Siphoning without racking cane or autosiphon

[kojinakata]

Hi everyone,
I have a pale ale batch in primary fermentation. The problem is I am using a glass carboy (15 liters) for this and I do not own racking cane or autosiphon equipment. I have only flexible tubing available for me. It is written everywhere that starting a siphon with your mouth is not sanitary, and that was all what I could come up with. So is it possible to siphon beer from primary to secondary with just flexible tubing? If yes, how?
My other question is there any diy racking cane or diy autosiphon equipment information out there? I could not find anything.

Any help is welcome. Thanks.

 

[Indyoshi]

Fill the tube with sanitary water and put your finger over the end... put one end in the carboy and the other hold below the bottom of the carboy and let your finger off (over a bucket or some other container) until the water is out of the tube and just beer is in it... Then pinch off or put your finger over the end again and move it to the secondary.

 

[kojinakata]

Thank you very much. I am using iodophor as my sanitizer. Will that cause a problem?

 

[twistr25]

Nope, that should be fine. You don't have to rinse either if it's at the right dilution ratio. Too concentrated can be bad. I've seen 1T to 5 gallons as a good ratio.

 

[bleme]

I didn't have an auto-siphon for my first batch (although I did have a racking cane) and tried using the method above. It would go for a while and then stop. It took about 5 tries to move a gallon. I ended up gargling with Iodopher for 5 minutes and using my mouth. I wouldn't recommend it, but it worked for me.

I would suggest trying the method above with regular water first. Don't try it on your beer until you have the method down.

 

[fowlintent]

Or, just use your sanitized tubing, start the siphon using your mouth, but not over the bottling bucket. Once the siphon starts, cut 1 inch off the end of the tubing with a sanitized razor blade, then siphon into bottling bucket. Ore better yet, invest $12 in an auto-siphon.

 

[Randy_Bugger]

You can insert a cheap plastic two way "T" valve. Suck on the tube that isn't inside either bucket to get the siphon started. When the beer approaches the valve, switch the valve to empty the beer into the bucket.

 

[flars]

Add a piece of stiff, sanitized, wire to the part of the tubing that will be in the carboy. Easy way to hold it out of the sediment. My method for my very first brew.

 

[pjj2ba]

Use this. $3

flyguy's T-siphon

 

[elatowski]

I'd buy an auto-siphon online if you don't have a LHBS. They're $8. Why risk spilling or worse, infecting gallons of beer you've waited patiently to ferment?

 

[merline]

Maybe not the best technique but I use a turkey baster. Just the tube part and not the bulb. Sanitize it then attach is to the bottom of the tube. Since the end of the baster narrows, it fits well into the tubing. When I want to rack, I place the other end of the tubing into the primary then suck on the baster to get it started. Once the wort start coming down the tube, I remove the baster and drop the tube into the next vessel. Gravity is your friend here.

Remember to sanitize all the parts. Originally I thought to use the bulb part to start the siphone but it wasn't enough suction.

 

[motobrewer]

I ended up gargling with Iodopher for 5 minutes and using my mouth. I wouldn't recommend it, but it worked for me.

wow.

 

[MrG]

I used a plastic syringe (flavour injector) from the dollar store. Made sure it was all sanitized, put the nozzle end (without the needle) in the hose, pull the plunger out of the barrel, and it creates plenty of suction to get things going.

 

[ThirstyMoose]

I use a turkey baster. Plenty of suction. Easy as pie.

 

[Suicid]

A plastic bottle can also be used as a siphon starter

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-syphon-without-getting-anything-in-y/?ALLSTEPS

 

[MattyIce]

This technique works even without a racking cane. You may want to tape the inlet end to the upper vessel to keep it in place when not using a racking cane. A good height difference between the vessels will improve flow.

How To Use a Racking Cane for Making Wine:

http://youtu.be/vnXnmbFInis