Sterile Siphoning

[brewsci]

How do people siphon their wort from the kettle to the fermenter and maintain sterility?

I use an immersion chiller to cool the wort down. I want to whirlpool the cooled wort and then siphon it from the kettle into the primary fermenter. The wort is cool at the time of siphoning and I am worried about getting contamination. Is sterilizing the racking cane/tubing and using hot tap water to start the siphon sterile enough for transferring cool wort to the primary? Thanks in advance for your ideas

[HogieWan]

Just sani EVERYTHING that will touch cooled wort. However you sani your fermenter will be fine for the racking cane and tubing.

[generalzonzo]

You can use an auto siphon. Helps keep the hoof and mouth bugs out of the brew and they are cheap. I bought one because of a gasoline siphoning experience I had in college, doh! Worth the $10.


http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4766

[tmgrood]

But I have read that its good to pour the wort from the kettle to the formentor so it airates it.
Wouldnt that risk airborne contamination or is the wort free from becoming contaminated because its been boiled?

[generalzonzo]

Once you cool your boiled wort you always risk "airborne" contamination until the yeasts get going. It is good (actually critical) however to aerate your cooled wort to make the yeasts happy. This can be done by pouring, shaking, stiring, or pumping air/O2 into the wort. Try to minimize airbore particles by closing windows to eliminate drafts. I wouldn't sweat it too much, remember open fermentation is still a popular fermentation technique.

[dparsons]

You get everything as clean as you reasonably can and then pitch a good supply of the yeast you want to grow. It will far outnumber the few survivors and stowaways that won't be noticed in comparison.

[Mad Scientist]

You might also note that an environment with high dissolve O2 is somewhat poisonous to bugs that infect your beer.

BTW, I use a turkey baster to start my siphon, I just sani with all the other parts. bear in ming that it only works well with a 3/8" racking cane. Rememebr to squeeze the bulb completely BEFORE you connect to the siphon tubing.

[tmgrood]

Wow. Never thought of a turkey baster to start a siphon.
Ive read not to suck on it because of the nasty germs people will infect their beer, but a well sanitized turkey baster is a great idea.
Thanks.

[Mad Scientist]

You can use vodka or some other alcohol to serlizr your mouths, or at least use it as an excuse to gargle with alcohol...if I wne thtat route, I advocate runple mintz or something tasty....

On the other hand, you can yank the bulb off the baster, and connect it to the tubing, and then start the siphon with your mouth; that way you mouth doe not come into to contact with the sanitized (not sterlized) tubing

[JohnnyV]

I find the easiest and most effective way (better than turkey basters) is to simply leave the tube full of your sanitizer. Plug one end with your thumb, and connect the other to the racking cane. Put the hose over the sink or empty container and remove your thumb, but sanitizer will drain out pulling beer behind it once all the sani is out, just move the tube over to your bottling bucket.

[Halgarmeister]

Originally posted by JohnnyV
I find the easiest and most effective way (better than turkey basters) is to simply leave the tube full of your sanitizer. Plug one end with your thumb, and connect the other to the racking cane. Put the hose over the sink or empty container and remove your thumb, but sanitizer will drain out pulling beer behind it once all the sani is out, just move the tube over to your bottling bucket.

I just use the cooled remnants of my extra boiled water in the tubing. It's usually in a pot or gallon jar, I simply coil the tubing into the water so that it's filled completely, then cap with my thumb and do as Johnny does. The only thing that would make this easier is if I had a tubing clamp to pinch off the flow instead of using my thumb, but hey, use whatcha got, right? :)

[brewsci]

Thank you for all of the good advice. I never would have thought to use a turkey baster. I was worried about what to put in the siphon and whether that would be sterile enough. Extra boiled water and sani both sound like good ideas.

[dparsons]

This is the siphon starter I use:

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18872

Instead of blowing, I use an aquarium pump to push air through the filter. A bicycle pump works too. Once it starts, I can pull the tube off and let it run. No sucking with a sterilized mouth, no filling the tube with sanitizer. It works better than the carboytap style of siphon starter.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18871

[dparsons]

This is the siphon starter I use:

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18872

Instead of blowing, I use an aquarium pump to push air through the filter. A bicycle pump works too. Once it starts, I can pull the tube off and let it run. No sucking with a sterilized mouth, no filling the tube with sanitizer. It works better than the carboytap style of siphon starter.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18871