Spigot

I know this is a completely amateur question,

Could someone tell me what the spigot on a fermenting bucket is actually for?

As all the yeast settles to the bottom I can't figure out what it is for.

As I siphoned out of the primary into a keg, I thought the only use it would have is for taking small samples for hydrometer readings....

Also, by taking samples out in this way, does it cause a lower pressure inside the bucket? I thought this was why I never saw any bubbles as any CO2 that was given off would be re-establish pressure equilibrium.

If it's got a spigot, it's most likely a bottling bucket. If there is one in your primary, it's used for transfers. It's very easy to move the contents to a secondary with a spigot, but you need to be careful about sanitation.

But wouldn't all the sediment on the bottom come through the tap? I used a siphon because I thought I would get a lot of sediment come through into the keg.

Your spigot should be about an inch or so above the very bottom of your bucket,so most of the sediment should be below this. Sometimes with a lot of flocculating, the yeast cake will be above the spigot and some will get transferred to either your secondary or your bottling bucket, but when you transfer to bottling from secondary there will be less. It's really not a problem unless you like your beer really clear. You can spray some Starsan in the spigot to sanitize.

strangecarr said:

But wouldn't all the sediment on the bottom come through the tap?

Click to expand...

I agree. Although the spigot usually tends to be raised a good inch off the bottom, I still find that more sediment is transfered from my primary than I would like. I would always go with a siphon when transfering from primary to secondary. However, I find a bucket with a spigot completley essential for bottling. I would not be able to live with out my bottling bucket!

I always use a siphon whenever I rack, even if there is a spigot on the fermenter. It keeps it less "stirred up" in my opinion, even if the opening is a bit above the trub.

yeah, it should avoid most of the trub/sediment, but I still use a non-spigot bucket for primary.

I love the auto-siphon, so the spigot bucket is only for bottling days. keg'd beer comes directly from secondary (carboy)