Hole drilled into Better Bottle: fixable?

[zonkman]

Howdy all,

I visited my local home brew store today and there was a 6gal Better Bottle sitting there, with a nickle-size hole drilled into it. It's located exactly where a spigot would sit. I think the former owner thought a Better Bottle with a spigot would be even better.... then realized a hand can't exactly fit inside to tighten. Damn.

I was handed it, for free. Is it possible / worthwhile to try fix it? And how? Everyone can use another secondary, but...

Here it is:

IMG="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q8z6lh6xg5fq4m1/IMG_3733.JPG?dl=0"


Many thanks.

 

[b-boy]

Your image is not visible.

Take a look at this : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064ODPFI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[day_trippr]

He missed the closing image tag...or maybe Dropbox doesn't support hot-linking...

 

[Ruint]

Have you thought of using a long tool, such as a 3/4 drive ratchet that is 16 inches long, or a fairly big pair of channel locks to hold the items you need to be where they are needed? You should be able to accomplish that without too much difficulty.

 

[wes79]

Put a spigot in it, it's easier than you think. Lay the bottle on it's side, hole down, over the edge of table.
Put the nut in the bottle, get it right side up, ( I used the small end of my mash paddle ) position the nut over the hole, hold it down with what ever you are using. Screw in the spigot, you can get it tight enough.

 

[zonkman]

Thanks all for the speedy replies. Great to know it can be done!

The pic is not essential - it does show a pretty good drilling job, though. I'm not particularly interested in purchasing the special spigot (good to know it's out there). Happy to siphon. My main concern is simply plugging the hole, neat, sanitary. Could I simply attach a regular $3 spigot, tighten somehow? Or is there an even simpler way?

 

[wes79]

Oh, sorry, borrow a step drill, drill the hole big enough for the $3 spigot. Then try my previous post.

 

[applescrap]

Thanks all for the speedy replies. Great to know it can be done!

The pic is not essential - it does show a pretty good drilling job, though. I'm not particularly interested in purchasing the special spigot (good to know it's out there). Happy to siphon. My main concern is simply plugging the hole, neat, sanitary. Could I simply attach a regular $3 spigot, tighten somehow? Or is there an even simpler way?

My ideas involve products you wouldnt want touching beer. What about an epoxied piece of plastic over it. Spigot seems best choice.

Wait what about a rubber cork/bung?!

 

[Handsaw]

Duck tape

 

[user 4295]

Better-Bottles come without holes and with pre-drilled holes for their racking adapter.

Better-Bottle also offers a "tool" that you slide over the inside part so you can get it place from the inside and pull it through the hole. It then holds the inside part in place so you can screw the outside part onto the threads.


The tool is essentially a 2' length of 1/2" diameter rigid pex tubing.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/homebrew/equipment/bsg-5540R-installation-rod.html

 

[kh54s10]

I would either buy the spigot made for the Better Bottle and the tool to install it. Or give it to someone else. I don't think you are going to have much luck patching it. But I could be wrong.

 

[applescrap]

Haha I have it. And I am going to try it to maybe. I listen to podcasts voraciously as i have claimed before. Anyway, heard this old bad azz hb vet, from la, on experimental brewing, I think it was. He had strong ideas on the way things should be. One of them applies to you.

See one of his strong ideas was that he didnt like glass carboys, because he broke one once or something. So he used plastic carboys, but had brilliantly figured out that he could put polyethylene bags inside them and use them to ferment and then throw them away and then use a new bag next time. They were sanitized pressed and packed, so not really exposed enough to need sanatizing. Thus, your answer is an interesting solution for us all, line the bottle with pet bags.

 

[zonkman]

Thanks johnsma22. It's great to know there is a complete solution out there. If only that bb spigot wasn't so pricey...

Might just go new, hole-less.

 

[Handsaw]

I wouldn't bother trying to fix a better bottle. If you are determined to use a carboy instead of a bucket there are other pet carboys out there; however, with the solution of the polyethylene bags available, you could just use a cardboard box or a fiber drum to hold the bag. I have used a polyethylene bag in a drum before and it worked great but I don't know where to get the bags because someone gave me the few that I had and they are all gone now or I would still be doing it that way.
Do any of you know where to get the bags that applescrap talked about?

 

[stlbeer]

Wow. This is possibly a real solution: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/7-1...ogleShopping&gclid=COa19tL6xNMCFUa1wAodFCEAXQ

 

[applescrap]

The podcast recommended ldpe low density 2 mil. 18 by 33 or something like that. I am willing to pay for a little thicker bag. After racking, throw it away. And yes you could put it in anything.

 

[Drewed]

Just make sure you use food grade:

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/pla...x-30-extra-heavy-200-box/13020G201830200.html

 

[applescrap]

I was thinking these as im buying some too, duh

View attachment 1493383370673.jpg

 

[Handsaw]

Thanks for the lead on the bags.

 

[applescrap]

^^ appreciate it. You're welcome! About to pull the string on those today.

And as a final consideration you could poke a hole in the bag and drain the yeast into a jar really easy. Actually saw someone do that