Second fermenter and syphon/little bottler queries.

[barry44]

Hi guys.

I've been brewing now for almost 2 years using my trusty coopers fv to ferment, dry hop and bottle from.

I'm now toying with the idea of buying a second fermenter and syphon to allow me to get the beer off the yeast and dry hopping in a second fermenter.

I am also looking to start batch priming as well so my questions are as follows.

I assume that I can still use the coopers fv to carry out the initial fermentation in, syphoning into a second fermenter with the dry hops in it?

Once the dry hopping is over am I then OK to transfer the beer back to the coopers fv and use it to batch prime and then bottles from?

I assume that I will need to be careful not to introduce oxygen through splashing during these transfers.

I am considering the purchase of an auto syphon and little bottler to use both in the transfer and to bottle with, can anyone give me the pros and cons of such a system? It looks really easy and it appears that the little bottler doesn't drip like my Coopers bottling wand.

Any assistance would be gratefully received.

Cheers,

Barry

[Cpt.Frederickson]

That sounds like a sound plan. The autosyphon is an absolute must for me. I haven't used the Cooper's fv (I bottle from my original youngs one) but I don't see why it would have any issues providing the tap is situated low enough so you don't lose too much beer.
As to the little bottler; great piece of kit too, I use mine with a piece of pvc hose attached so i can fill a whole crate without having to move much!

[barry44]

I was planning to disregard the tap to be fair as, like you, I want to put the little bottler onto the end of the syphon and bottle by the crate!!

[Cpt.Frederickson]

Not sure connecting it directly to the syphon would work or be manageable to be honest. What I do is connecting a length of syphon hose to the tap using the fittings for the little bottler and connecting the bottling wand on the end. Quite a few of us on here do similar with good results. Should've made that clearer but typing is tough with a two year old climbing on you!

[daddies-beer-factory]

I have removed the ball - valve & spring from the end of the little bottler, flow is controlled by the tap on the bottling - bucket.

Still have a length of plastic pipe between tap & little bottler.

It fills a bottle much quicker (about 10 seconds) - you just need to switch the wand between bottles a bit swiftly !