[Joe Sr.]

I'll stick with transferring with pressure.  It works just fine.  One less aggravation for me in a world full of them.

[Jimmy K]

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. 

Sharks with frickin' laser beams

[Wheat_Brewer]

Personally I would do one of two things. Buy an auto siphon (love this product!!!!!) and just pump like a mad man starting from the bottom to get the most pressure you can....or I would just have a funnel and carefully pour the beer thru a funnel. I know there's a small risk of oxygenation but if you're careful you should be fine.

I did mention auto siphoning the beer over...right?! 

[tschmidlin]

I'll stick with transferring with pressure.  It works just fine.  One less aggravation for me in a world full of them.

Transferring with pressure doesn't work with my buckets.  That's the only time I start it manually, and I don't ferment in buckets too often.  Mainly I ferment in carboys and use a carboy cap, stainless racking cane, and sterile air filter to start the siphon.  It is super easy. I love that setup.

[Joe Sr.]

stainless racking cane

I've got like two or three of these that I've acquired from others who no longer brew.  I can't seem to bring myself to use them, though.  I kind of like the clear plastic racking cane.  I can see it, I know it's clean, etc.

I suppose a good soak, scrub it out with a dip-tube brush, etc. and the stainless is the way to go.  I'll probably wait until I break all the plastic ones I've stocked up.

[morticaixavier]

Personally I would do one of two things. Buy an auto siphon (love this product!!!!!) and just pump like a mad man starting from the bottom to get the most pressure you can....or I would just have a funnel and carefully pour the beer thru a funnel. I know there's a small risk of oxygenation but if you're careful you should be fine.

I did mention auto siphoning the beer over...right?! 

yeah, I started to get some oxidation character from all the pumping and had some worries about being able to thoroughly clean the autosiphon. so I went back to the fill the tube with water method which works like a charm once you get the hang of it and it's the gentlest start to a siphon I have been able to find so far given that I ferment in buckets but I think this time around I am going to try the pressure start method.

[jeffy]

stainless racking cane

I've got like two or three of these that I've acquired from others who no longer brew.  I can't seem to bring myself to use them, though.  I kind of like the clear plastic racking cane.  I can see it, I know it's clean, etc.

I suppose a good soak, scrub it out with a dip-tube brush, etc. and the stainless is the way to go.  I'll probably wait until I break all the plastic ones I've stocked up.

I've broken several auto syphons over the years.  I still like them, they just get brittle over time.  The last time one broke I found that I could cut off the bottom part of the plastic tube and fit that part directly over the end of a stainless racking cane.  Pretty cool trick, I think.

[tschmidlin]

stainless racking cane

I've got like two or three of these that I've acquired from others who no longer brew.  I can't seem to bring myself to use them, though.  I kind of like the clear plastic racking cane.  I can see it, I know it's clean, etc.

I suppose a good soak, scrub it out with a dip-tube brush, etc. and the stainless is the way to go.  I'll probably wait until I break all the plastic ones I've stocked up.

I've broken several auto syphons over the years.  I still like them, they just get brittle over time.  The last time one broke I found that I could cut off the bottom part of the plastic tube and fit that part directly over the end of a stainless racking cane.  Pretty cool trick, I think.

Can you post a picture?  I'm not sure I am getting what you mean.

[klickitat jim]

I've been using a length of clear 3/8" ID. Simplest I could find. But I've been wondering how long it would be before someone came up with a one way check valve system. They exist for other applications in cheap disposable plastic. Seems like you could slip it on a simple cane or hard tube, and attach the drain tubing to the outbound side. Then by simply dipping and lifting a few times you would be draining away. But till then I prefer the simple tube way.

[morticaixavier]

I've been using a length of clear 3/8" ID. Simplest I could find. But I've been wondering how long it would be before someone came up with a one way check valve system. They exist for other applications in cheap disposable plastic. Seems like you could slip it on a simple cane or hard tube, and attach the drain tubing to the outbound side. Then by simply dipping and lifting a few times you would be draining away. But till then I prefer the simple tube way.

that's an autosiphon to a tee.

Jim, you have got to think up a time machine, go back in time a couple years and get rich.

[klickitat jim]

Auto siphon has moving parts. This would just be a tube with a one way check valve. Such as a mouth piece for an old style PBT. only moving part is the little ball inside the disposable check valve.

[morticaixavier]

Auto siphon has moving parts. This would just be a tube with a one way check valve. Such as a mouth piece for an old style PBT. only moving part is the little ball inside the disposable check valve.

oh, that's clever, if I am understanding it correctly.

[klickitat jim]

I'll grab one of the check valves I'm talking about and try it one day.

[jeffy]

stainless racking cane

I've got like two or three of these that I've acquired from others who no longer brew.  I can't seem to bring myself to use them, though.  I kind of like the clear plastic racking cane.  I can see it, I know it's clean, etc.

I suppose a good soak, scrub it out with a dip-tube brush, etc. and the stainless is the way to go.  I'll probably wait until I break all the plastic ones I've stocked up.

I've broken several auto syphons over the years.  I still like them, they just get brittle over time.  The last time one broke I found that I could cut off the bottom part of the plastic tube and fit that part directly over the end of a stainless racking cane.  Pretty cool trick, I think.

Can you post a picture?  I'm not sure I am getting what you mean.

You know how the plastic racking cane part of the auto siphon brakes off at the outlet?  Instead of throwing that whole thing in the trash, I cut the bottom off about an inch above the rubber seal.  This plastic tube (the larger size auto siphon) happens to be the same inside diameter as the outside diameter of a stainless racking cane, so you can push it right on and then use the stainless cane as the pump. 

Edit to add that I wrote this up last year: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=11453.msg142951#msg142951

[denny]

I've been using a length of clear 3/8" ID. Simplest I could find. But I've been wondering how long it would be before someone came up with a one way check valve system. They exist for other applications in cheap disposable plastic. Seems like you could slip it on a simple cane or hard tube, and attach the drain tubing to the outbound side. Then by simply dipping and lifting a few times you would be draining away. But till then I prefer the simple tube way.

I've got one of those.  Made by Dan Listermann back in the 90s.  Didn't work real well at starting a siphon and really restricted the flow once you got a siphon started.  Haven't used it in years.