Do you use the Spigot on a bottling bucket?

[Trokair]

So my equipment has arrived. I spent a few hours unpacking and organizing it all. While looking through my siphon equipment I realized that I have a bottle filler that attaches to my auto siphon and my bottling bucket has a spigot on it. Is there any reason to use the spigot or should I just add the prming sugar then fill the bottles with the auto siphon? Thanks for any input.

 

[GinSlinger]

You should be able to attach the bottling wand to the spigot via the supplied tubing. Using the spigot as such is much easier than bottling via siphon, in my experience. Plus, the spigots are usually located as to minimize trub transfer to the bottles.

 

[boomer135]

The hose attaches to the spigot on the bucket, and the bottle fillet on the hose. Then turn knob on spigot and fill your bottles!

 

[Clann]

Much easier to use the spigot. Cut about 2 inches of siphon hose and yse it to attach the bottling wand to the spigot. There are pictures on here somewhere, I think in reveys bottling sticky.

 

[SGFBeerBuzz]

I just detached the whole hose from the siphon and attached it to the bucket and wand. Now, I have buy siphon hoses for both periodically. It's easier to have a couple of feet of hose attached to the wand when bottling.

 

[MuchoGusto]

I ferment in a carboy for 2 weeks. I then use my auto siphon to transfer to my 5 gallon bottling bucket that has a spigot. I attach 3/8 tubing with bottle filler to the bucket. I generally set the bucket on top of the frig and fill away.

I would not attempt to bottle fill with an auto siphon directly from the primary. One cannot fill and control what the siphon is picking up when you get to the bottom if you are working by yourself.

 

[CGVT]

Read the sticky thread in the bottling/kegging section. There is a lot of good info there

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

I find it easier to have less hose and move the bottle to the wand rather than the wand to the bottle.

I just cut a 2 inch piece of hose to the spigot and attach the wand to that and then bottle over the open dishwasher door (just like in the thread). It works great and I have less of a mess to clean up after.

 

[Trokair]

I totally missed the bottling thread. I will read up. Thank you CGVT and the rest for the info.

 

[Jayhem]

I have a method going using the autosiphon with bottling wand, much faster than using the spigot.

1. Pour your dissolved priming sugar mixture into clean/sanitized bottling bucket.

2. Siphon your beer from fermenter into bottling bucket, being careful not to splash and hold the suction end of siphon off the bottom of fermenter so it won't pick up the yeast cake/trub. The siphoning action is enough to stir the priming sugar into the beer.

3. Sit bottling bucket on counter and sit below it on floor.

4. Line up your clean/sanitized bottles on your left

5. Simply bring bottles in front of you one at a time, fill with wand and pass to your right where your bottling buddy/wife/etc. caps them.

Using this method I can have an entire 5 gallon batch bottled and capped in about 15 minutes.

 

[J187]

I have a method going using the autosiphon with bottling wand, much faster than using the spigot.

1. Pour your dissolved priming sugar mixture into clean/sanitized bottling bucket.

2. Siphon your beer from fermenter into bottling bucket, being careful not to splash and hold the suction end of siphon off the bottom of fermenter so it won't pick up the yeast cake/trub. The siphoning action is enough to stir the priming sugar into the beer.

3. Sit bottling bucket on counter and sit below it on floor.

4. Line up your clean/sanitized bottles on your left

5. Simply bring bottles in front of you one at a time, fill with wand and pass to your right where your bottling buddy/wife/etc. caps them.

Using this method I can have an entire 5 gallon batch bottled and capped in about 15 minutes.

I really don't see how this is faster than using the spigot. It takes literally 15 seconds to pull the tube off the racking cane and stick it onto the spigot. Then, I have more control over the flow and I don't have to be as careful with moving the bottling wand around and disturbing the cane or tubing in the bottling bucket. Plus, having it attached to the spigot I can let it dangle free while prepping the next bottle/capping a few if alone.

 

[Hang Glider]

I've drilled out my spigot very carefully to match my wand (tight fit!) so I use no hoses. Just jam the wand into the spigot, hang the whole thing over the kitchen counter, over an open dishwasher door (filled with recently washed/sanitized bottles!) - easy peasy.

 

[Jayhem]

I really don't see how this is faster than using the spigot. It takes literally 15 seconds to pull the tube off the racking cane and stick it onto the spigot. Then, I have more control over the flow and I don't have to be as careful with moving the bottling wand around and disturbing the cane or tubing in the bottling bucket. Plus, having it attached to the spigot I can let it dangle free while prepping the next bottle/capping a few if alone.

Without a helper you are probably right on that but I always have been able to get someone to cap for me. I'll try the spigot next time...it's just such a pain to take apart and clean I've never wanted to use it a second time.

 

[J187]

Without a helper you are probably right on that but I always have been able to get someone to cap for me. I'll try the spigot next time...it's just such a pain to take apart and clean I've never wanted to use it a second time.

Cleaning and sanitizing should really just be as simple as filling with some B-Brite or whatever, sloshing, opening the spigot and draining. Same as sanitizing. I just fill up the bucket w/ starsan and drain it out through the open spigot. I imagine you may even have a little difficulty at the end of your batch with the last bottle siphoning, spigot is nice!!

 

[unionrdr]

It's not so bad. I soak my spigots,seals,& mounting lugs in a mug of PBW & clean them with an aquarium lift tube brush. Rinse,soak in starsan,& re-assemble. Check out my bottling video in my profile or on youtube. I can sit down with everything in arm's reach.