Bottling Bucket Woes

[gladius270]

So I ordered my first equipment kit, a Basic Brewer's Best kit. This is supposed to come with a bottling bucket, obviously. However, it appears it has arrived with two primary fermenting buckets. Neither bucket has a hole in them. Should I try to drill this hole out, or should I sit tight to see if Brewer's Best will send one to me? I won't be needing the bottling bucket for a few weeks anyway.

 

[BobC]

I would call and discuss it with them.

 

[mike20793]

If you have a step drill bit and the spigot and are comfortable with drilling it, I would try it. Otherwise, just wait. If you do try to drill it, make sure you give the bucket some support by attempting to support it with a wooden block. It may crack if you don't.

 

[tim2akat2]

Sit tight they will send you another and you just might end up with an extra bucket.

 

[BradleyBrew]

I bet they will send another 1. If you have the standard spigot it should fit a 1" drill bit perfectly. I've done in multiple times.

 

[gladius270]

Wanted to put some closure to this. I contact Bell's General Store (where I purchased the kit) because my airlock had a hairline crack in it. They are gonna send me a bottling bucket and airlock, and I get to keep the extra bucket. They told me they had taken some buckets out of kits because of a shortage, and the wrong one got put back in. I can understand that would be an easy mistake to make. Bell's customer service has been top notch! Looks like I may start on my second batch real soon!

 

[unionrdr]

That's good to hear! We always like hearing about a hb shop that takes care of it's customers.

 

[bruin_ale]

Glad you got it sorted out.. I'll just add that you don't really need a "bottling" bucket.. Just put a bottling wand on the end of your siphon hose and you can bottle out of anything. I've bottled out of a glass carboy no problem.

 

[unionrdr]

Oh yeah,I have an auto siphon myself that'll fit the same size tubing as my Fermtech bottling wand. The bottling bucket with that red/white spigot to fit the same tubing is just a ton easier. It flows really well too.