Racking Advice

[TimmyR]

Getting ready to rack Scotch Ale into the secondary from my 6.5 gal carboy. In the past I have primed my stainless racking cane and gotten the siphon started that way. However I was listening to TBN archive this week and they recommended using a carboy cap and just blowing in to prime and start.

Only downside is I do not have a filter (nor CO2 tank). Thoughts on risk of contamination one way or the other? I kind of see pushing the beer thru to be a likely safer method than multiple prime attempts with water. Plus last ½” of beer (that is exposed to contaminants) will never go thru to secondary anyway.

Thanks!

[Thirsty Mallard]

I start a siphon by blowing into a carboy cap. I have yet to have contamination issues. I know it's possible, but I haven't had problems. I suppose if you are sick it may be an issue.

If you are really concerned about it, keep some mouthwash close and gargle before you blow into the cap to start the siphon. That should do it.

[Lufah]

I've done it that way a few times and no problems.

Travis

[seanhagerty]

I've done it that way a few times and no problems.

Travis

What he means is he has "Racked" his boyfriend. I bet he didnt gargle until afterwards either...

[TimmyR]

Nice and thanks. Scotch Ale has been fermenting like crazy since Sunday. Want to take it off the trub and krauesen tonight and let it continue for another week or so. Thanks. Think I'll gargle with scotch. Seems like it will keep the process pure.

[Lufah]

I bet he didnt gargle until afterwards either...

You didn't mind....

[TimmyR]

All righty. Gravity at 1.063 after 7-days and tastes good but has a long way to go (OG 1.110).

Sipping a Weyerbacher Quad in celebration of success to this point. VERY pleased that 1 lb of smoked malt already comes thru nicely in taste.

Thanks and in the end I gargled with Bushmills 10.

[Kaiser]

I used to put a little bit of paper towel or cotton ball into the hose that I used to blow into the carboy cap in order to catch some of the contaminants. I'm not sure that if that was necessary or did anything. But I didn't get infections on the beer with this method. But I always had a hard time getting the cap on the carboy, so I switched to sucking on the hose with a sanitzied turkey baster tip.

Kai