Slippery Carboy Bungs?

[BigTexun]

Here's a dumb question... when I put the bung into the mouth of the glass carboy, it just slips back up to a loose fit because of its taper and the slickness caused by the star san (I'm pretty anal about sanitization).

I'm concerned that I'm not getting a good seal and... this particular beer has to sit in that carboy for 4 months plus.

I've thought about drying the inside of the neck (and the stopper) with a clean paper towel but?

WhatshouldIdo?

THANKS!

 

[wscott823]

Here's a dumb question... when I put the bung into the mouth of the glass carboy, it just slips back up to a loose fit because of its taper and the slickness caused by the star san (I'm pretty anal about sanitization).

I'm concerned that I'm not getting a good seal and... this particular beer has to sit in that carboy for 4 months plus.

I've thought about drying the inside of the neck (and the stopper) with a clean paper towel but?

WhatshouldIdo?

THANKS!

First of all... the 12 year old in me is rolling on the floor laughing about slippery bung holes.

Second, to actually answer your question. I've done the paper towel trick and haven't had issues with sanitation. Seems to work better for me getting the bung in the neck when it's dried out thoroughly.

Just dry the two off and get a good seal going.

 

[BlueSunshine]

I always wipe the bung off with a paper towel before I put it in a carboy. It's been sitting in Starsan for an hour or so, so a quick wipe shouldn't be an issue. That way it won't pop right out after you put it in.

So many innuendos in one thread....

 

[BigTexun]

First of all... the 12 year old in me is rolling on the floor laughing about slippery bung holes.

Gosh, I made a funny and didn't even mean to!

Thanks for the advice, I'm off to work that hole dry!

 

[Neonsilver]

I just keep pushing it back down until it dries itself out. Paper towel seems to leave behind fibers that I don't want in my brew. Not saying they are harmful or anything, I just don't want them in there.

 

[osagedr]

Agree with the above suggestion about paper towel. If you really want to be anal about the sanitation of your bunghole, though, you could shoot some liquid onto the paper towel first and sanitize your bunghole that way.

Liquid as in Starsan, that is.

 

[Brewman79]

You could get a cap and call it a day

 

[-TH-]

I have found that if I soak my bung too long in starsan it gets slippery. But if I do like a 30 second dip, I can put it in wet and it will stick. <he said laughing to self like an 8th grader>

 

[springer]

isopropyl alcohol works great to sanitize your bung hole and stopper dries almost instantly so the stopper stays in the bung hole

 

[smellysell]

isopropyl alcohol works great to sanitize your bung hole and stopper dries almost instantly so the stopper stays in the bung hole

Sounds like that would sting...

 

[152Sumo]

That's what she said

 

[Mirage]

I have used duct tape to hold the bung down. Doesn't look pretty, but does the job.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Wow.... I don't even know what to say to this thread.

 

[nealf]

This one works when the bunghole is wet... at least IME

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101893/carboy-bung

 

[thegreatgumbino]

isopropyl alcohol works great to sanitize your bung hole and stopper dries almost instantly so the stopper stays in the bung hole

x2. I keep a spray bottle of 90% on hand to do just that.

 

[torbanac]

Ahh Hopholio says you need ethanol - io for your bunghole!!!!

 

[wildwest450]

Just pump it in and out of the bung hole until it dries out, it will stick in there real good then.

 

[ArcaneXor]

This one works when the bunghole is wet... at least IME

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101893/carboy-bung

+1. Those universal carboy bungs are awesome. I prefer them over carboy caps and, of course, the regular rubber stoppers. I use them on my Better Bottles and 1-gallon jugs all the time.

There's only one downside: If you get blow-off out of your airlock, it'll flow down into the stopper. Only way to deal with it is to pour lots of StarSan in there to sanitize it, because once you pull the airlock out, most of the mess will flow straight into the fermenter.

 

[wendelgee2]

I use a big ol' strip of extra wide masking tape (or duct tape, but that can leave behind goo) to hold mine in. It ain't pretty, but I also don't have to worry about it popping out.

 

[steinsato]

Honestly I've never had a problem plugging my bung hole when I use Iodophor. Maybe Starsan works a bit too well as a lubricant.

 

[krud]

does tape around the bung make the brew taste like industrial goo though??