminds me of an occasion when I made a strong Belgian ale and siphoned using a length of tubing. I did the old fashioned “Suck the end of the hose” and the beer rushed through the hose into my mouth which - without even thinking what I was doing _ I spat into the bottling bucket. The resulting beer was great, but I never told anyone what I’d done