Using bottling bucket as a primary

[OSUmoney83]

Since my primary fermenter and bottling bucket are identical, with the exception of the spigot, I was thinking about using the bottling bucket as the primary fermenter for my next batch, with the idea that when it came time to transfer to the carboy I could simply attach some siphon hose to the spigot and let 'er rip. The spigot is high enough so there would be some clearance over the trub, so I can't imagine any problems there. Only thing I could imagine going wrong is that it would be more prone to infection. I've heard that scratches in the plastic can harbor bacteria quite easliy, perhaps the spigot is the same way. If anyone has done this or could strongly suggest not to, let me know.

Thanks

 

[Janx]

Like you said, the faucet is a sort of tricky spot to sanitize...but not all that bad. Just let some sanitizer run out of the open faucet.

Other than that I can't see any problem with using you bottling bucket for your primary. Sounds convenient.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Only "inconvenience" I foresee you'll have is not having a bottling bucket when you need one. Don't you do a secondary fermentation?

I swear by the secondary for the purpose of fermenting it all the way and for clarifying your beer.

I tried a single fermentation before and I am/was TOTALLY pissed at myself for not doing the secondary. Now all my bottles (from this batch) have too much sediment on the bottom. I will NEVER do a single fermentation again.

 

[OSUmoney83]

Only "inconvenience" I foresee you'll have is not having a bottling bucket when you need one. Don't you do a secondary fermentation?

I swear by the secondary for the purpose of fermenting it all the way and for clarifying your beer.

I tried a single fermentation before and I am/was TOTALLY pissed at myself for not doing the secondary. Now all my bottles (from this batch) have too much sediment on the bottom. I will NEVER do a single fermentation again.

Yea, I use a secondary, thats partly why I want to use the bottling bucket, so transfering to the carboy will be a breeze. I agree that they are really useful, I just finished an imperial stout and was able to let it mature in the secondary for about a month, which really took a lot of sediment out of my bottles. Man I thought it was hard waiting for it in the carboy, but now that it's in bottles its REALLY tempting me...

 

[Tophe]

The guy i got my kit from has 2 buckets, both with spigots and thats how i transfer mine out of it. I now use carboys for secondary, sometimes primary so i siphon sometimes. I just fill my bucket with the iodophor solution and let it sit for a while, and then let it drain through the spigot to sanitize that.

 

[Janx]

Only "inconvenience" I foresee you'll have is not having a bottling bucket when you need one. Don't you do a secondary fermentation?

You can go primary in the bucket, secondary in a carboy, then back to the bucket for bottling, right?

 

[OSUmoney83]

You can go primary in the bucket, secondary in a carboy, then back to the bucket for bottling, right?

Thats my plan. My original kit didn't come with a bottling bucket, I bought it come bottling day. Originally they wanted me to siphon into each bottle. I thought it was hard enough bottling for the first time, I couldn't imagine having to siphon into each bottle.

 

[Janx]

Thats my plan. My original kit didn't come with a bottling bucket, I bought it come bottling day. Originally they wanted me to siphon into each bottle. I thought it was hard enough bottling for the first time, I couldn't imagine having to siphon into each bottle.

Good call...*really* good call. Those bottler gadgets make siphoning into bottles easier, but a bucket with a spigot is the only way in the long run.