[Jimmy K]

I've always thought someone should invent a siphon starter (who writes syphon anyway? Oh, that was me). It would be two flat wheels in a frame that clamp over the flexible tube so that they flatten the tube between the wheels. You put it on at the top near the racking cane and pull it to the bottom. As the flat part moves to the bottom, it will pull liquid with it - much like a peristaltic pump. It should make siphon starting pretty easy.

Well, I guess I just invented it.  OK, somebody should make it.

[Joe Sr.]

Does the word decanting mean anything to anyone here?

How would you decant without introducing significant oxygen?

Pouring my carboy into the keg would be a lot faster, but I'm afraid it might be detrimental to the quality of the beer...

[morticaixavier]

Does the word decanting mean anything to anyone here?

How would you decant without introducing significant oxygen?

Pouring my carboy into the keg would be a lot faster, but I'm afraid it might be detrimental to the quality of the beer...

I suspect he was suggesting just drinking it.

I had thought about just pouring it via funnel into 2 liter plastic bottles and force carbing with a carb cap. As long as I could finish it in an evening the oxidation wouldn't be a problem much.

[reverseapachemaster]

I brew a lot of one gallon batches and I use a small autosiphon and rack into a bottling bucket. I get between 7-9 bottles depending on how dense the trub is. I could probably make my life easier racking directly into bottles and dosing each with priming sugar.

[denny]

I hate starting siphons.

I'm always baffled by this.  I just fill the racking cane and tubing with water and let it rip.

[Joe Sr.]

I hate starting siphons.

I'm always baffled by this.  I just fill the racking cane and tubing with water and let it rip.

Yeah, but you need to have a container to drain the water into (I know, not that big of a deal) and then move the tubing into your keg/whatever.  Inevitably, I lose the siphon (I get distracted) and then you need to restart it.  It's just a PITA.  Much easier to transfer with pressure, for me at least.

I did the siphon thing for years.  It always pissed me off.

[morticaixavier]

I have no problem starting siphons. but I was more concerned about how much I tend to leave behind both in the fermenter and in the mason jar that catches the sanitizer/water

[denny]

Yeah, but you need to have a container to drain the water into (I know, not that big of a deal) and then move the tubing into your keg/whatever.  Inevitably, I lose the siphon (I get distracted) and then you need to restart it.  It's just a PITA.  Much easier to transfer with pressure, for me at least.

I did the siphon thing for years.  It always pissed me off.

I have a clamp on my siphon tubing.  I run the water into a bowl, close the clamp and move the tubing to a PET bottle, open the clamp to fill that, close the clamp and move the tubing to the keg, open the clamp and fill the keg.  Couldn't be easier!

[denny]

I have no problem starting siphons. but I was more concerned about how much I tend to leave behind both in the fermenter and in the mason jar that catches the sanitizer/water

I don't see why.  I don't lose more than a couple oz. when I drain out the water.  Guess maybe I'll make a video next time I keg a batch.

[morticaixavier]

I have no problem starting siphons. but I was more concerned about how much I tend to leave behind both in the fermenter and in the mason jar that catches the sanitizer/water

I don't see why.  I don't lose more than a couple oz. when I drain out the water.  Guess maybe I'll make a video next time I keg a batch.

like I said, probably over thinking the whole thing.

[Joe Sr.]

Yeah, but you need to have a container to drain the water into (I know, not that big of a deal) and then move the tubing into your keg/whatever.  Inevitably, I lose the siphon (I get distracted) and then you need to restart it.  It's just a PITA.  Much easier to transfer with pressure, for me at least.

I did the siphon thing for years.  It always pissed me off.

I have a clamp on my siphon tubing.  I run the water into a bowl, close the clamp and move the tubing to a PET bottle, open the clamp to fill that, close the clamp and move the tubing to the keg, open the clamp and fill the keg.  Couldn't be easier!

Yes.  I have the same clamp.  White plastic job?  Still a PITA.

I siphon from the top and keep moving the cane down as the level drops, which is probably how I lose the siphon from lack of paying attention.  With pressure, I don't have to pull the tube, go fill it with water, drain it to a glass, blah blah blah. Hook up hose, turn on pressure, start siphon, move on with life.  I have issues.  I recognize that.

[Stevie]

like I said, probably over thinking the whole thing.

Oh, the stuff that keeps us homebrewers awake at night.

[punatic]

Does the word decanting mean anything to anyone here?

How would you decant without introducing significant oxygen?

Pouring my carboy into the keg would be a lot faster, but I'm afraid it might be detrimental to the quality of the beer...

Wellll...  You could always purge your receiving vessel with carbon dioxide from your kegging system.

I was always under the impression that racking was performed because the size of the vessels involved are too large to pick up and pour.

Decanting by definition means gentle pouring so as not to disturb sediment in the pouring vessel.

[tschmidlin]

Yeah, but you need to have a container to drain the water into (I know, not that big of a deal) and then move the tubing into your keg/whatever.  Inevitably, I lose the siphon (I get distracted) and then you need to restart it.  It's just a PITA.  Much easier to transfer with pressure, for me at least.

I did the siphon thing for years.  It always pissed me off.

I have a clamp on my siphon tubing.  I run the water into a bowl, close the clamp and move the tubing to a PET bottle, open the clamp to fill that, close the clamp and move the tubing to the keg, open the clamp and fill the keg.  Couldn't be easier!

Yes.  I have the same clamp.  White plastic job?  Still a PITA.

I siphon from the top and keep moving the cane down as the level drops, which is probably how I lose the siphon from lack of paying attention.  With pressure, I don't have to pull the tube, go fill it with water, drain it to a glass, blah blah blah. Hook up hose, turn on pressure, start siphon, move on with life.  I have issues.  I recognize that.

Start it at the bottom, it is much easier.  Put one of those little cup things on the end to keep it from sucking up too much trub, but I never worry about picking up a little.

[denny]

Start it at the bottom, it is much easier.  Put one of those little cup things on the end to keep it from sucking up too much trub, but I never worry about picking up a little.

THIS^^^