Spout leak on primary fermenter

Hey everybody, before I ask this question, this is my first batch. I am now aware that it is best to do primary fermentation in a container that doesn't have a spout at the bottom. I am also aware of my options for primary fermenters, so I don't need advice on what to do for my next batch. I just need some advice on what to do at this moment, and if my batch is in trouble or not.

In my kit, the primary fermenter doubles as a bottling bucket, since the lid has a pre-drilled hole with a rubber fitting for the airlock. I followed the directions and everything has been fermenting fine for the past 4 days. I get home from work today and notice that there is a leak where the spout meets the bucket. Now it's not Niagara falls by any means. It is more like a very slow ooze.

I planned in the event of an overflow, so I had a plastic trash bag underneath it to catch anything. The total amount of liquid to leave the fermenter is quite small, and in the area of .5 - 1oz. But a leak is still a leak.

My concern is that if something can leave the primary, contaminants can get in. The kit I have directs me to transfer into a secondary once fermentation has finished (I know many of you disagree, and that's fine, but that won't help me at this point). I haven't taken a hydrometer reading, but I'm pretty sure fermentation isn't done after 4 days, so I wasn't planning on transferring to the secondary yet.

If the leak is that slow, should I just let it be? or is there something I can do now to stop the leak that won't contaminate the beer at the same time. I know I can't use almost any sealant because they contain way too many harmful chemicals. It's small enough, I could honestly just make one pass with super glue and that would do it too, but again, super glue = chemicals. Do you guys have any ideas?

If it's that small, I wouldn't worry about chemicals... Superglue? Sure, if you have it.
They use superglue to glue up incisions in the OR these days. I don't think they'd be doing that if it was highly toxic. And since beer is coming out, I wouldn't worry about stuff getting in either.

Medical superglue and hardware store superglue aren't identical, but they are quite similar. It's definitely not something you would want to ingest, as it is an irritant to mucosal surfaces. That being said, it's a small amount on the outside of the fermenter, and I doubt any significant amount would get into the beer.

Worst comes to worst you could still rack into the secondary even though fermentation isn't completed and just pitch in some extra yeast, right?

aggiejay06 said:

Medical superglue and hardware store superglue aren't identical, but they are quite similar. It's definitely not something you would want to ingest, as it is an irritant to mucosal surfaces. That being said, it's a small amount on the outside of the fermenter, and I doubt any significant amount would get into the beer.

Worst comes to worst you could still rack into the secondary even though fermentation isn't completed and just pitch in some extra yeast, right?

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I'd have to disagree with you there... They're both cyanoacrylate, so as long as it's straight superglue with no special additives (is there even such a thing?),they're the same exact thing...

Now, I still wouldn't eat it obviously, that being said! lol

krazydave said:

I'd have to disagree with you there... They're both cyanoacrylate, so as long as it's straight superglue with no special additives (is there even such a thing?),they're the same exact thing...

Now, I still wouldn't eat it obviously, that being said! lol

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So if I superglue my landlord's eyes shut, he won't die?? Well, from the glue at least...

Cyanoacrylate vs. 2-octyl cyanoacrylate...quite similar, not identical. I doubt think the difference is relevant here, though.

At an old job I used to use a quick drying type of superglue...in a way maybe that would be good, but who knows what chemical they added to that to get it to dry quicker.

Try tightening the spout. I'm assuming it's a screw on - spout on the outside with a nut on the inside.

[Edit] Just twist the outside part. Don't put your hand in the bucket.

Wouldn't recommend that with beer inside! lol

I have noticed that if you just turn the outside part of the spout, without holding the inside (as long as it's mostly tight) it will tighten up more... Just make sure you turn it in the correct direction.

In the future I wouldn't use the bottling bucket to ferment a batch of beer in. Not sure what kit you got that told you to do it that way, but I wouldn't follow those directions in the future.

For the record, none of the kits I ever used said to ferment in the bottling bucket...

aggiejay06 said:

Cyanoacrylate vs. 2-octyl cyanoacrylate...quite similar, not identical. I doubt think the difference is relevant here, though.

At an old job I used to use a quick drying type of superglue...in a way maybe that would be good, but who knows what chemical they added to that to get it to dry quicker.

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Yarp, you be correct! My bad.
http://www.realfirstaid.co.uk/superglue/

Interesting to know, however it wouldn't stop me from using it in a pinch to close a gaping wound because the FDA hasn't approved it.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I used the hardware store stuff to close up gaping wounds. I sliced the ever living hell outta my thumb in the kitchen with a sharp knife...cut so deep it even went through my nail about a centimeter...closed it up with my superglue. It's all healed up with a nice scar.

So, to get this post back on topic, if it can close up my thumb and not kill me, I'm sure it can close up your fermenter and not kill you .

take a hydro reading, and rack to a 2ndary if you are worried about contamination coming in. I think 1 after 4 days you might actually have finishedmost if not all of the ferment. I also think it unlikely that you will get contamination coming in - because it is most likely that the drip is down, not on the up - and as Luis P showed, the bacteria falls in, it doesn't climb up.

But with that said, 1 it isn't my beer and 2 racking to the 2ndary now avoids that - I'd siphon if you are really worried.

So it's still leaking about the same amount, nothing has changed on that end. As far as the super-glue is concerned, I'm pretty sure it won't hurt me, I just don't want it to negatively effect the taste of my beer. Based on what you guys have said, I might just leave it alone, because I could do more harm than good trying to fix it.

I do plan on using different methods in the future. I'll probably ferment in the glass carboy I already have for a secondary and just leave it alone, because I've read about the good results some of you have had with that, and keep the bucket for bottling. And I forgot to put in the OP that this is the kit I have: Beginner Beer Making Kit , and I'm brewing a basic Amber Ale. So we shall see, the airlock still seems to have a minor amount of activity in it still, so I might just ride it out the next few days and see what happens, unless the leak gets worse, then I will rack it regardless of what the hydro says and re-pitch the yeast as some of you suggested.

nothing wrong with fermenting in a bottling bucket. I've fermented several hundred gallons all in bottling buckets and never had a problem. plus not having to siphon makes life easy. OP take the tap apart when its empty and clean the heck out of it, make sure you have a rubber gasket on both sides of the bucket. if you choose to ferment in it again next time make sure its super tight and rotate the tap so it faces upward, you'll have no more leeks

series70 said:

I do plan on using different methods in the future. I'll probably ferment in the glass carboy I already have for a secondary and just leave it alone, because I've read about the good results some of you have had with that, and keep the bucket for bottling.

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So I'm not a huge carboy user, I use a 5-gallon Better Bottle to secondary in on occasion, but I think it's typically a good idea to have a 6.5 gallon carboy for a primary fermenter (so you have enough headspace) but only a 5 gallon carboy as a secondary (so you have less headspace = less room for oxygen = less risk of oxidation). Not sure if blow-off tubing is enough to make a 5 gallon carboy suitable for primary fermentations. Highly dependent on gravity I'm sure.

Maybe someone who uses carboys confirm or deny this!

Yeah, you guys are right. I thought it was 6.5 gallon carboy, but it's a 5. I like the idea of the spout as long as it doesn't leak. Once the beer is transferred out, I'm debating adhering a rubber seal to the outside of the bucket since that won't touch the beer, and leave the rubber seal on the inside loose. On the bright side, I tasted a small bit of the leaked beer, and it didn't taste half bad and smelled pretty good too.

I didn't try twisting the spout in the event that it is cracked, possibly turning this small problem into a catastrophic one (not to mention messy). I'm going to take a reading tomorrow to see where it's at with fermentation. The place I got the recipe from told me that with the particular yeast and other ingredients they use for this ale, fermentation is almost always done in 5-7 days, but they always suggest you double check.

series70 said:

I'm debating adhering a rubber seal to the outside of the bucket since that won't touch the beer, and leave the rubber seal on the inside loose.

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Both seals go on the outside--none on the inside.

I ferment all my beer in spigoted buckets with no leaks.

To avoid any contamination issues, I pop the handle out of my spigots after fermentation, wash them, and then they soak in starsan (in pieces) until the next use.