how much to leave when racking

[laflaone]

I started a 5 gal batch of cyser on 1/01, og of 1.111. Now the sg is 1.003, and getting one bubble a minute. Is this the time to rack? The cyser is fairly opaque. When siphoning, how do you know when to stop, not leaving too much which will be thrown away, and too little which will mix some of the bottom gunk(what's the good word for that?) into the cyser.

 

[Fisk Jaegaren]

First racking all you are doing is getting the cyser off the gross lees. Siphon down to about 1/2 inch or so of the bottom...or however close you can get to the gross lees. Don't worry about sucking up a little bit, this is just your first racking. You can rack now and let it sit somewhere to clear, or use a fining agent like k/c and it should fall clear in a couple of days.

 

[Marshmallow Blue]

My racking cane has a little nib that helps from sucking up too much sediment. Yours might have one too. It's really good for my 1 gallon batches since the cane can go right to the bottom and I tilt it a just a bit right at the end to get the rest of the good stuff and have very little issues with the yeast pile getting sucked in. But as you have a 5 gallon batch, you probably have to watch out more for where the lees begin.

 

[fatbloke]

How about just lowering the racking cane in as its siphoning. You can safely set it running but not lowered into the fermenter right to the bottom.

Then as it gets close to the bottom you should be able to observe when the siphon starts to suck lees/sediment and when to withdraw the racking cane.

Or you can just hit it with finings to clear it. If you used the kiesol/chitosan stuff it could be clear in 24 to 48 hours.....

 

[laflaone]

Thanks for your replys. Each is helpful.

 

[xopher425]

I'm racking my 3 gallon strawberry melomel tonight, did the 2 gallon cyser last night (into two, one gallon jugs). A racking cane would have been very helpful. I did tilt the cyser at a 45 degree angle the night before; someone on here said that it helped minimize the lees into a smaller footprint, so you'd be able to get more mead and less lees. I racked as close as I could, then swirled the lees with the little bit of mead left over and poured it into a plastic soda bottle and then put it in the fridge. Twice I've let out the pressure that has built. This has cleared some, and I can later use that last little bit to top up the jugs. Planning on doing the same, waiting now for the lees to settle down at an angle, then I'll save the lees in the fridge, for the melomel tonight.

 

[Marshmallow Blue]

I did tilt the cyser at a 45 degree angle the night before; someone on here said that it helped minimize the lees into a smaller footprint, so you'd be able to get more mead and less lees.

It's the same science ( if you wanna call it that) behind why you tilt your iced coffee cup to get the last bit of coffee with your straw.