Cyberpaddy's guide to syphoning

[CyberPaddy66]

Well here it is at last, my guide to syphoning as requested a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

No wait it was someone on here who needed advice

Anyway without any further ballix from me here it is...

When your brew is ready to keg (bottling guide differs slightly but not by much) and your hydrometer is stable at the suggested mark for two consecutive days.



Steralise and rince out your bucket and syphoning tube then get yourself set up and ready with the bucket above the barrel (I used a dishwasher for the job).

Weigh out 80-100g's of household sugar, anything more expensive is a personal choice but not worth it in the long run.



Pour the sugar into the barrel.



Place the widgety end of your syphoning hose into your beer.



Make sure if you have a tap fitted to your syphon tube (highly reccomended) that it is set to open.



Hold the tube end of your syphon hose like this to make sure your lips (which are not very sterile) do not touch the tube.



Make a fist round the tube and place your lips to the opening, then with a sharp inhale suck on your hand to start the syphon.



Before you end up with a lung full of beer stop the syphon by placing your thumb over the end of the syphon tube.



If your timing is good you should end up with dry lungs and a tube full of beer.



At this point you should close the tap on your syphon tube so that you can remove your thumb from the end without making a mess.



Place the syphon tube into your barrel making sure it touches the bottom of the barrel to avoid any unnecessary splashing of your beer.



Then turn the tap to open and the syphon should start up again.



At this point I cover the hole in the top of the barrel to keep the flies out.



Check that your syphon is still in the beer.



And use the lid to hold the tube in place.



And do not forget to check your tap, you may laugh but it's happened to all of us at one point or another and lost beer is no laughing matter



When your beer is nearing the bottom of the bucket tilt it with whatever comes to hand, I used the bit from the weighing scales that had the sugar in.



Make sure your syphon is in the deepest part of the bucket to get the most beer out.



Going.



Going..



Going...



Gone.



At this point I like to do what I consider an insurance policy...



Put some of the yeast in the barrel to ensure a good secondary fermentation.



Then place your beer barrel in a warm place (same temperature as your brewing was done) for 1 week before moving it to the cold storage to allow the beer to absorb the built up CO2 pressure.



I hope you enjoyed my little guide and in you have any questions don't hesitate to ask
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[crumley]

my first beer brew will be ready tomorrow for bottling what tips could you give me for that eg. sugar content and secondary fermentation???

[CyberPaddy66]

If you got time get yourself a bucket and fit a little bottler to it, then you can follow my guide but use a second bucket instead of the barrel and then proceed to bottle from the 2nd bucket.

I'm sure someone on here did a guide with pictures of how to use a little bottler but I can't seem to find it :S
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[crumley]

I would need to buy another bucket and a little bottler, how much longer could I leave my brew in this FB beofre I need to bottle it?

[CyberPaddy66]

Up to 2 weeks maximum from start to finish is a good guide to stick to, it's not strictly a hard and fast rule by no means as I usually leave the primary for 10 days anyway.
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[jimjiber]

Cheers for this CyberPaddy - really helpful. A bad transfer is how I ruined my last batch of Great Eastern. I will follow this guide rigidly next time.

[CyberPaddy66]

It takes practice to get your own method working for you
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[Jacko]

Hi...

New to this, although I made some Great Eastern Ale about a month ago which seemed to turn out ok - I'm enjoying it anyway! My son then asked me to make some for him, which I did, but...

...when I syphoned it off, I forgot to add the sugar! That was about two weeks ago. It appears to taste ok, but should I add the sugar now or leave it?

Thank you.

[CyberPaddy66]

If you have enough pressure in the barrel then there's no need for the added sugar, the yeast will continue to work on the sugar in the malt until it eventually dies.

Wait until your barrel stops pushing out the beer (do not let it glug air through the tap) and then fit a bottled CO2 valve system (whatever works for you) to the lid and then gas it up
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[Jacko]

Many thanks for your advice. I've passed him your advice, and got a CO2 valve, so he can take it from here.

Thanks again.

[Maximus]

I hesitate to question the expertise on this forum but I have a different method of starting the syphoning which I think is easier and reduces the chance of contamination / beer lung

1. after sterilising, run water from the tap through the tube
2. block the end, trapping the water inside, it works best if this end is lower than the filling end (you can use a tap or a sterilised finger)
3. while holding open end higher than the closed end, let a little water out so that the tube is 3/4 full
4. put the open end in the beer (again keep the closed end lower)
5. open the tap (or remove finger) and let the first bit of water out (have a cup handy)
6. now continue syphoning into bottles or keg

as you can see there is no need to get your mouth to the tube and also it is easier
have a practice first to get the technique but I bet you will never suck again !
_________________
Just bottled Birkby Yorkshire bitter
Planning Geordies yorkshire bitter
last brew Admirals Reserve
*Sunshine and British beer !*
www.notmuchhassle.com

[CyberPaddy66]

There are many many different methods for doing all sorts of brewing stuff, I just put mine up to show how I do it to those who have trouble but as Max points out his method will work as well
_________________
Drinking absolutely nothing, I'm such a tw@t!
Maturing: nowt -just making space for some overdue AG brews
Brewing: London Bitter (AG), GobHoblin (AG) Mango Wine.
Planning: more AG brews
Dumping: Geordie Mild w/Honey, Head Cracker

[Maximus]

go on ! give it a go
_________________
Just bottled Birkby Yorkshire bitter
Planning Geordies yorkshire bitter
last brew Admirals Reserve
*Sunshine and British beer !*
www.notmuchhassle.com

[friendlybeard]

I used your technique, and may I thank you for taking the time to show how it's done!

I haven't got a fancy tube with a tap, but I used a food bag seal clip (if you know what I mean!)

I found it worked really well!

Cheers!

Rob

[moggy]

thanks for the guide, im sure it will come in handy!
_________________
Brewing: TBC
In the keg: Woodforde's Admirals Reserve
Drinking: Woodforde's Wherry and Admirals Reserve
In bottles: Woodforde's Wherry