28 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

This came up on our local board and I admitted that I simply fill my racking cane & tubing with cold tap water and rack from brewpot to primary, primary to secondary and secondary to keg. Some were not surprised and some were appalled. My racking cane and tubing are usually submerged in Starsan solution before doing this plus my local water is heavily chlorinated so maybe that's why I've skated. But I have been doing this for over 10 years and its just never caused a problem. I did have an autosiphon (2 actually), but they're so crappy, they broke... ahem... I broke them. So how do you do it?

[djinkc]

You probably won't like this . When I set up the brewery, kettle to fermenter to kegs all are gravity fed. Well worth the effort in setting it up that way.

[MtnBrewer]

Most of the time I push the beer from one vessel to another with CO₂. Sometimes I will siphon, especially if it's a mead, which are often fermented in plastic buckets. In those cases, I use an autosiphon (I finally got one that didn't suck).

[No Party JKor]

No racking. I pump to the conical, gravity from conical to corny and CO2 from keg to keg.A few weeks ago, I had to rack from a carboy for the first time in a few years. It DID NOT go well. Hopefully it will be many years before I have to do that again.

[siouxbrewer]

CO2 out of the sanke, gravity out of my plastic fermenters. I use a 1/2" ss racking cane with silicone tubing so I can throw it in the oven to sterilize. Oh yeah, I use starsan to start the siphon, but I think you're okay with how you are doing it

[RommelMagic]

When I need to rack, basically only from primary to keg (or secondary when I use one which is hardly ever anymore) I use my trusty autosiphon. I really don't know why some of you guys have such a hard time with them.

[Humperdink]

Gravity from kettle to fermenters, ferment, then move fermenters to counter where I rack using the autosiphon into co2 purged kegs.

[MtnBrewer]

When I need to rack, basically only from primary to keg (or secondary when I use one which is hardly ever anymore) I use my trusty autosiphon. I really don't know why some of you guys have such a hard time with them.

You must have gotten a good one right out of the gate. I went through 2 or 3 before I found one that worked right.

[DaBearSox]

I use an autosiphon to rack between my primary 6 gallon BBs to the 5 gallon ported ones...Gravity fed through the ported BBs through a tube into the bottling bucket.

[ScottS]

What's wrong with racking? I've always racked with tube and cane. I had an autosiphon, but it sucked. Where are you guys finding decent ones?

[Deerslyr]

Kettle to fermenter is through a pump and plate chiller.Fermenter has a spigot on it, so from fermenter to bottling bucket or keg, gravity and tube. Sometimes, just to keg and then I hook up the bottling wand to the keg and immediately use 2 psi to move to bottles.My buddy siphons the same way you do when he needs to. Nothing wrong with the practice.

[MtnBrewer]

What's wrong with racking? I've always racked with tube and cane. I had an autosiphon, but it sucked. Where are you guys finding decent ones?

Racking is so last week. Most of us are using our new Apple iPort Matter Transporter to move the beer from primary to secondary. I got my autosiphon at a LHBS. The previous ones were ordered online but appeared identical to the good one. Only the good one actually works.

[jayb151]

..Ken, I wouldn't say appalled. I'm just surprised that it works for so many people. I've been using an auto siphon but lately I switched to a racking cane and tubing. I'll normally use iodine to start the siphon.

[shmgeggie]

Racking cane + tubing full of iodophor. It's so easy I've never even considered an autosiphon.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

SS racking cane and the clear tubing. I stick the tube from my turkey baster on the end of the tubing and suck to get the beer into the tube and then I place it into the vessel that the beer is going into.

[HVB]

Pump from brew kettle to Conical or carboy. Push all fermented beer with CO2 no matter if it is from a carboy or conical and use a jumper to go keg to keg. I try and do everything in a closed loop.

[HVB]

SS racking cane and the clear tubing. I stick the tube from my turkey baster on the end of the tubing and suck to get the beer into the tube and then I place it into the vessel that the beer is going into.

I have tried this method in the past and I never get it to work. I feel dumb! Tried from a carboy a few times and last time was from a 7g barrel. It would get close to the top and just fall back. Damn, my turkey baster does not have enough suck!

[Big Nake]

Oh yeah, some of you guys don't even have to rack... I get it. Btw, I thought the autosiphon was a great product as far as its process goes. I was always able to get the siphon working and I was very happy with it. But it's very cheap and easily broken and I gave up after 2. My current cane is SS so I can't break that. But I wondered how many people actually filled their canes & tubing with tap water and got away with it. Cheers.

[ncbeerbrewer]

When I need to rack, basically only from primary to keg (or secondary when I use one which is hardly ever anymore) I use my trusty autosiphon. I really don't know why some of you guys have such a hard time with them.

+1. I have used the Autosiphon for so many years I forgot. Only bought on at the LHBS and it works like a charm. I use it for all transfers no gravity or pumps here.

[Spoon]

I had two auto-headaches. Never again.I push Co2 via racking canes and a carboy cap, or tank to tank w/jumpers.