Brewing Gadgets: Auto Siphon
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 7:00AM Here's a must have gadget for simplifying your brew day!
If you brew beer or make wine at home you will inevitably find yourself needing to move several gallons from one vessel to another. It is usually important not to disturb any sediment while doing so. In that case, siphoning is usually the best answer. A siphon can be tricky to get started while avoiding contamination by creating more contact with the outside of your tubing filling it by submerging to get the flow started (please, I don't even want to know if you suck on it like a straw). once you get the flow going a break in suction or a need to stop the flow quickly and you're back to square one.
Enter the Auto Siphon! This magic contraption uses a one-way valve in the bottom of a tube that allows you to draw the liquid up into the tubing with a plunger at the bottom and then force it up into your tubing. Heck, if you're willing to pump it continuously you don't even need to use gravity! If you do break suction, just give it a quick pump to get things flowing again.
This device has saved my brew day several times and is easy to clean and sanitize by pumping sanitizer through it for a minute. Hot fluids take their toll on the rigid tubes and will make them brittle over time. I've replaced mine once already. At about $10 I think it pays for itself in reduced frustrations in just a few brew days!
Happy Siphoning,
-D
Reader Comments (2)
I haven't yet tried the auto-siphon. I know I've had my fair share of problems with that pesky gravity thing, trying to get a siphon going during brew day or transferring to secondary. My friend swears by the thing.. I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and try it out.
I waited way too long to try one myself. You'll thank yourself once you do.