Yeast into bottling bucket?

[jeffjm]

After reading several threads here, I decided to try not racking into a secondary. Today when I bottled, I pulled a huge clump of yeast from the bottom of the carboy into the bucket as soon as I started the auto-siphon.

I've never had this happen before because transferring into a secondary leaves most of the settled-out yeast behind, and the cap at the bottom of the siphon lifts the tip of the cane above the yeast. As I mixed in my priming solution, I thought that I might have suspended all the yeast in the flat beer, but when I started my siphon into the bottles, it was more yeast than anything (I diverted the yeast into the sink until the beer ran clear).

Is this normal or anything to be concerned about? Are there any steps I should take to prevent this in the future?

 

[BierMuncher]

After reading several threads here, I decided to try not racking into a secondary. Today when I bottled, I pulled a huge clump of yeast from the bottom of the carboy into the bucket as soon as I started the auto-siphon.

I've never had this happen before because transferring into a secondary leaves most of the settled-out yeast behind, and the cap at the bottom of the siphon lifts the tip of the cane above the yeast. As I mixed in my priming solution, I thought that I might have suspended all the yeast in the flat beer, but when I started my siphon into the bottles, it was more yeast than anything (I diverted the yeast into the sink until the beer ran clear).

Is this normal or anything to be concerned about? Are there any steps I should take to prevent this in the future?

Nothing to worry about. Next time you just want to suspend the racking cane an inch or so over the yeast cake. I use a clothes pin to secure the cane to the neck of the fermenter. When the level gets low, tile the fermenter on its edge to pool the beer deeper.

Your beers will just have a bit more sediment in the bottom...but nothing to worry about. Be mindful of not pouring out too much yeast into a glass if anyone is sensitive.