Fast Fermenter and adding a sampling port - review

[sleev-les]

I thought I'd post about my experience and thoughts on my recent addition of a sampling port to the Fast Fermenter.

I decided to add the sampling port since I hated pulling the cap and risking oxydation when taking a gravity reading and thought this is a great way to deal with it and since a sampling port is an available accessory I figured why not.

The port also comes with a step (uni) bit to drill the hole, but it is junk. It does not cut well and thankfully I had a unibit in my tools from years of mechanic work that cut as one should. I did have to use the bit that came with the kit to get a little wider, but it was a fight and it left a ton of plastic around the hole so getting a razor to shave the residual off is a must. You need to be sure all the residual is off since the gaskets are very stiff and just a small bump will cause a leak. I added teflon tape to the threads on the shank and it corrected the issue. Once installed, I noticed I was still getting a leak. It is from the spigot itself. It lets a very small drop out maybe once a day, but still a pain that it leaks. It is just plastic and may look at something better to use. So far, my beer has been fermenting without issue, but in the end I'm a bit disappointed. Guess I can only expect so much out of plastic haha. Oh, and don't listen to the drill location. Due to the stiff gaskets and curve of the fast ferment, drill higher so you have a flatter surface than the recommended 3" below the 1L mark.

Figured I'd post for anyone else using the fast ferment

 

[Jag75]

I guess I was lucky . I didnt have any issues drilling out . There definitely was a lot of plastic shards bit I have one of those edge tools that has a swivel blade . So you just go around the hole and it cleans it up. Only thing I would do differently is put it a tad higher. Right now it's close to the dump lever . No leaks though . It makes it so much easier kegging.

 

[sleev-les]

I guess I was lucky . I didnt have any issues drilling out . There definitely was a lot of plastic shards bit I have one of those edge tools that has a swivel blade . So you just go around the hole and it cleans it up. Only thing I would do differently is put it a tad higher. Right now it's close to the dump lever . No leaks though . It makes it so much easier kegging.

If you're not experiencing leaks at the spigot mouth, maybe I'll grab another and see if it was a one off. My other fermenter I would go higher though just for a flatter surface.