Cleaner transfer with spigot VS siphon?

Beer Gear
1

I can never avoid transferring quite a lot of break material into the fermenter when siphoning from my kettle. I start part way down the liquid, rather than from the bottom. It begins as very clear wort, but then to get a full 5 gals. I have to let it draw in break material or I will be short.

I was thinking of getting a new kettle with spigot, but don’t know how much of an improvement I will see in that regard. For those who transfer using a spigot, can you get the clear wort off the bed of break material and reach your target volume? I don’t mind a little break material, but would like to see less of it go into my fermenter.

2

Wrap a paint strainer bag around your syphon. If you use a spigot you need a mesh screen on it.

3

Which post should I post too now?
Sneezles61

4

First, a little trub going to the fermenter is good for yeast health. You don’t want to go overboard but a little is fine. Second, explain your process. Ideally you want to whirlpool to try to get the material to settle in the middle of the kettle as much as possible, let it settle for 20mins, then pull off the side.

1 Like
6

Thats where brewing a bit larger brew comes into play… You’ll never get away from “some trub”…
Do you have the cup on the end of yer racking cane?..
I have spigots on both my fermenters… there is a pickup tube that can be directed… And I cut off the pickup end to leave at least a half gallon behind…
Sneezles61

7

I do whirlpool and let settle, although for only a few minutes. Perhaps I should try your suggestion of 20 minutes. But whatever the settling time, in my kettle it seems to just settle in an even layer, rather than the middle.

8

trub is not a problem into your fermenter the problem is in clogging your transfer. No sense being anal about it. get as much liquid out as possible and and into your fermentor. If you are that concerned do a secondary fermentation

9

Again… plan ahead… are you losing a half gallon?.. Brew say… a 6 gallon batch… Adjust how you pick up the wort from the BK… Also, in the fermenter… You want to fill a corny keg very near to the top…
Sneezles61

10

To assist whirlpool longer. I get if you’re doing it by hand then this is may not be possible. If that’s the case then as @sneezles61 said brew a little more and leave most of that trub behind.