Primary Fermenter Construction help

[maconlysource]

When using a food grade white bucket, what is the best approach to transferring to secondary?

1. add a spigot and drain to secondary (spigot about 1 inch from bottom)
or

2. Rack it to secondary.

As an adjunct, if it is closed with no spigot, what is the best way to take sg if the lid is on tight.... opening lends to nasties?

 

[BierMuncher]

When using a food grade white bucket, what is the best approach to transferring to secondary?

1. add a spigot and drain to secondary (spigot about 1 inch from bottom)
or

2. Rack it to secondary.

As an adjunct, if it is closed with no spigot, what is the best way to take sg if the lid is on tight.... opening lends to nasties?

I reach in and take readings from my bucket all the time. With experience you’ll discover that the legend of instantaneous infections from looking at your beer are greatly exaggerated.

I would go with a racking cane and not go drilling holes in your fermenter. Keep the inside of that bucket as smooth and edge-free as you can.

Plus, with a spigot, you might end up with a very deep yeast cake at the end of the fermentation and end up sucking goo…or just the opposite and end up leaving beer behind because the spigot is too high.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I second BM's recommendation and suggest that you siphon.

 

[maconlysource]

Thank you very much for the quick replies.

I will do that and add a large bore siphon to a water seal for the primary airlock.