I’ve been just using my bucket spigot and a hose to rack my beers to the keg. It works but I pay for it by needing to blow out more yeast than I care to from the keg. Back when I was under pitching it was less of a problem.
Anyway, what is the Cadillac racking cane? I have one that works, gave about $12 for it. But I’m thinking of getting a good one. Suggestions?
I really like my 1/2" auto siphon, and I know it cost less than $20. If you are getting a lot of yeast in your kegs try cold crashing your beer before transfer. Works really well for me.
I use a ss racking cane. It will last forever. Pair it with a cleaning brush and move on.
That’s the plan for the new additional freezer.
Brand? Vendor?
I have only used a plastic auto siphon for years. It is simple enough to use, but I have always been concerned about how clean it is. I usually just rinse it off and then siphon all the starsan out of my keg to sanitize it. I dont even get any noticeable off flavors or infection type things from it.
Not to hijack the thread but just to add/ask. How do ya’ll clean your auto siphons. Also If you are only using a racking cane and not an auto siphon how do you go about starting it?
The rack I have must be an auto. Its two piece that acts like a pump. Maybe I’ll stick with that till it breaks
I use the autosiphon to “recirculate” the hot PBW solution in my fermenter or kettle when I clean them, and again with hot water when I rinse out the PBW. Then I use it to transfer my star san from the bucket I store it in to my fermenter/bottling bucket/etc. and then back to the storage bucket when It’s time to sanitize.
To start a non-auto siphon:
I ferment in carboys with a carboy cap which has 2 nipples. The racking cane fits it one nipple, blow in the other nipple to create pressure in the head space and out comes the beer.
Another method is the suck(and swallow, of course) method. You can fit a short piece of tubing in the end of the hose to suck on and to keep your filthy lips off the hose. Just remove the mouth piece when it’s started.
You can fill the siphon with water, hold your thumb over the end until everything is in place and let it go.
As far as potential for contamination, the auto siphon has the most parts in contact with the beer and therefore has the greatest potential for contamination and requires the most cleaning. The cane and hose comes in second with only one connection point. But that’s easy to take apart and clean. I find it necessary to use a hose clamp to prevent air from getting sucked in at the connection. A simple hose has the least potential for contamination but it’s hard to position the end where you want it without attaching it to a stick or something.
Any homebrew vendor should carry one. Don’t even know if there is a brand.
That’s my process, too.
I’ve only ever used a plastic racking cane in a carboy cap. I’ve broken a few over the years, but they are cheap. I have two stainless ones I’ve inherited, but never used them.
I start my siphon by pressurizing the carboy. I don’t use glass, only better bottles, so there’s no risk of exploding glass. I don’t use much pressure, anyway. I typically use an aquarium pump with an in-line hepa filter to pressurize but sometimes I’ll go ahead and use CO2 at very low pressure.
I like the clear plastic siphon because I can see the level of the beer.
Never started a siphon by sucking on it. Hated doing it with the tube filled with water.
I guess I’m old fashioned…I just use a plastic racking cane and a piece of tubing. No autosiphon, no carboy cap, no pump. I guess if ti didn’t work I’d change, but I’ve never had a problem using such a simple setup. I can’t imagine why I’d want to do anything more complicated.
So you suck? ;D
Never! ;) I use physics…fill the tube and racking cane w/ water and the siphon starts.
Of course, you’re using buckets aren’t you?
The pump doesn’t actually add anything complicated. I’ve found it makes it less so, as I don’t have to worry about getting the siphon started. Siphoning is truly one of those areas I always hated. Guess I’m bad at physics.
As far as cleaning, I simply sanitize it before and after. And I hook it up to the bottle washer to jet out anything that might be there.
Yeah, but I do exactly the same on the rare occasions I use carboys.
I’m with Denny on this. I had an autosyphon and I could see areas that I could not get really clean. Then it started to craze on me and I just gave it to my kid as a toy. I use a SS racking cane and fill the tubing with sanitizer to start the syphon. I run the sanitizer off into a different container although I suspect that’s not really an issue with star san.
Well it sounds like people are using a whole range of options and everybody likes what they have.
I have both sizes of auto siphons. I just pick the size for the job. 1/2" for the throughput. 3/8" for racking off fruit/hops/etc. where you don’t want too much vacuuming power. Extremely easy to use as claimed. I also find them easy to clean and to visually verify as clean.
Been using them for 3-4 years and they look new. Just need to switch the tubing out once on a while.
I have a spigot/valve on all my fermenters. I attach a tube and mesh bag and open the valve, done. Got rid of all my carboys, my first or second favorite brewing omission, not bottling being the other. Simple and efficient.
I have never been able to satisfactorily clean all the inside bits of those spigots either. on the rare occasions when I need to bottle a beer from a bucket (usually I prime the keg and just push the primed beer with co2 into bottles) I am always at least tempted to buy a brand new one.