need to cut cost on bottling bucket

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irishrover32

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well im just gettin back into brewing and im gonna do a milk stout extract brew, problem is im strapped for cash and my budget wont stretch to a bottling bucket. i can only afford a fermentation bucket, iv got a simple syphon already so my plan is to syphon the beer from the fermentation bucket directly to the bottles using my simple syphon and a bottle filling stick. obviously this is not ideal but what negatives can i expect and is this a viable plan?
 
It is certainly a viable plan. You will probably get a good deal of sediment in the bottles though. I would cold crash for at least a few days.
 
Why not just use a sanitized Home Depot or lowes bucket? They are cheap and the beer wouldn't be in contact long enough to leach anything from them I don't think anyways
I have used them before and didnt notice any ill effects
 
You will have a hard time mixing in the priming solution without stirring up lots of sediment. I would assume you have a kettle or large pot you used to boil the beer...you could siphon half of the beer into the sanitized pot and add half of the priming solution and bottle that and then repeat the process for the other half.
 
Starting and stopping the siphon may also be an issue. May be risking aeration.
 
well im just gettin back into brewing and im gonna do a milk stout extract brew, problem is im strapped for cash and my budget wont stretch to a bottling bucket. i can only afford a fermentation bucket, iv got a simple syphon already so my plan is to syphon the beer from the fermentation bucket directly to the bottles using my simple syphon and a bottle filling stick. obviously this is not ideal but what negatives can i expect and is this a viable plan?

Bucket from Home Depot = $3
Spigot from LHBS = $3

Total cost = $6

If you're so strapped for cash that you can't afford $6, I'd highly suggest you not spend money on a luxury like beer. Focus on food and shelter.
 
Why not buy a bottling bucket and ferment in that..

Will get some sediment in the brew, but looks like the is the case anyway..
 
DAMN!! the priming sugar forgot all about that back to the drawing board, i might have a look at some cheap buckets. i actually have a fermentation butcket but its been around a while and im worried about the scratches on it
 
DAMN!! the priming sugar forgot all about that back to the drawing board, i might have a look at some cheap buckets. i actually have a fermentation butcket but its been around a while and im worried about the scratches on it

If its scratched on the inside, I would go ahead and toss it.. that's begging for issues..

Will be be infected? Not a guarantee..

Is the chance significantly higher? You bet ya sweet ass..


For me, it wouldn't be worth the risk..


A lot of Chinese restaurants around me give away free soy sauce buckets.. you know its poured and nothing is scraped out of them.. maybe you can check locally and see if you can find a similar deal..
 
I agree with the above comments that you are going to have a hard time mixing the priming sugar. Do you not have any container in the house that you could sanitize? It doesn't even have to hold the whole 5 gal. do it in batches.

Plus, you'll probably spill a lot and make a bit of a mess.

You could find a local restaurant or bakery and ask for a 5 gal container. But honestly, you'll spend more than $6 in gas running around town. Buy an HD pail.
 
See if u can get an adjustable dip tube for that as well.. if u can angle it above the sediment and then just adjust it as you get towards the bottom, that will def help keep some of the excess trub out.

And a cold crash for a few days would also be highly recommended.

How were u planning on priming? A solution or the tabs?
 
I have bottled straight from a carboy, using an extra carboy as a mixing vessel for priming sugar and then siphoning into the bottling wand. I have also done it using my boil kettle as a makeshift bucket which has similar problems.

Here's my experience:

1. It is possible.
2. It is an extreme PITA because the siphon has a tendency to break often when liquid isn't flowing.
3. When the siphon breaks you have to start a new siphon. It is very difficult to start a new siphon with an auto-siphon in one hand and a bottling wand in the other. The wand has to be in a bottle for liquid to flow and the siphon won't start if it isn't (you won't be able to pump the auto-siphon.) If you don't keep a grip on the bottling wand it will flop all over the place while you are trying to work the auto-siphon and knock the bottle over and then you can't start a siphon. So you have to simultaneously hold the wand in the bottle with one hand while using the other hand to work the auto-siphon (which is very hard to do one-handed).

If you are going to try to do this straight from the fermentation bucket I think you're better off forgetting it. There is no way you'll be able to adequately mix the priming sugar without disturbing all your sediment. Like PistolaPete said you're better off using your boil kettle as a second makeshift bucket.

But if I could go back and bottle those beers again, I would just dig deep in the couch cushions and buy a bottling bucket rather than cheaping out and trying to make do. Both of those batches turned out crap - partially from brewing mistakes and partially out of heavy oxidation from my terrible bottling process. A bottling bucket is 20 bucks, max. Are you sure you can't afford it?
 
ok plan B, im gonna try barter with the shop assistant to throw one in free :p im spending enough money and will be a good future customer ha ha lets hope it works
 
Where do you live? you could always team up with another brewer as well... i'd be more then happy to share my equipment if you're by my area
 
How about using your kettle?

I use the HD bucket + spigot option. You have to cut the hole yourself, which can be a pain if you don't have the right sized drill bit on hand.
 
I do *not* recommend what I am now about to recommend.

Put a teaspoon of sugar into each bottle and siphon beer onto it. Measuring a teaspoon of sugar is a pain in the ass but if you can spring a few more cents you can get a box of sugar cubes and put a sugar cube in each bottle. Siphoning without a bottle wand is a pain so a $4.50 bottling wand is a *huge* life-simplifier. They are fantastic.
 
Just an idea...if you're doing a 5g batch, you could probably cut it down to 2.5g and use the savings to pay for the bottling bucket. Yeah, that's less beer this time, but you'll be happier in the future.

This is assuming you're brewing extract, which, since this is in the beginner's forum, and you don't have a bottling bucket yet, you probably are.
 
Why not buy a bottling bucket and ferment in that..

Will get some sediment in the brew, but looks like the is the case anyway..

^This. I use one bucket. It is a bottling bucket and I'll ferment in that and then use the spigot to either pour into my corny kegs or bottles. If I am doing natural carbonation then I will add the boiled and cooled priming sugar in the bottling bucket. Gently stir and let it sit for about 30 min then bottle. I've never had a problem with this technique.
 
Where do you live? you could always team up with another brewer as well... i'd be more then happy to share my equipment if you're by my area

cheers buddy but im across the ocean in Ireland

I do *not* recommend what I am now about to recommend.

Put a teaspoon of sugar into each bottle and siphon beer onto it. Measuring a teaspoon of sugar is a pain in the ass but if you can spring a few more cents you can get a box of sugar cubes and put a sugar cube in each bottle. Siphoning without a bottle wand is a pain so a $4.50 bottling wand is a *huge* life-simplifier. They are fantastic.

HMMM i never thought of sugar cubes thats not a bad idea

^This. I use one bucket. It is a bottling bucket and I'll ferment in that and then use the spigot to either pour into my corny kegs or bottles. If I am doing natural carbonation then I will add the boiled and cooled priming sugar in the bottling bucket. Gently stir and let it sit for about 30 min then bottle. I've never had a problem with this technique.

how much sediment did you get in your beers?

there all great suggestions and im very thankful for all the help, ill see can i swindle one from my LHBS, if not ill be using one of these great suggestions. ill keep you posted on how it goes

cheers
 
Starting and stopping the siphon may also be an issue. May be risking aeration.

It doesnt, use a bottling wand.

You start the siphon once, then the siphon starts whenever you push the bottle wand to the bottom of your bottles.

Just dont bring the bottle wand above the fermenter and the siphon will hold.
 
Why don't you just stick that fermentation bucket in a nice dark, cool place somewhere and let it sit until you can afford a bottling bucket?

Presto! No more problems and your beer will be clearer for the patience shown.

I left my first milk-oatmeal stout, racked over vanilla beans, in my secondary fermentor for freaking ages. (Ok, about 2 months)

I still have a 12 pack of it, It was so good I wanted to hide some and see if it got better with age. My brother sniffs it out every time his ornery arse comes over!
 
Why don't you just stick that fermentation bucket in a nice dark, cool place somewhere and let it sit until you can afford a bottling bucket?

Presto! No more problems and your beer will be clearer for the patience shown.

I left my first milk-oatmeal stout, racked over vanilla beans, in my secondary fermentor for freaking ages. (Ok, about 2 months)

I still have a 12 pack of it, It was so good I wanted to hide some and see if it got better with age. My brother sniffs it out every time his ornery arse comes over!

i think your right, my cash flow issue should be sorted in the next few weeks but its my first brew in so long the wait is gonna kill me :(
 
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