Beer Forum

Two really things have been frustrating the heck out of me... here is one (the other is for another forum). I use an auto siphon to transfer from my primary to secondary or primary to bottling bucket. And often after I start the transfer (after 1 too many pumps) it barely transfers, but it does... transfer just a little beer through the tube. This causes the beer to bubble/fizz/foam... either way you want say it, its bad. Eventually a full stream of beer gets through the tubing and the foaming stops. But I've introduced way more oxygen into the heavenly liquid goodness than I should.

Have others experienced this and is there a fix for this or am I just doing it wrong? And should I look at other means to transfer? The auto siphon is easy so I like it.. but I'm not opposed to trying something new (and Hopefully easier).

It depends on WHERE the gas is coming from. If it's from the beer, it's likely dissolved CO2 coming out of the beer, and isn't an issue. If it's mixing with the air, you may be incorporating O2. You may try swirling the fermentor to drive some of the CO2 out and that may reduce the foaming you are experiencing.

Make sure you don't have trubb in the tub near the clamp. When what you described happen to me it was the cause. If that is the problem you have too just stoP the siphon clear the trubb and you back to normal.

Make sure the hose is snug enough too, that could be pulling in air and slowing down the flow of the wort. If you have to go to Home Depot or Lowes or whatever is local to you, find a hose that fits tightly or is even just too small then warm it up to fit your siphon snug.

Wetting the end of the tube that connects to the racking cane helps to seal it from sucking in air.

Make sure your bottling bucket/secondary is below the level of your primary fermenter when transferring so a good flow can begin. Start your racking cane in the autosiphon about half-way to 2/3 up before pushing down into your outer siphon tube. Give it one good push to start the siphon and work out any air pockets in the hose quickly. You should be able to get the flow going with one solid push.

Thanks all, great advice. I'll give it a couple more shots and maybe replace the siphon (I'm due for another ) along with new tubing.

use 5/16 tubing, not 3/8. I had the exact same thing, and it lasted for 8 months before I figured this out. Screw the hose clamp as tight as much as you want it doesn't help if it's the wrong tubing.