Racking beer from tap - how to avoid foaming?

[tiprya]

Hey guys,
I rarely rack my beer to secondary, only for longer term ageing and to add fruit etc but I always have a bit of a problem.

I use jerry's for primary, and a 1/2" hose fits perfectly over the tap - but it is very wide compared to the flow of beer.

So if I run the tap at a low speed, the beer doesn't fill the hose, and churns (or is in contact with air) on the way down into the other fermentor.

If I run the hose flat-out, the hose fills with beer (so no air contact), but then it is flowing so fast, it churns up when it hits the secondary.

What do other people do? Is there something simple I'm missing?

 

[bum]

No idea if is best practice or not but I run it slowly until the end of the hose is covered then open it up. Hose is long enough that it coils in the bottom of the receiving vessel.

 

[tiprya]

Hmn, that is probably a good compromise, then air is only in contact with a litre or two of the beer.

 

[warra48]

I just run it full on.
Once I've transferred a litre or so of beer, the bottom of the transfer hose is below the level of beer in secondary.
The amount of splashing is minimal, and I don't believe my beers suffer from oxidation.
Never had it foam up.

Alternatively, I have also put the hose over the end of the tap on primary and secondary, so the beer transfers through the taps.

Maybe your problem is the height differential between primary and secondary? Reduce the height initially, and the flow will slow down. The greater the height, the greater the flow potentially (limited, of course, by the capacity of the hose etc).

 

[CosmicBertie]

If you're using the standard fermenter type taps, then this is what i did:

• Cut 2 x 2 inch pieces off a bottling wand tube, and insert a piece into either end of your transfer tube.

• Connect the two fermenters together via the taps, remove any sediment reducers.

• Turn on the tap on the secondary fermenter, then turn on the tap on the primary. Make sure the secondary is lower than the primary.

You'll get very little frothing, but you will get movement, which is handy when you tip in your gelatine solution to help clear the beer.

Ive done this many, many, many, times with good results.

 

[barls]

i turn the tap the pinch the line as close to the tap as i can for a few seconds then release.
no foaming at my end.

 

[tiprya]

Very good ideas - thanks.

The only 'frothing' I've has has been in the hose, so I think avoiding this should be my main priority.

 

[JDW81]

Turn the tap upside down on your primary (i.e. point the spout towards to roof), helps to fill up the hose and slows down how quick it flows out of the vessel.

JD

 

[CosmicBertie]

Open your tap on the secondary first. This ensures that all the air is pushed out the tap, and you dont end up with an airlock in your tube.