FishNChips
Active Member
I realize bottling buckets aren't very expensive. I live in a small apartment and didn't really want to have another bucket floating around. Also I was able to modify my spigot on my MLT to hook up to my bottling wand for about $8.
Here's what it looks like. I used a 3/8" inch to 1/2" elbow along with a 1/2" female thread to 3/8" hose barb. Then just take a small piece of 3/8" ID tubing and clamped it to my bottling wand. I also used some thread tape (the white stuff) to form a good seal around my fittings. No leaks, works great. It also makes lautering easier. I lauter into my better bottling fermenter while I'm heating my sparge water in my brew kettle. Since the barb points straight down I can just set my bottle underneath it and let it drain.
On the inside you can either leave in your false bottom attachment (good for filtering hops if you dry hopped), or take it out and use a smaller piece of hose that will allow you to drain more beer.
Naturally you should clean & sanitize well before bottling. I use oxiclean followed by 0.5% hydrogen peroxide solution which i run through the manifold several times before bottling. The only issue with the fittings is that the hose barb stops a few cm beneath the bottom of the cooler, so you kind of need to have it lifted a bit off the floor when you are storing it or it will put some upward stress on the manifold. Not a big deal.
Just felt like sharing. Cheers!
Here's what it looks like. I used a 3/8" inch to 1/2" elbow along with a 1/2" female thread to 3/8" hose barb. Then just take a small piece of 3/8" ID tubing and clamped it to my bottling wand. I also used some thread tape (the white stuff) to form a good seal around my fittings. No leaks, works great. It also makes lautering easier. I lauter into my better bottling fermenter while I'm heating my sparge water in my brew kettle. Since the barb points straight down I can just set my bottle underneath it and let it drain.
On the inside you can either leave in your false bottom attachment (good for filtering hops if you dry hopped), or take it out and use a smaller piece of hose that will allow you to drain more beer.
Naturally you should clean & sanitize well before bottling. I use oxiclean followed by 0.5% hydrogen peroxide solution which i run through the manifold several times before bottling. The only issue with the fittings is that the hose barb stops a few cm beneath the bottom of the cooler, so you kind of need to have it lifted a bit off the floor when you are storing it or it will put some upward stress on the manifold. Not a big deal.
Just felt like sharing. Cheers!
