Ferment in bottling bucket

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new2brew1221

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Does anyone use their bottling bucket to do primary in? My thought was that if it is in there for three weeks or so, I could open the spout to get samples to check FG. Has anyone tried this, does it work?
 
If your bottling bucket has a tight lid and you're sure the spout doesn't leak then it might work. Depending on the amount of sediment you get, though, you might not do well getting samples through the spout.
 
new2brew1221 said:
Does anyone use their bottling bucket to do primary in? My thought was that if it is in there for three weeks or so, I could open the spout to get samples to check FG. Has anyone tried this, does it work?

Sure, lots of people do. In fact some people have spigots on all their buckets so they never have to worry about having a bucket with a spigot available.
 
I do it all the time with no issues. The one thing you should do is to take the spigot apart and clean/sanitize beforehand. You probably do this already, but I wanted to reiterate. I put a carboy wedge under the bucket on the spigot side a day prior to racking so the yeast settles down away from the spigot.
 
only problem I can see is mixing in your priming sugar and getting it evenly mixed being that it would be added on top instead of bottom
 
I've done it in a pinch, but the trub was over the level of the spigot so I still took samples the same way, and still racked the beer. If your spigot is higher up than mine is, it would work.

The only thing I'd be super conscious about at this time of year is fruitflies. Once you open the spigot, you'll get some dried beer inside the spigot and if you have any fruitflies, they'll head right for that spot. Since fruitflies tend to carry aceterobacter (among other things) they are my greatest enemy in the summer. We have a garden and always have tomatoes and things in the house and seem to always get some fruitflies this time of year.
 
All of my fermenters have spigots. The spigot is high enough to clear trub. They are mostly ale pail bottling buckets. I like the spigot because I like gravity to work for me, and not fight it with a siphon. One tip though. To test gravity, on the first test I dump the first, and occasionally the second, sample to clear sediment from the spigot. After that tests are clear.
 
Do any of you use a swamp cooler and have the spigot totally underwater? I'm brewing tomorrow and would like to use my bottling bucket for primary if possible since my actual primary's tied up.

I'm thinking about removing the spigot and sanitizing, cleaning/sanitizing the bucket, putting Star-San in the swamp cooler itself, and wrapping the spigot with Saran wrap and rubberbands.

Think I'll be ok?

Thanks
 
I used my bottling bucket as a primary for years when I first started out and never had a problem.
Had to transfer to secondary so I could use the primary for bottling, but it always worked out great.
 
Do any of you use a swamp cooler and have the spigot totally underwater? I'm brewing tomorrow and would like to use my bottling bucket for primary if possible since my actual primary's tied up.

I'm thinking about removing the spigot and sanitizing, cleaning/sanitizing the bucket, putting Star-San in the swamp cooler itself, and wrapping the spigot with Saran wrap and rubberbands.

Think I'll be ok?

Thanks

Just put the fermentor in a trash bag, then put the trash bag in the swamp cooler. You still have temperature flow but no liquid contact.
 
Just put the fermentor in a trash bag, then put the trash bag in the swamp cooler. You still have temperature flow but no liquid contact.

...hmmm, good idea. almost, too good
desismileys_6529.gif
 
I've done it in a pinch, but the trub was over the level of the spigot so I still took samples the same way, and still racked the beer. If your spigot is higher up than mine is, it would work.

The only thing I'd be super conscious about at this time of year is fruitflies. Once you open the spigot, you'll get some dried beer inside the spigot and if you have any fruitflies, they'll head right for that spot. Since fruitflies tend to carry aceterobacter (among other things) they are my greatest enemy in the summer. We have a garden and always have tomatoes and things in the house and seem to always get some fruitflies this time of year.

Im sure you know this, but just incase you dont or for others.

Put a bit of Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar into a bowl and then a few drops of dish soap and stir it up a bit...then sit back and watch the fruit flies commit suicide...they love the vinegar but the soap breaks the surface tension so they cant float on it, they subsequently drown.

I had a bunch yesterday, literally probably like 25 from something i left out and forgot about...next day just a bowl filled with vinegar and dead flies ..

Good to put around anywhere you have your beer stuff, they will go for it first since its so easy.
 
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