Bucket spigot Issues

I've been using the "standard" red and white spigots (some are blue) in my bottling buckets for both my wine and beer efforts. I've never really known how to effectively clean these things so I replace them periodically. Many (30 - 40%) of the new replacements leak at various places within the valve (not the seal to the bucket). This has been a point of frustration for obvious reasons. I will say however, when one doesn't leak, it never does.

Now back to my main concern. How do you guys clean these things?

I hear they can be disassembled but how? I'd like to continue to use the ones that don't leak but some of these have brew inside the rotating part of the valve (not the valve itself). This cannot be a good thing so how does one clean this?

The only disassembly I know of is undoing the nut and removing it from the bucket. I do that, run hot water through it, and soak it in Star San before and after each use.

I expect to have to replace it someday, and I'm dismayed that nobody has a bottling spigot they actually like.

I soak mine in oxyclean for a bit. A few minutes with the valve closed and a few with the valve open cleans it well. Then a soak in sanitizer and I've never had a problem with contamination

I did find some folks that break theirs down.

Actually it's easy. Soak for a couple of minutes in hot water and push on the colored valve spigot tip against a hard surface and it pops out. You can do the same to separate the rotating body from the threaded end but you need to use a wooden dowel or something which fits through the body bore to push against the top half.

I was surprised to see the amount of crud which was actually on the inside of the body. I clean these like most of you by removing from the bucket but no way was I having any effect on the matter inside the body. Frankly I didn't know it was there.

I have been chasing an infection and this is the only thing I've found in my searching which could explain my problem.

The pieces do snap back together easily. I guess there is a question as to how long the valve will continue to function as it should if it is being disassembled frequently. Guess I'll find out since there's no way I'm moving forward without disassembling these things for cleaning.

Sudz said:

I did find some folks that break theirs down.

Actually it's easy. Soak for a couple of minutes in hot water and push on the colored valve spigot tip against a hard surface and it pops out. You can do the same to separate the rotating body from the threaded end but you need to use a wooden dowel or something which fits through the body bore to push against the top half.

I was surprised to see the amount of crud which was actually on the inside of the body. I clean these like most of you by removing from the bucket but no way was I having any effect on the matter inside the body. Frankly I didn't know it was there.

I have been chasing an infection and this is the only thing I've found in my searching which could explain my problem.

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Yep, I had 2 infected batches in a row when I was still bottling. Sample tasted great on bottling day, but 3+ weeks in the bottle and the were awful. Finally narrowed it down to my bottling spigot, which at the time, I didn't know you could disassemble.

hoppedupbrewer said:

Finally narrowed it down to my bottling spigot, which at the time, I didn't know you could disassemble.

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Did you ever have any issues with taking these things apart and putting them back together? Did they hold up okay to the disassembling?

Sudz said:

Did you ever have any issues with taking these things apart and putting them back together? Did they hold up okay to the disassembling?

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It's plastic, so they have a finite life, but the one I'm using now is probably close to 2 years old, and it gets taken apart at least a couple times a month. They're only ~$3, so I keep an extra on hand in case one decides to spring a leak on me.

Sounds like a plan... Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks for the info. I never could see how to dissassemble this one. I have another spigot that does easily come apart that I use for the most part but I'd like to be able to use the wine spout, as they call it

dfaridoni said:

Thanks for the info. I never could see how to dissassemble this one. I have another spigot that does easily come apart that I use for the most part but I'd like to be able to use the wine spout, as they call it

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Crap. I've been getting a few gushers randomly and I had no idea the spigot could be taken down farther than popping off the washers and nut.

Guess I'll drink fast. Once again HBT is a great resource. Thanks all.

I've been breaking those spigots down for a couple years now, and cleaning them with oxy-clean. I actually store them in pieces. When I need them, I just star san them, and snap 'em back together.

Getting them apart:
1. Remove spigot from bucket
2. Rest body of spigot on the edge of a table with the actual valve-shaft hanging off
3. Make sure the lever is pointed at the floor, and the opening is pointed up
4. Grip the body tightly, and give the valve-shaft decent whack with a rubber mallet. The sucker should pop right out
5. Grip the spigot body in your hand firmly
6. Insert your newly freed valve shaft in the cylindrical slot in which it used to reside
7. Pry away from the body until the outer cap snaps off

You should now have a fully disassembled spigot. If you've used it, you should now know why you should take them apart, when you see all the gunk sitting inside, waiting to infect your beer.

To re-assemble, just snap the parts back together, this should be relatively easy, but might take a bit of doing if the spigot is really new, or if your environment is cold.
Warming the spigot in water, helps both disassembly and reassembly go easier, but i've never really needed to do it.

My spigots have each been broken down at least 20 times, and I've never had one break, nor has the wear ever caused leaks.

The 2 piece white spigots have less of a leak problem and are much easier to disassemble and clean. The 3 piece clear and red plastic are a real pain. Both must be completely dissasembeled and cleaned / sanatised.

killsurfcity said:

I've been breaking those spigots down for a couple years now, and cleaning them with oxy-clean. I actually store them in pieces. When I need them, I just star san them, and snap 'em back together.

Getting them apart:
1. Remove spigot from bucket
2. Rest body of spigot on the edge of a table with the actual valve-shaft hanging off
3. Make sure the lever is pointed at the floor, and the opening is pointed up
4. Grip the body tightly, and give the valve-shaft decent whack with a rubber mallet. The sucker should pop right out
5. Grip the spigot body in your hand firmly
6. Insert your newly freed valve shaft in the cylindrical slot in which it used to reside
7. Pry away from the body until the outer cap snaps off

You should now have a fully disassembled spigot. If you've used it, you should now know why you should take them apart, when you see all the gunk sitting inside, waiting to infect your beer.

To re-assemble, just snap the parts back together, this should be relatively easy, but might take a bit of doing if the spigot is really new, or if your environment is cold.
Warming the spigot in water, helps both disassembly and reassembly go easier, but i've never really needed to do it.

My spigots have each been broken down at least 20 times, and I've never had one break, nor has the wear ever caused leaks.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this. I have the red spigot and boy was there slime in mine. Came apart really easy with your step by step. Shorter than the time I spent looking for a rubber mallet (I used the back of my cordless drill!)

I was having some issues with my quality and realized last night that I could actually remove my spigot and take a look at it. Sure enough it was dirty. Just has to be a breeding ground for bugs. Anyone have concerns that an infection from the spigot could creep into the bucket? I don't ferment in it so I am guessing the bucket will be fine.

I have one that's about a year old and one that is three years old. Never disassembled it to clean, I just run hot water through while opening and closing it and sanitize, then do the same before reuse.

I haven't had any problems with leaking.

ReverseApacheMaster said:

I have one that's about a year old and one that is three years old. Never disassembled it to clean, I just run hot water through while opening and closing it and sanitize, then do the same before reuse.

I haven't had any problems with leaking.

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Tic... tic... tic... just a matter of time

Do the red and clear ones come with some lubricant in them? I got some new ones and one seemed full of something the consistency of petroleum jelly (if I remember correctly). Is the grime people are finding possibly lube?

Solid white one here. 10 or so batches in and never had a leak.

tennesseean_87 said:

Do the red and clear ones come with some lubricant in them? I got some new ones and one seemed full of something the consistency of petroleum jelly (if I remember correctly). Is the grime people are finding possibly lube?

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I don't know about the lube, possibly some do have it. However, what I've found in several occasions definitely isn't lube. It's easy to tell you have bad stuff in there when you find it. Most of my spigots have not been a problem. Unfortunately you can't tell without openning them which ones are a problem and which are not.

Agree with all that has been posted (except not cleaning them for 3 years). I use the all white ones and they come apart easily. I also replace my spigots periodically - they are cheap and not worth the risk if they are getting old IMO.

In fact, I take it a step further - I use bottling buckets for my fermenters - makes yeast harvesting spectacularly easy - think really cheap conical.

I disassemble the spigot after use, pbw, starsan and put away taken apart. When it is time to use them, I put the bucket and disassembled spigot in a tub I keep my starsan in while I am brewing. Probably sits in there 30 min. I reassemble the spigot under water and put it in the bucket underwater. Turn Bucket upside down for a time to get starsan on top half of bucket. As beer is chilling - resubmerge the spigot part, swirl starsan around one last time, lean bucket upside down on counter against the wall. Close spigot. Put plastic baggie over spigot with twist tie to keep things out during fermentation period. (some spigots need to be turned slightly so they don't hit floor when bucket is sitting flat.)

On bottling day, set bucket on counter. Take baggie off - spray spigot thoroughly with starsan just in case. Attach tubing to drain into keg. Take airlock out. Drain. Have mason jar in star san. Swirl up yeast from bottom of bucket and drain into a mason jar or two through the spigot. Cap, label and put in fridge. Disassemble bottling bucket. Clean and repeat.

I've had a few batches start to get overcarbed after a few months in bottles. I think it's 4 batches total to date. It's usually not an issue since I can throw the last few bottles in the fridge since that's all that's left, but I'd like to prevent this as much as possible, especially when brewing bigger beers that will need a good bit of age before consumption.