Is this an acceptable way to bottle or will it introduce oxygen into the mead? I've noticed air bubbles around the connection between vinyl tube and cane before.
Autosiphon + bottling wand
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That is how I bottle. You sometimes need three hands to get the pump started though. I see the bubbles too sometimes. Never been a problem for me.
Yep, this is how I bottle too. As long as the tubing is secure on the racking cane portion of the siphon, it should be fine. The angle might have something to do with any empty space you see at the connection. It should be fine, though.
If I connect my standard (half inch?) silicone tube directly to my autosiphon I get air leaking in. I have a slightly smaller piece of tubing that fits the autosiphon tightly, and I put my standart silicone tube on over that small piece of tubing. That completely eliminates all leaks, and so comes highly recommended to anyone suffering air in their autosiphon. (If you don't have enough of a leak to interrupt the siphoning action it probably isn't worth doing anything about, unless you're worried about oxygenation. I make mostly traditional meads, so oxygenation hasn't been much of an issue for me, but having a siphon stop siphoning was annoying enough to do something about.)
Are you folks talking about using an auto-siphon and tube and going straight to the bottle from it? How do you keep the auto-siphon in the right spot/position? The one I have just falls down into the bottom of the jug or bucket and creates problems. I've always preferred the stability of racking into a bottling bucket (I have always had one on hand because I've been making beer longer than mead, and it's a definite must-have for beer bottling/priming). Gravity feeds it straight into a tube and through the bottling wand. The only issue I then run into is getting someone to hold the bottling bucket at the right angle for every last drop to get into the tube so I don't waste any.
As for connections, if it's the kind I'm thinking of, there are two quick-fixes for air leaks that I've found pretty reliable. At the local brewshop, I bought some plastic hose clamps that go on over the tube and you just position them as close as possible on the tube so that it clamps around where the tube meets the siphon connector. Putting two of them on there pointing in opposite directions across from each other usually does the trick, and they come off easily enough when I'm done. In a pinch (no pun intended), I've used plastic zip-ties in a similar manner: just put two around the joining area and tighten them down on opposite sides so the "tails" are pointing away from each other. Not sure if it's 100% necessary to put the clamps or ties pointing in opposite directions, but it seems to help some for me. I don't get any air leakage or bubbles there anymore.
As for connections, if it's the kind I'm thinking of, there are two quick-fixes for air leaks that I've found pretty reliable. At the local brewshop, I bought some plastic hose clamps that go on over the tube and you just position them as close as possible on the tube so that it clamps around where the tube meets the siphon connector. Putting two of them on there pointing in opposite directions across from each other usually does the trick, and they come off easily enough when I'm done. In a pinch (no pun intended), I've used plastic zip-ties in a similar manner: just put two around the joining area and tighten them down on opposite sides so the "tails" are pointing away from each other. Not sure if it's 100% necessary to put the clamps or ties pointing in opposite directions, but it seems to help some for me. I don't get any air leakage or bubbles there anymore.
Perfect advice in here. How do you guys start the siphon? When I pull the plunger up and push it down there's always so much bubbling. Also, I have a bunch of random bottles that I'm reusing, I'm hoping a regular #9 cork will work if the holes a tiny bit smaller.
I start by separating the two pieces of the siphon. I put the plastic end that cuts down on getting any yeast/trub onto the fat piece and put that into the carboy. Then I attach the hose to the thin piece. With the hose in the container I plan to siphon into, I place the thin piece into the fat one and plunge, while holding the fat part steady. Usually one plunge is enough, though if I'm siphoning from a 12 liter carboy it sometimes requires a second plunge.
I use this: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/5-16-auto-siphon-clamp. With a bucket it holds it to the side, but in a glass carboy it will keep it fairly straight and centered, and allows you to go hands free.
If my lees are too thick, I'll rack off the mead first, let it settle out again, and then siphon. Otherwise, I'll go straight from secondary into a bottle -- the auto-siphon keeps the flow above the lees. I've tried the bottling bucket method before, but after I got my bottling wand I stopped -- it just meant another bucket to clean, and I like the bottling wand more.
Quick note: if you're using a bottling wand, this tends to backfire unless the nipple of the wand is depressed. I learned this the hard way. :-\
If you filter it's easiest to go from your final (in my case usually third) carboy through a filter and into a bottling bucket.
I always rack to a bottling bucket first that way I leave any sediment behind. Gravity does the work from here, no juggling the siphon and bottling wand while bottling.
EbonHawk: I simply prop the bottling bucket up by sliding a wine bottle under it to tilt it. Then for the last ounce or so, if needed to top off a bottle, I just pour out of the bucket into a funnel inserted into the bottle. If I do not need to top off a bottle, I pour the last ounces into a glass and enjoy.
EbonHawk: I simply prop the bottling bucket up by sliding a wine bottle under it to tilt it. Then for the last ounce or so, if needed to top off a bottle, I just pour out of the bucket into a funnel inserted into the bottle. If I do not need to top off a bottle, I pour the last ounces into a glass and enjoy.
Yeah the last ummm ounces. That's the ticket!
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Practice with water. Should just take a plunge or two, if you have enough of the auto-siphon submerged. Depending on how much is available, should just take one or two good plunges. The less you have, the more plunges required. If it's not working in just one or two, then it may be defective.
Gotta get one of those!
We must have different type siphons then, because there is nothing keeping my auto-siphon out of the lees. It just rests on the bottom (unless I hold it) and sucks up the lees no matter what I do if I let it go. Might be time to invest in a better auto-siphon then, or figure out something to add to the end to keep it up off the bottom a little bit.
@kuri: Also, mine doesn't come apart. You can't remove the thin wand (inner part) from the larger (outer part) one. They're inseparable. I've tried.
The one he's talking about probably is the one I have also; it's got a plastic nub at the bottom that slides on to keep the intake off the bottom. Doesn't work miracles but if the lees aren't disturbed and a small layer it'll work
Sounds the same as mine. I got my from MoreBeer, though the ones they have on their site now look like new and improved versions of what I got, so I can't tell if the two main parts separate or not. It's definitely worth getting one that comes apart. I tried juggling everything the first time while it was all assembled and it was a minor disaster -- too many things to control all at once. By separating the pieces you only have a manageable number of things to have to control at once.
That's the one I use. It's about 3/4 inch cap that keeps the siphon from collecting directly off the bottom. Won't work for gross lees but it's very handy when going from secondary after fining and cold crashing to the aging carboy. Anything more than half an inch (that's a centimeter to you "weird people") and you have to keep an eye on it.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Ended up with 4 bottles and then we "didn't have enough for another bottle" so we drank the remaing 750ml while making a bochet with 17lbs of honey
Yep, that's the one. I can often start it high (I have two junior beekeepers who I can recruit for the third and fourth hands, fortunately), then let it settle down to the bottom of the carboy.
