Help with syphon from fermentor to kegs, clever beer

[Steve b]

Hi all I was hoping when I brought my march pump for RIMS that I could use it for transferring from fermentor to keg this way not disturbing the sediment at the bottom , I have used an racking came before but have stood on the last two , very unforgiving could use them but don't want risk nasties in the cracks , is there an easier way I'm just wanting to get crystal clear beer from my cobra tower,

[Ralph]

racking cane is the easiest way I know to get the clear beer off the sediment in the fermentor. You could get it out with a pump and just holding the end of the hose down in the fermentor above the yeast??

[Steve b]

I thought so to but as I found the march pump isn't self priming so it dosent work that way, shame

[Ralph]

You could either get a fermentor with a racking arm inside or you could install a racking arm into your fermentor... then you can either gravity drain or pump the beer out of the fermentor??

[Steve b]

Who sells these

[Ralph]

My Farra 60L conical fermentor has one... you could try them?

Or these guys up near Nelson http://www.inibrewsupply.com/ferment/

[Liam Callaghan]

I use a racking cane with a push pump on it or syphon starter.  It runs itself then into the keg via the outlet leg.  Pre-prime the keg first with a little c02 to reduce any oxigen contact and let it fill.   My weapon of choice for the time being.  Shouldn't be disturbing the sediment in any way.

I usually brew enough for a dozen 750ml bottles and a full keg in each fermentor.  Keg is taken off the top of the fermentor and bottles from the bottom portion.

The beers usually continue in the keg for a while as I don't kill the yeast thats in suspension and I usually condition for around 3 months before drinking them (not always).  So often have a little bit of cloudy beer the first pint but thats all.  You could reduce the yeast by conditioning it cold int he fermentor for a while before you keg it so more of the yeast has dropped out.

 

The guys from Stout Tanks in the US dont like to use racking arms with their tanks for a number of reasons including difficulty to clean and random leaking.

http://conical-fermenter.com/info-discussions/do-i-need-a-rotating-...

If you want to make one or get one made up, not hard

http://www.deerislandbrewery.com/rotating_racking_arm.htm

 

Personally I'll be moving my beers through the lids via easy to clean racking cane powered by a syphon pump or c02 jet ejector.  Too many negatives vs positives for the racking arms in my opinion.

 

Can I ask what the clarity issue is with your beer from the tower?  Is it cloudy at the first pour but then clear or cloudly all the time?  Could it be protien haze?

Not sure that the way you rack your beer off would be making your beer cloudy when your pouring from the tap.

 

Liam