[color=blue]
> ... I got a
> siphoning tube with the kit but the fermenting barrel also has a tap at
> the bottom; which should I use for tranferring the beer to bottles (and
> why?).[/color]

First, go read thru that section at:
[url]http://www.howtobrew.com/[/url]
That's a great resource and more detailed than I can be here...
especially this summary page for bottling:
[url]http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter1-3.html[/url]
Chapter 11 details all the steps.

Second, the vast majority of folks bottle by:
1. Boiling a small amount of water with their priming sugar.
2. Pouring that priming mixture into a "bottling bucket."
3. Transferring their beer into the bottling bucket (mixing
their priming sugar and beer together.) This transfer
is either via a spigot or siphon.
4. Bottling from the bottling bucket. If it has a spigot, use
it, if not, use the siphon.

Another note... the bucket with spigot is usually the bottling bucket.
A typical ferment might go like:
* Put wort into primary fermenter (bottling bucket is ok)
for about 2 weeks.
* Transfer into secondary fermenter (often doesn't have a
spigot), this will free up the bottling bucket.
Also about 2 weeks. Secondary will allow the beer to
clear a lot.
* Siphon from secondary back into bottling bucket with priming
solution. Bottle using the spigot.
If you don't have two fermenters, you have to do things a little
differently. Some folks actually bottle out of their primary and add
individual doses of sugar to each bottle... but measurement is tricky
that way and you'll get a lot of sediment into the bottles.

[color=blue]
> Also, if siphoning, what is the technique? do you ensure the bottom of
> the siphoning tube is just under the top of the beer in the barrel or
> near the bottom?[/color]

When I siphon, I attach the tube to a "racking cane" on the end for the
source. I fill the tube and cane with water, then put the cane under
the beer and let it flow into the empty bucket. The cane bottom can go
down near the bottom of the source. Just don't suck up all the dregs in
the bottom. Before I had a racking cane, I just used the tube without
problems - the cane is just a little easier. There are also clips
available that will hold that in place - and large paper clamps might
work too.

The destination tube end should stay below the surface so that there
isn't too much splashing.

Derric