2 gallon HD Bucket Fermenter

[njs170]

After doing a lot of research on here. I choose to go with the cheap 2 gallon Home depot bucket for my little experimental batches. Many people reported not getting an air tight seal with the lid. So I took some plastic wrap and rolled it. Then put it in the space where the lid and bucket met. Then I drilled two holes and put two vinyl tubes in for blow off. (I used two tubes because I only have 1/4" tubes available at the time) Well I did a batch yesterday and within four hours the lid was puffed out and my blow off was bubbling for crazy!

 

[kombat]

Are those HD buckets rated food-safe?

 

[njs170]

Are those HD buckets rated food-safe?

Oh no you are going to start a huge debate! They are HDPE 2 plastic which means they should be food grade. The issue is sometime manufacturers don't use food grade plastic in the mix when recycled and remade into a bucket. Many people use these types of buckets and if you check out the buckets from your local brew shop they are the same plastic!

 

[kombat]

You're probably right, they're probably fine for fermentation, but I wouldn't use them to transfer any kind of hot liquid (strike water, boiling wort, etc.)

 

[Fordzilla]

Cool, I've been looking for something to use for small batches. I have some 1 gallon glass jugs, but to account for headspace I would have to brew 3/4 gallon batches or something. With those buckets, I think I could brew up ~1.5 gallon stovetop batches.

 

[Rivenin]

if those are the same ones i've bought from home depot, they have a "food safe" or something or other sticker on them. or a thing on thebottom? thats why i bought them.

 

[JUST_BREW_IT]

Cool, I've been looking for something to use for small batches. I have some 1 gallon glass jugs, but to account for headspace I would have to brew 3/4 gallon batches or something. With those buckets, I think I could brew up ~1.5 gallon stovetop batches.

I went to my local walmart and bought some sealable food grade 5 gallon buckets from their bakery. They get their icing shipped to them in these buckets and had tons of them. They sold them to me for $1 a piece. Go check them out.

 

[kombat]

I went to my local walmart and bought some sealable food grade 5 gallon buckets from their bakery. They get their icing shipped to them in these buckets and had tons of them. They sold them to me for $1 a piece. Go check them out.

Heh, I did the same thing, but in the bakery section of my grocery store, and they just gave me one for free. I use it to hold my StarSan.

 

[natefrog255]

Now I'm p*ssed I got rid of my Mr. Beer kegs. Ugh.