Do I really need a bottling bucket?

Hi guys,

I realize the impulse answer will be "yes, of course you do", but hear me out...

My fermenter has a spigot installed. If I transfer my beer to a bucket before bottling, surely the same amount of sediment would end up in the bucket and then in the bottles as it would if I just bottled directly from the fermenter spigot?

I know adding priming sugar stirs up sediment, but I will be priming in the bottles with handy carbonation drops.

So why should I use a bottling bucket? It seems like this is a step I can skip. This is my first brew btw, and it's looking good.

Thanks all

My only issue would be adding priming sugar, but if you're not using sugar I think you'll be fine.

Bottling priming a whole 5G batch is a PITA in my opinion and deprives you the ability to adjust the carbonation to the style and your taste.

Using a bottling bucket also makes it much easier to use a wand.

They're cheap. Why not just get one and do it right?

Bottling bucket makes it a heck of a lot easier they are only like 10-15 bucks. Also the priming sugar would have to be gently stirred in which would kick up the settled sediment.

Philby said:

Hi guys,
My fermenter has a spigot installed. If I transfer my beer to a bucket before bottling, surely the same amount of sediment would end up in the bucket and then in the bottles as it would if I just bottled directly from the fermenter spigot?
Thanks all

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I buy this. I've never bottled from my fermenter, but there can be a LOT of sediment in a fermenter, and my bottle bucket is basically sediment free after I rack to it.

Bottom line; no, you don't really need a bottling bucket, but if you keep brewing you'll want one. It's not a step worth skipping.

hotspurdotus said:

I'm not sure I buy this. I've never bottled from my fermenter, but there can be a LOT of sediment in a fermenter, and my bottle bucket is basically sediment free after I rack to it.

Bottom line; no, you don't really need a bottling bucket, but if you keep brewing you'll want one. It's not a step worth skipping.

Click to expand...

Roger to that answer. I have almost NO trub in my bottling bucket when the beer is transfered carefully with my auto syphon.

Concise/direct answer>> You are using carb drops so no need for bottling bucket.

Less concise>> Carb drops suck. They over-carb in my opinion/preference. I have a spigot on my fermenters, too. If placed correctly (not pre-drilled but added by you) you will get little to no trub, and what trub does get into your bottling bucket will be left behind. Evenespecially when using a dip tube.

Nobody asked if you're using a Cooper's fermenter? They have what's called a "little bottler" bottling wand that ataches to the spigot to fill the bottles after adding the right number of carb drops. It sounds to me like maybe you have Cooper's DIY fermenter. True/false??

Philby said:

My fermenter has a spigot installed. If I transfer my beer to a bucket before bottling, surely the same amount of sediment would end up in the bucket and then in the bottles as it would if I just bottled directly from the fermenter spigot?

Click to expand...

No, only if you installed the spigot as close to the bottom of the bucket as possible. Picture sludge halfway up the opening of the spigot.
I initially resisted the BB idea, but am now a convert.

I've never had trub up past the level of the spigot. Even before I started straining into primary. The trub/yeast layer will compact down pretty good given time. Like 2-3 weeks on average. And that's the ones on my primary vessels. The spigot on my bottling bucket I installed a bit lower than those. I can tip the bottling bucket less,& get all but a couple TBSP out of it. Clear too.
But by th op's description,I thought maybe he has a Cooper's fermenter where you use the bottling wand that ataches to the spigot & carb drops.

No. Just use another fermentation bucket or carboy as your bottling vessel and your auto-siphon and bottling wand.

Can you bottle without one: yes
Would I: No way in hell
Go here for a good bottling tutorial.

It depends on your fermenter. The people saying no way, don't have a fermenter with a spigot. I received a few ported better bottles from my BIL with spigots. I really don't like using them, because even though I have used them several times, I still know one of these days they are going to leak and spill my precious beer.



That being said, the inside of the spigot has a tube that can be moved up or down. point it down the first few days (so it doesn't fill with sediment) then rotate it up. The yeast cake will compact under it, and you can bottle with it no problem, rotating down as you go to get all of the beer without any sediment. I keg, so bottling sugar isn't an issue.

Give it a shot and see if you need it. If not, you don't need it.

My guess is you will. I xfer out of my better bottle spigot to bottling bucket and do leave behind a significant amount of trub. Couldn't imagine all of that in my bottles. Gross

My primary fermenter is the Copper's DIY bucket. I bottled the first 3 or 4 batches right out of the fementer using the little bottler (wand). The first time wasn't so bad because I had the carb drops that came with the kit. After that I was measuring dextrose into the bottles. That was a pain in the ass.

I simply got another bucket style fermenter (no spigot), an auto siphon and a bottling wand. I find bulk priming easier but you do have a lot more gear to clean up on bottling day.

No you don't need a bottling bucket but it does have it's advantages.