Fermenting in a bottling bucket

[cardfan]

Two brews in and I'm tired of my 6.5 gallon glass carboy. To hard to clean and to slippery when wet. Any issues with fermenting in a bottling bucket? It seems like you could use a standard one or buy a fermenter and drill a hole slightly higher than normal so the spigot sits above the yeast cake. It seems like doing this would eliminate the need to ever take the top off. I could use the spigot to fill my tube for hydrometer readings and also to transfer to my keg to dry hop or carbonate. Thoughts?

 

[andy6026]

Sure, a lot of people use the bottling bucket to ferment.

 

[Bealski]

Check this out: http://byo.com/equipment/item/1094-make-your-plastic-fantastic-projects

 

[theck]

Clean it out good after... Remove the spigot and get in there. I've found stuff in there. Wine thief IMO is better to get samples with.

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[Rockn_M]

A botteling bucket is all I use. It's easy to move around, easy to clean and easy to move the beer into the kegs or bottles.

 

[cardfan]

Thanks for the link man I really appreciate it. Already ordered the gamma seal lid on amazon. Looking forward to just using my carboy for loose change.

 

[doby]

As theck mentioned clean that spigot, the issue I have is even just using a bottling bucket for bottling its very hard to dry out the spigot so mold don't form so I imagine using one to ferment would compound the problem. Why not just have a bucket fermenter and a deadicated bottling bucket

 

[cardfan]

As theck mentioned clean that spigot, the issue I have is even just using a bottling bucket for bottling its very hard to dry out the spigot so mold don't form so I imagine using one to ferment would compound the problem. Why not just have a bucket fermenter and a deadicated bottling bucket

I don't bottle so I really don't need a bottling bucket. I am just trying to find ways to save time, sanitation and transfers. I would think if you take the spigot apart each time and clean/sanitize it well there can't be much risk. Seems easier to do this to a spigot than a siphon.

 

[Sbarnard80]

My bottling bucket is my primary fermenter and I use a better bottle carboy for secondary. Makes it really easy to just drain from the spigot off the yeast cake into my secondary.

 

[doby]

do you use a auto siphon? seems easier to me then cleaning a spigot and normally whats done, Any way taking it apart is only half the battle the interior of the spigot is the problem

 

[Rdom]

I've read that some will simplify it even further by fermenting in the kettle. Haven't tried it though.

 

[helibrewer]

Thanks for the link man I really appreciate it. Already ordered the gamma seal lid on amazon. Looking forward to just using my carboy for loose change.

I have several Gamma lids and the only issue I have with them is with the ring you attach to the bucket. It is essentially permanent, I haven't figured out a good way to remove it. There is also a gap between the ring and the bucket wall which seems to be an infection hazard. I use foil tape to seal the gap when I ferment in them.


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[cardfan]

I would think the risk of infection after fermentation is fairly low compared to before. It's not about siphoning for me really, even though I would rather use a a spigot than a siphon. I guess what I am trying to figure out is if you keg why not ferment in a bucket with a spigot? I can dry hop, if needed in my keg before carbonation. I only have to transfer once and I think we can agree turning a knob is easier than a siphon.

 

[MindenMan]

I use only plastic buckets, and they all have spigots. Before and after each use, I dissemble the parts, soak them in bleach water, rinse and put away until next time. Then when I need them, one more time into the bleach rinse, water rinse, and iodophor to finish. Some of my buckets have different spout heights, very low to bottle, average height, and a bit higher than that. It all depends on how much trub was removed from the BK to the bucket, to determine which bucket for that batch would be the best.
Since we are on the subject of plastic buckets, who if any has made lauter/sparge tuns by using two five gallon bucket, one inside the other. The inside bucket makes 100's of small holes in the bottom and works as a false bottom for the wort to begin to set up a filter bed. At present I still use my ZAPAP tun to lauter and sparge my AG batches