5 Gallon Brewing and bottling buckets

ok here is my question. Im sorry if it might be stupid! I was able to get my hands on two 5 Gallon buckets from the local bakery. They get there cake frosting in them. They are really nice 5 gallon buckets with plastic lids with a rubber seal. I am guessing that because they were used to hold cake frosting that they are food grade and safe to use..

The question is after cleaning them out can I use them as my brewing buckets??? Im trying to save the money it will cost to buy two 6.5 Gallon buckets. Is there enough room to brew in these (are they big enough to do 5 gallon batches) and can I simply buy an air lock and cut my own hole in the lid??? I would also like to buy a tap and fit the other one for bottling... Can I do this???

Thanks

I don't think your going to want to try to ferment 5 gallons of beer in a 5 gallon container, that's gonna get messy real fast. As long as they are the proper food grade I believe you can use them without worry. Alternatively you can brew 3-4 gallon batches...

As magnj suggests, you'd need more than an airlock...blowoff hose would be needed for 5 gallon batch in 5 gallon bucket, and then you'd lost a couple quarts. Also, even if they're clean, you could have problems if the interiors of the buckets are scratched up.

Since you dont have enough headspace for beer do what I did. Go to the LHBS and buy a 50 cent grommet. Drill a hole in the lid with a 7/16 drillbit and add an airlock. Go to the wine section and look for yooperbrews welches grape juice wine and simply make 4 gallons instead of 1. It works out well because with 4 gallons you simply add 5 pounds of sugar so not much calculating. The wine turns out excellent, I made it for Christmas gifts and everyone I gave a bottle to was very impressed. It yeilded 18 bottles.

Get a couple more and only put 2.5 to 3 gallons in each to ferment. It's a good way to save some money until you can get larger buckets.

I used to brew 3.5 gal batches in discount store buckets but the extra cost of the yeast and the x-tra clean up outweighed it for me.The cheapest 6.5 gal buckets are from morebeer or midwest supplies.(around 8 or 9 bucks)

Sorry I just started another thread because I was not sure how to find an old one I had posted.. I found it and wanted to know if I could brew a normal 5 Gal. batch and then split it up to ferment in these two buckets.. I know they are not scratch because they use a rubber spatula to get the frostong out (they are from a bakery)... If I can brew the 5 Gal. Batch and split it up how would the yeast work.. would I add the yeast to each bucket after I split it up??? Thanks

I don't think there is any problem splitting your brew into two batches in two fermenters. You'll have lots of head room in the buckets, but your beer should be fine - the gas given off by the fermentation helps protect the beer from oxidation.

As for yeast, I would divide approximately in half between the buckets, but I suppose you could also pitch it directly in your brew pot (after it's cooled off).

I've never split a batch, so others with direct experience may come along with first-hand advice. Good luck,

Jim

BeerArchitect54 said:

Sorry I just started another thread because I was not sure how to find an old one I had posted.. I found it and wanted to know if I could brew a normal 5 Gal. batch and then split it up to ferment in these two buckets.. I know they are not scratch because they use a rubber spatula to get the frostong out (they are from a bakery)... If I can brew the 5 Gal. Batch and split it up how would the yeast work.. would I add the yeast to each bucket after I split it up??? Thanks

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You can split your yeast, or pitch 1 pack/vial into each. Either way will work fine.

My LHBS sells it's yeast in 15g packets which is good for 46L (10 Gallons). I usually split it into two by measure 7.5g out on my hop scale. You should be able to do the same with your regular size yeast packet!

OK so I took my 5 Gal buckets today and actually measured out what 5 Gal. would leave me for head room... It turns out that once I’ve poured my 5 Gal. Batch of beer into the bucket I’m left with about 1 1/4" of head room.. Is that enough space or do I need more room???? I am planning on drilling the lid and adding the airlock myself... How much head room is required for a batch of beer????

BeerArchitect54 said:

OK so I took my 5 Gal buckets today and actually measured out what 5 Gal. would leave me for head room... It turns out that once I’ve poured my 5 Gal. Batch of beer into the bucket I’m left with about 1 1/4" of head room.. Is that enough space or do I need more room???? I am planning on drilling the lid and adding the airlock myself... How much head room is required for a batch of beer????

Click to expand...

1 1/4" doesn't sound loke a lot of room. It sounds like the downstem of the airlock could get into the wort.