Emergency Gasket for Fermenter Bucket?

[Clint Yeastwood]

I want to brew a stout tomorrow, but the spigot on my fermenting bucket has a pretty bad gasket. They only gave me one gasket when I bought it, and it's not doing well.

Any ideas for an emergency gasket so I can use this thing while I wait for new gaskets?

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I found a rubber gasket on the Lowe's site. Maybe it will work.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

It's amusing that brewing beer can be an emergency.

 

[IslandLizard]

Most bucket spigots I've seen lately have 2 rubber washers/gaskets, one on the inside and one on the outside, both mounted against the bucket body.
If that's your case, just use one, on the inside, that should make a good leak-free seal by itself.

Or borrow a gasket from another one, such as a bottling bucket.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Sadly, I only have one spigot. I think that Lowe's gasket will get it done.

 

[IslandLizard]

the spigot on my fermenting bucket has a pretty bad gasket

They're pretty flimsy, you can't over-tighten them or they'll deform, or even squeeze out.
Does yours have a square (cross-section) profile?

How bad is it? Is it leaking right now when testing it?

I think that Lowe's gasket will get it done.

Hopefully, take the spigot with you to make sure it fits.

Lowe's sells a small sheet of thin red rubber gasket material. You can cut your own when in a pinch. You'd probably need 2 or 3 layers then, and some teflon tape to seal the spigot threads.
Then test for leaks, before filling it with wort.

Got an LHBS nearby? If so, give 'em a call. They should stock those washers/gaskets...
BTW, I've never worn one out.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Thanks for the help.

I got the spigot at my semi-L HBS. They must have forgotten the second gasket. Perhaps because they were drunk.

I lost like 2 ounces of beer, which is not exactly a crisis unless you're German, but it makes a mess, and the gasket has gotten progressively worse over the two brews it has been used for.

I will see what Lowe's can do for me.

I may go ahead and get some kind of stainless fermenter.

 

[IslandLizard]

I may go ahead and get some kind of stainless fermenter.

You'd need to future proof such a purchase... A stainless bucket is not a significant upgrade over a plastic one in that regard. It's still a bucket.

However, a conical that can be pressurized, allowing oxygen-free transfers and if possible oxygen-free dry hop additions would be a significant step up. It having a yeast/trub dump would be nice too. And a ferm chamber that fits that setup...

 

[pvtpublic]

Gotta love RTV!

 

[IslandLizard]

Gotta love RTV!

Yup, excellent alternative, didn't think of that.
Cures faster under a little heat (hairdryer).

 

[pvtpublic]

Yup, excellent alternative, didn't think of that.
Cures faster under a little heat (hairdryer).

More of a smart-ass response, but a good emergency fix. Definitely not something I would want to keep in contact with more than one batch though.

 

[IslandLizard]

More of a smart-ass response, but a good emergency fix. Definitely not something I would want to keep in contact with more than one batch though.

Only use a little to fill the voids left by the worn-out gasket. Scrape the rest off before vulcanizing.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I found a couple of toilet gaskets at Ace. I boiled them to see if they disintegrated or gave off life-threatening fumes or whatever. They seem fine. Much better than the gasket that came with the spigot.

RE fermenters, I would like to have a relatively inexpensive metal fermenter whether it does pressure or not. A 6-gallon Torpedo Megamouth keg might be good. Anvil's bucket looks nice. The keg would do pressure if I wanted, but obviously not a conical.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I just installed two of these and filled the bucket with 5 gallons of my bacteria-laden well water. No leaks. These are totally superior to the old gasket.

I had to trim one side of the inner gasket so it would fit between the spigot and the bottom.

 

[Broken Crow]

You could give this a shot:
https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Sanke-Keg-Cross-Fermenter-Kit.html

 

[IslandLizard]

These are totally superior to the old gasket.

Not sure what kind of rubber they're made of, I doubt they're food grade, though.

Does that spigot come apart any further, separating the body (the part with the threads) from the little inside faucet part that turns it on or off?
That tight space in between the body and the "faucet" can harbor bugs, and is impossible to clean or sanitize without separating the 2.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Not sure what kind of rubber they're made of, I doubt they're food grade, though.

Does that spigot come apart any further, separating the body (the part with the threads) from the little inside faucet part that turns it on or off?
That tight space in between the body and the "faucet" can harbor bugs, and is impossible to clean or sanitize without separating the 2.

RE food grade, this is a national emergency. I'm not going to worry about a little dioxin.

If the faucet comes apart, I am unaware of it. But it can be heated. Which I probably won't do.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

You could give this a shot:
https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Sanke-Keg-Cross-Fermenter-Kit.html

It's interesting but I would have to get a Sanke keg, and the whole business starts at around $280. I believe I can get an Anvil bucket or Torpedo keg for a little more than half of that.

I don't know if they make 6-gallon Sanke kegs. A Torpedo keg or Anvil bucket would be 6 gallons or more, so I could still do 5-gallon brews.

 

[bracconiere]

It's still a bucket.

don't rain on my parade! my milk cans are shiny!