Crazy Question! (bottle bucket)

I have a bottling bucket, with lid, hole for blow-off and a spigot. My glass carboy is being used atm. Can I use a bucket that has a spigot as a primary? I didn't know if it would end up leaking over the weeks it will take to ferment or not.

And this is the crazy question, I have NEVER used anything but a carboy to ferment in. I cant seem to get the bucket lid on, do you need to hammer it on with a rubber mallet or something?

Thanks!

You could.

Yep, sometime the lids are tough to seal but for primary fermentation it doesn't really need to seal.

All my buckets have spigots on them. That way I don't have to siphon, just hook up a hose and drain.Some Better Bottles come with ports for these. Never had a problem yet.As far as the lid, I put them on the floor and work the lid on using my knee sometimes.

I use buckets, but it depends on the size. Mine are 7.9 and 6 gallon buckets so I have head space. If it is just a 5 gallon bucket, you will have to use a blow off tube with it.

yeah buckets are the **** man! Spigots save a ton of time and money. Just get use bigger ones (mine are 8.5 gal) so you have plenty of head room so you don't need a blow-off tube.

I'm not a fan of primarys with a spigot...one more piece that has to be removed, cleaned, sanitized, and reinstalled before you fill.
and on all the bottling buckets I've owned, its always too low and you dump a cup of yeast cake when you open the spigot.

some buckets I hear have it higher...those work better if you don't mind the spigot cleaning deal.

Yeah,but I switched to an 8 gal fermenter since the same time invested to do 5 gal. I drilled the spigot hole about an 1 1/2" from bottom which seems to work out okay. A lot depends on how your yeast does, I have used a 6.5 gal. for a 5 gal batch that blew the air lock off so I always use a blow off hose. I've also had about 4" of trub in my primary using the same yeast in a 5 gal. batch. It all has a lot variables.

All my buckets also have spigots but I installed all of them a little higher to avoid the yeast and i also use some for wine and didnt want the grape skins getting stuck in there.

Thanks for the tips guys! I feel better now that I can just sanatize and use it, this is the first time I will have two batches fermenting at once!

I have a spigot on my bottling bucket - I just chucked some sanitizer into the bucket and then opened the tap and let it flow through. I should probably take the tap off and soak the whole thing in sanitizer though, maybe...

Do you guys remove the tap and sanitize, or leave it on the bucket?

ashbyp said:

I have a spigot on my bottling bucket - I just chucked some sanitizer into the bucket and then opened the tap and let it flow through. I should probably take the tap off and soak the whole thing in sanitizer though, maybe...

Do you guys remove the tap and sanitize, or leave it on the bucket?

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I remove mine before I use it for a bottling bucket! It comes off easy and I let it soak in starsan for a few minutes.

What do you guys use in your blow off container? Just tap water?