FV - Siphon or Tap

[Hopperty]

Up until now I have always used a siphon attached to a wand for bottling. For whatever reason I find it often froths up in the tube then that makes filling the bottle to the top difficult/wasteful. also putting the siphon into the gunge on the bottom disturbs it. Just find the siphon tube a bit unwieldy to clean etc, would like to think there was a better approach.

If i was to fit a tap near the bottom of the FV, what would be the negatives? As my FV is quite high up I could still use the wand attached to the tap.

 

[peebee]

A syphon is the "traditional" implement to use. Because a few years back it would be quite normal to ferment in a bucket ... without (or any hope of) a tap!

Now'days it's no big deal fitting a tap to the fermenter, with a "wand" or something to avoid splashing. I'm even puzzling how to fix a new pump to mine! (Seriously, It's near impossible to lift my small fermenter onto a bench or whatever; it is impossible to lift my 70L stainless steel fermenter even an inch).

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I also use a little bottler wand attached to my syphon tube, i extended the plastic tube on my syphon by half the length again and use a bucket clip and clothes peg to keep the cane out of the sediment and to stop it moving around and disturbing the sediment.

You can buy extra long syphon tubes (see below)

I would drill the bucket as in the video below but knowing me i would end up with a leak so persevere with the method above.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Depends if you want cheap and simple or costly and complicated
I tend to go down the latter route
I fitted a tap to the bottom of my FV that is mounted on a skate cos it’s too heavy for me to keep lifting.

Inside, I’ve fitted a King Keg tube and float to the tap inlet so when it comes to transfer time (I use KKs not bottles) I turn the tap ON and the beer comes from the top first. When the FV is nearly empty the float settles on the bottom and the beer stops flowing without disturbing the trub. This is what it looks like when finished. There’s about 5-10mm of beer left in the bottom.

 

[peebee]

…

I'm not up-to-date with some of the slang terms in use today, but with a picture of a slinky woman and a title "how to attach and use a little bottler" there is no way I'm going to click that link!

 

[Hopperty]

I'm not up-to-date with some of the slang terms in use today, but with a picture of a slinky woman and a title "how to attach and use a little bottler" there is no way I'm going to click that link!

you're safe to look - it wasn't as exciting as I had anticipated.

 

[The Cat]

If you just hold a bottle to the tap to fill it the only issues are the usual sanatising and then making sure it is smooth enough to avoid oxidation ?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm not up-to-date with some of the slang terms in use today, but with a picture of a slinky woman and a title "how to attach and use a little bottler" there is no way I'm going to click that link!

You are safe to watch she keeps her clothes on and its a good demonstration.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

For what it's worth, I drain off my FV from a side tap and it seems to work well. It's also the way I draw off samples to check the gravity during fermentation :-)

 

[Pavalijo]

I used an auto syphon to rack off from FV to bottling bucket (BB) and then I had a “little bottler” wand tap on the BB.
Trouble was that the auto syphon seems to draw air in when in use - so now I have a tap in the FV with tube to rack by gravity into the BB (and I fill the BB with CO2 from a cylinder before racking off into it).
I then I lift the BB onto a work surface in the cold shed, leave it a couple of days and then use the little bottler wand to fill bottles.
So everything done by gravity from taps, no air sucked into the auto syphon and I find it easier to slightly tip the bucket to get max beer out without sediment, whereas I used to get more sediment using the syphon. Setting the tap at the right level is key. But last bottling day I got a record (for me) 20.83 litres from my 23 litre brew. The last 33cl bottle might have a little more sediment than the rest though!

 

[Hopperty]

For what it's worth, I drain off my FV from a side tap and it seems to work well. It's also the way I draw off samples to check the gravity during fermentation :-)

presuming your FV is of a typical size (23L and about 275mm dia) how far from the base of the FV do you have the lowest point of your drain hole ? and do you have any type of filter or 'Sediment separator' ?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

presuming your FV is of a typical size (23L and about 275mm dia) how far from the base of the FV do you have the lowest point of your drain hole ? and do you have any type of filter or 'Sediment separator' ?

yes, I ferment in those round plastic bins - one of the UPPS 30L ‘hard working buckets‘. It’s not this one but the dimensions and location of the tap look about the same:

I suppose the bottom of the tap ‘pipe’ (on the inside) is a couple of cm above the floor? I seem to get very little sediment come out... maybe the first pint or so is a bit cloudy but then it clears. sometimes I stand the bin tipped backwards a bit during fermentation to keep the sludge a bit further from the tap, but it doesn’t seems to make a great deal of difference :-)

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

I used to use an auto-siphon but had all the issues mentioned by others: accidentally disturbing the trub; getting air in the siphon tubing etc. I now add a tap on to all my FVs and attach a bottling wand directly to the tap spout. I bottle with the FV sat on the kitchen counter with the tap and wand over-hanging the side. Means I get to sit on a chair and bottle in comfort. Works really well and I get no sediment in bottles.

 

[Banbeer]

I always put my tap just below the 5 litre mark, the tap will rotate out of the way when not being used. I always draw off a quarter of a pint before bottling to remove any sediment from the tap and surroundings.

 

[Stonedhouse]

I fit one of these......

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/ss-brewtech-racking-arm/
...... right at the bottom of a plastic fermenter tub, and then I angle the arm to approx the 2:00 o'clock position. This keeps the inlet at about the right level above the crud. It also assists when I do an oxygen free transfer to a keg.

Main reason I use this approach is that I absolutely detest syphoning, never got on with it and it's less kit to clean / sanitise / store.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Main reason I use this approach is that I absolutely detest syphoning, never got on with it and it's less kit to clean / sanitise / store.

Amen to that :-)

 

[Stonedhouse]

Amen to that :-)

I'm an Engineer too..... why complicate things by trying to create a vacuum to drag something up and over when gravity and a hole is a lot less problematic lol

 

[Chippy_Tea]

why complicate things by trying to create a vacuum to drag something up and over when gravity and a hole is a lot less problematic lol

Many of us don't have taps on our FV's and don't want to fit them, taps can leak and need to be cleaned syphons do the job perfectly well once you have the method sussed.

 

[Didge]

I always felt I needed another hand while syphoning, whereas with a tap and bottling wand I'm able to enjoy a sip of my previous brew while bottling.

My tap is located so that it's pouring end is 5mm above the work surface when its pointed downwards, it also has an upwards facing inlet to prevent it sucking up the sludge. I suspect loose dry hop debris could be a problem if it clogged the tap so I always use a hop filter.

 

[Clint]

I use an auto syphon. If your syphon is sucking air....chuck it and get a new one. They're cheap... or...buy one that'll last...but they're about £100!