Pumping Beer

[kangabill]

I'm a real basic Brewer. I use 3-4 30L brew barrels and basic can brews with a bit of a tweak.
Haven't poisoned myself yet. :icon_cheers:

But I run a brew 3 days and then rack it into another barrel so as to let it brew out with no sediment in the bottles.
Sometimes I'll do a secod racking if the sediment is still hanging on.

But I'm not getting any younger and lifting 25L from the floor to bench is getting a tad tough.

I've seen pumps mentioned but what sort, where from and how much?? <_<

I've got a few salvaged small 240V pumps from dish washers and washing machines that seem to have good shaft glands.???

Can someone give me a few tips. please. :unsure:

 

[newguy]

The pump you choose to move your beer must be easily sanitised and also cannot introduce air. There are two types of "shaftless" pumps used by brewers, a magnetically coupled (i.e. March) pump or a peristaltic pump.

I've never seen anyone use a March pump to move beer, only wort. They're not self priming, I don't want to even imagine how I'd sanitise one, and they do foam things up a bit if they aren't properly primed (and it's easy to improperly prime one).

I've read of plently of people using a peristaltic pump (such as this one) to move beer. The only thing you have to sanitise is the flexible tube inside the pump. No foaming/oxygenation issues with this type of pump either.

 

[kangabill]

The pump you choose to move your beer must be easily sanitised and also cannot introduce air. There are two types of "shaftless" pumps used by brewers, a magnetically coupled (i.e. March) pump or a peristaltic pump.

I've never seen anyone use a March pump to move beer, only wort. They're not self priming, I don't want to even imagine how I'd sanitise one, and they do foam things up a bit if they aren't properly primed (and it's easy to improperly prime one).

I've read of plently of people using a peristaltic pump (such as this one) to move beer. The only thing you have to sanitise is the flexible tube inside the pump. No foaming/oxygenation issues with this type of pump either.

 

[kangabill]

Many thanks. I somehow knew it wasn't going to be easy.

I'll have a think about it.

Sorry about the dud posting. I'm getting the hang of your layout slowly I'm afraid.

 

[warrenlw63]

Some sort of CO2 transfer may be more ideal for your situation. Fairly certain I've seen somebody pushing beer from fermenters with a CO2 setup but I could be wrong.

Warren -

 

[gap]

Some sort of CO2 transfer may be more ideal for your situation. Fairly certain I've seen somebody pushing beer from fermenters with a CO2 setup but I could be wrong.

Warren -

There is a pump called a Flojet which uses CO2 or compressed air to work the pump. Sometimes for sale on Ebay , mainly from the US . The pumps are common in the UK homebrew scene.

Regards


Graeme

 

[yoey]

What about looking at it from another angle and hook up some sort of pulley system to aid lifting...

 

[Bizier]

With all due respect, and really not wishing to start a debate. I have joined the non-racker ranks, and my method is to leave to clear in primary, then rack (siphon from top) to bulk prime, and this is leaving me with low amounts of sediment. Maybe if you ensure you have clean yeast, you could leave for ages in primary, possibly crash chill + fine, then rack once only.

I don't have a vision, but maybe the go is to use a pulley hoist system of some kind. Like a mini block & tackle?

ED: what Yoey said

 

[yoey]

Bizier is right...

I leave my beer in primary till fermentation is complete, crash chill to 2 deg C for 4 or 5 days and straight into the keg or bottles. Its always clear, very little sediment in bottles and less chance of infection.

The only time I rack to secondary now is if I am lagering or I need the primary fermentor and I don't have an empty keg

 

[kangabill]

Fabulous!!

Great ideas gang. I like the block and tackle idea, or at least on principal, a lifting rig of some sort.

Sounds a bit weird, but hey, I've got MIG and gas axe, and 18" metal drop saw etc etc plus a good workshop and a 1/2 ton 5 pulley set up (without rope) sitting around somewhere, I know it's in the play pen somewhere

Lots of metal bits lying around and time on my hands.

I'll let you know how I go, 'cause something like a hoist I can make for $Zeeeero whereas the pumps and Co2 etc cost what I don't have a lot of.

Will send piccies as and when I build a nil cost, compact, easy to use, and (for me) idiot proof lifting rig.