Add a "sample" valve to a plastic fermentation bucket?

[MikeInMKE]

I happen to be fermenting some lagers in a friend's garage refrigerator/freezer, which I do several times a year, and I need to check the gravity to see if it's time for their diacetyl rest.

I have to remove the STC-1000+'s temperature probes, slide/lift the buckets out, sanitize around the lid, pop the lid off, hold the lid and the refractometer in my left hand by the airlock, while I dip a sanitized spoon into the bucket with my right. Apply wort to the refractometer, and snap the lid back down. Then lift the buckets back into the refrigerator, re-applying the temperature probes to them.

Depending on the gravity calculated, either wait, or set the temperature to ramp up.

You can repeat this again after a few days to see if fermentation is complete before cold crashing.

Lifting heavy buckets out of, and back into an over/under fridge is a PITA. It occurred to me that this would be made far easier if I added a sample valve to the side of the bucket, similar to what I've seen on conicals.

Does anyone see any issues with this, before I start drilling holes?

 

[feinbera]

All my plastic fermentors came with a hole pre-drilled and included a removable spigot; had a couple of slow leaks when I didn't tighten it down quite enough before racking the beer in, but it's going on three years now and I've had no major issues. Far as I know, this is pretty much standard – not only does it work just fine, but I'd think twice about buying again from somebody who's not selling their fermentors with a hole and a spigot.

 

[MikeInMKE]

And how low is the spigot? As low as it would be for a bottling bucket? I ask, because I think that would be below the trub. I was thinking of putting the spigot about halfway up the side of the bucket.

 

[RodrigoEick]

I have some buckets with the spigot but I dont like them. easy to broke and not sanitary.

Now i use buckets without the spigot, and recently started to make lagers and using the fast lager fermenting method, which means opening the airlock and taking samples, risking an infection.

I already ordered a sanitary sampling valve, same used in the pro fermenters. This one is threaded so I can install it on the bucket. Of course I will clean and sanitize the threads before each fermentation.

Once it arrives I will post the photos here.

 

[RodrigoEick]

Here it is. Did not used yet, just testing on the malt bucket View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1439913818.227455.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1439913832.667145.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1439913846.324173.jpg

 

[BowAholic]

All my plastic fermentors came with a hole pre-drilled and included a removable spigot; had a couple of slow leaks when I didn't tighten it down quite enough before racking the beer in, but it's going on three years now and I've had no major issues. Far as I know, this is pretty much standard – not only does it work just fine, but I'd think twice about buying again from somebody who's not selling their fermentors with a hole and a spigot.

sounds like bottling buckets instead of fermentors... just saying... with all of the trub/yeast/hops pulling a sample off the bottom sounds nasty. There's a thread now about mold in the spigot during every batch.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=540582
I would think it would be better to leave the spigot off... just my opinion.

 

[henchman24]

I've used better bottles and buckets with spigots for fermentation before and haven't had an issue yet. I'm pretty anal about taking the spigot apart, cleaning everything with a soft brush, soaking it in PBW, and then sanitizing it (I also live in a state with nearly no humidity). I've never had a contamination problem with mold or anything else. I've heard of it, just never seen it.

I like that I don't have to siphon when I use a spigot (I place mine a bit higher than normal to avoid the yeast and trub), but it isn't much of a difference to me. There are times I use a siphon on buckets and carboys that don't have a spigot.

If I ever had a spigot contaminate a batch, I'd just throw it away personally. They are pretty cheap.

 

[m3oliver]

How much is a little higher? I'm interested in installing sample ports into my fermenters as I hate having to open them up and risk contamination. I use the 16.5 gallon plastic fermenter's with the lids that have metal sealing rings.