Any Warning/tips For First Time Racker...

[crow]

Hi,

I'm about to do my first racking this arvo so I can bulk prime.

At this stage I plan to be going from the Fermentng tun into two separate pre-bulk primed buckets (different sugar levels for carbonation comparisons), then will pour the primed mixture back into the cleaned fermenter for bottling.

Does this make sense ?

Is there anything I should be particularly aware of ?

Thanks

 

[sintax69]

siphon from the buckets to your bottles use something to nip your siphon hose to stop and start the flow

dont pour back and forth

sintax

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Yes, do NOT pour from bucket or fermenter!!!

Easiest way would be to rack (racking hose over spout on fermenter tap) into a cube, put full cube somewhere cool.

Now take some time to clean the fermenter, then rack half the cube back in, bulk prime/bottle/cap, then rack the next half in etc.


Jovial Monk

 

[crow]

Thanks Jovial,

What do you mean by cube ? I've seen several people refer to it on the forum, but have no idea as to what a cube is.

Is it one of those squarish still water containers,if so do you use their wine cask type spout or do you replace ?

Thanks again...

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Yup, cubical shaped foodgrade water containers, said to be 20L in capacity but with care 22L seem to fit in OK.

Dunno about a wine cask spout, I would just fit the usual straight that that comes with the plastic fermenters.

If possible, scrounge a working fridge (find out where hard rubbish is being collected) and keep the cubes in there for a week or two. Be amazed how much extra yeast flocculates out in the cube, you will have much clearer beers, and you can dryhop, etc

JM

 

[crow]

Do you mean like a plastic Jerry Can or a still mineral water container like you buy from the supermarket ?

 

[barfridge]

crow: either is fine as long as its food grade plastic.

The ones I use are square 20L cubes I scrounge from work, where they originally held demineralised water for the forklifts. The only thing to be careful of is cleaning of them, most have moulded depressions for feet and not a large opening. So you cant exactly stick a hand in to wipe them over.

Most people get around this by rinsing immediately after use, and using a cleaning/sterilising compound on them, bleach is ideal. Just leave a little bit of bleach or sanitiser and water in the bottom of them when its in storage, and you shouldn't have any dramas. Just be careful when you open it up, as the fumes are rather strong at times.

 

[johnno]

Do you mean like a plastic Jerry Can or a still mineral water container like you buy from the supermarket ?

Hi crow,
here is a thread on the cubes/jerry cans.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...1684&hl=jerries

cheers