5 gal bucket

[cyclonebeer]

OK, so in my neck of the woods, 5 gal food grade buckets are a dime a dozen (well, more like a buck apiece), but anything bigger is impossible to find. So as a new brewer, I'm trying to build an equipment spread on the cheap and I've scored these 5 gal buckets from the bakery,and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. A 5 gal bucket really holds about 5 1/2 gal brim full, so I put a gromet in the lid and declared it a primary fermenter. I brewed a pale ale today and put a 5 gal batch in my 5 gal bucket. I have about 1 1/2 to 2 in headspace. Fermentation should start to kick in in about an hour or so. Am I committing beer-a-cide by trying to fit that batch in that container? Am I asking for exploding beer-gasms? I've got a blow-off tube rigged up and the bucket is enclosed in a black plastic bag to contain any possible messes. Have I stepped on my d**k?

 

[enderwig]

I would keep a bucket of soapy water nearby to clean up the mess that is very nearly sure to happen! More power to ya, I'm all about cheap or free equipment

 

[Homercidal]

Nah, blow-off tube will be fine if it's big enough diameter. Just needs to be big enough to keep the gunk form plugging it up.

 

[PvtSkippy]

Get yourself some Fermcap as an insurance policy. Works a champ!

Edit: DOH! Midwest is out of stock...

 

[Brew-Happy]

Since you have a good quantity of buckets, split your 5gal batch between two buckets. Then you will have enough head room and little chance of a krausen volcano.

Worked for me when I did a small batch split between two 2.5gal buckets. Of course you will need two airlocks, but very economical.

When you bottle, you can combine the two separate batches and bottle.

Good luck

 

[mmb]

You could always scale your recipe and do 4 gallon batches.

 

[cyclonebeer]

So far, so good. It's bubbling faster than a rapid heartbeat but no mess yet. My blowoff tube is the standard siphon tube that came with the kit. 7/16 OD, 5/16 ID. Fits nice and tight in the gromet. Probably would not use this setup for a more violently fermenting recipe.