I’ve never had problems starting a siphon either, but you can just sanitize the autosiphon, pump all the sanitizer out and with a single pump start the siphon without having to worry about putting you hands on the ends that will touch your beer or worry about what to do with the sanitizer or water in the line that you are using to start your siphon.
Yeah, they break after a few months if you are not really careful. And if you don’t want to use one, ok. But why so many people have problems using them … that’s what I just don’t get when it has been a really nice and functional too for me.
I ferment in sankes now and use co2 pressure to rack my beer so I don’t even use them any more. But if I was in carboys or buckets I’d go back to the autosiphon because it is so darn convenient.
I use better bottles so my autosiphon sits on the punt on the bottom. It’s nice because all the trub has fallen around it and I only draw beer. Towards the end I will tilt the BB to get the last of the beer out. I also have the clip that hold the autoosiphon in place so I don’t have to hold it and not worry about it slipping off. Mine is also 1/2".
My method is to get my hands nice and clean and slosh them around in starsan a bit. Then, I make fist and insert the tube into the pinky side of my fist, then I put my mouth against the other side of my fist. I give it one good inhale and she’s flowing. My mouth never touches the tubing.
I leave the hose filled with Starsan just like you had sucked fluid into it. Keep one end down plugged with a finger and snake the other end into your beer. The siphon starts easy, but you need an extra vessel to drain out the sanitizer until you get beer. Years ago when I transferred and bottled, I would do it over an open dishwasher. I never cared if I made a mess, I just closed the door and walked away.
