Siphon starter with large opening carboys?

[Hawkbox]

Has anyone had luck or know something I know in regard to using a sterile siphon starter with a large mouthed carboy like a Bubbler or Fermonster? (IE: http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/19/the-sterile-siphon-starter-a-review/ )

I like the idea but I can't see how to make it work.

 

[Group W]

Regarding Fermonsters, how about getting a lid without a stopper hole and drilling two ~ 1/2” holes in it and insert two grommets (like the ones used on some bucket lids).

Practice drilling the holes and inserting grommets on some one gallon plastic juice bottle caps. Then you end up with a blow-off bottle with a grommet for a 1/4” ID blow off hose pushed down a couple of inches from the bottom of the bottle and a grommet for a wine bubbler. No liquid suck-back, only CO2.

I just did the latter. Working great.

 

[Hawkbox]

Hell that could work, any chance you could take a picture? I'm having trouble imagining it.

I have a Fermonster and I'm running into this issue right now.

 

[Group W]

Or maybe use a #10 two-hole stopper in your existing Fermonster lid, cane in one hole and a piece of tubing in the other.

 

[Hawkbox]

Oh yeah I never thought of a 2 hole stopper. That's a good initial idea. Though I'm still super curious about what you did to yours.

 

[Group W]

I don’t have solid Fermonster lids yet but the idea would be similar to how I handle blow-off.

 

[Group W]

I’m still using an auto siphon for transfers.

 

[J A]

Those work great. I've used mine to pressure-transfer when I didn't want to lift the carboy and stir things up as well as completely doing away with O2 exposure.

 

[Hawkbox]

Ah yeah interesting, I kind of Jerry rigged this one up. It works but it isn't pretty.

 

[Group W]

Can you push the beer out with CO2? I assume that’s what JA is referring to.

I like it. Makes one less heavy lift out of the chest freezer.

 

[J A]

Can you push the beer out with CO2?

Yep! That orange thing needs to be held on, though and you need to do some plumbing to hook it up to the CO2, but it works quite well. You have to be aware that you're pressurizing a glass vessel, so care needs to be taken. As long as you're not lifting the liquid to a much higher elevation, the pressure required to push the weight of the liquid won't be a problem. I've gone from carboy sitting on the floor to one sitting on a furniture dolly with no problem.
I think you could probably lift from the floor to a low table, but remember that the differential level and therefore the weight you're pushing is dependent on the level of the top of the liquid, not where the hoses are. As the liquid being pushed out goes lower, the liquid level in the receiving vessel rises and the weight and required pressure increases as you go.

 

[Nosybear]

I use the CO2 to start the siphon. Siphon is a simple stainless tube, kinked, with a foot on it. Easy to clean, easy to sanitize. Once the
CO2 starts it, I can either let it flow to "blanket" the beer or shut it off and remove the tube.