Bottling bucket fermenter? Options

[jml]

Now that I'm kegging, I was wondering what to do with my bottling bucket. I thought about useing it for a primary fermenter but the hole is centered only 1and 1/2 inches from the bottom of the bucket. Is this far enough away from the trub? Does anyone do this?
Thanks for any ideas.
jml

[stangbat]

Back when I made 5 gallon batches, I only used a bottling bucket as a fermeter. I never used anything else until I went to 10g. The spigot makes racking easy and is far enough off the bottom to not cause any problems with trub. Just tilt the bucket up a little bit at the end of draining it to get out as much beer as possible. You'll leave all the gunk behind. If you clean the spigot well, you'll have no concerns or problems. You may know this but most spigots are made so that the part that turns will come out. That makes it easy to make sure you get everything clean.

[Piantini]

Now that I'm kegging, I was wondering what to do with my bottling bucket. I thought about useing it for a primary fermenter but the hole is centered only 1and 1/2 inches from the bottom of the bucket. Is this far enough away from the trub? Does anyone do this?
Thanks for any ideas.
jml

I see why not, you wont be using the spigot since you are kegging.

[cbbrown40]

Thats all I use for 5 gal batches. Plus it makes it easy to take a sample and easy to out in your keg.

[zymological]

I've wanted to do this in the past but it seems like my spigot slowly leaks which would not be good...

[ThePurpleDino]

I've wanted to do this in the past but it seems like my spigot slowly leaks which would not be good...

+1

Always had intentions of replacing the spigot.. just never got around to it..

[jml]

Back when I made 5 gallon batches, I only used a bottling bucket as a fermeter. I never used anything else until I went to 10g. The spigot makes racking easy and is far enough off the bottom to not cause any problems with trub. Just tilt the bucket up a little bit at the end of draining it to get out as much beer as possible. You'll leave all the gunk behind. If you clean the spigot well, you'll have no concerns or problems. You may know this but most spigots are made so that the part that turns will come out. That makes it easy to make sure you get everything clean.

I did not know the spigot came apart. How do you do it?

[rundausaurus]

I did not know the spigot came apart. How do you do it?

Just hold the white part and push the end colored part down hard on a countertop and it will snap out.You may have to rotate the spigot handle while you do it cause it can be stubborn.I take mine apart after fermenting and soak it in starsan till my next batch. It can be a great bacteria trap if you don't keep it clean.I have 3 spigots and only 1 leaks.I use it for bottling.

[Piantini]

I did not know the spigot came apart. How do you do it?

What!. You are supposed to put it appart, clean it and sanatize it everytime you use it. Most of them (if not all) Have a nut type inside of the bucket (Mine is plastic). Simple hold the spigot with one hand, and with the other uncrew it. Be carefull not to loose the seal.

This post has been edited by Piantini: Nov 21 2008, 11:41 AM

[WhiteSoxFan]

Just hold the white part and push the end colored part down hard on a countertop and it will snap out.You may have to rotate the spigot handle while you do it cause it can be stubborn.

Huh? I don't have to push down hard or snap anything to get mine out. Mine screws apart. The piece on the inside is essentially the nut that holds the outside snug.

[rundausaurus]

Huh? I don't have to push down hard or snap anything to get mine out. Mine screws apart. The piece on the inside is essentially the nut that holds the outside snug.

Yes I know that the spigot can be removed from the bucket by taking off the nut.Or are you talking about taking the white parts apart?

[WhiteSoxFan]

Yes I know that the spigot can be removed from the bucket by taking off the nut.Or are you talking about taking the white parts apart?

I don't know, you've got me confused.

[BrewerGeorge]

When we say take apart, we're not talking about taking the spigot off of the bucket with the nut. We're talking about taking the valve itself apart. Taking the red (or whatever color) conical bit out of the rest of the valve.

That's very, very important, even when just bottling, because this valve can be quite the hiding spot for bacteria. Honestly, from tasting beers at comps and from trades, I think that a good percentage - maybe half - of the homebrew that gets bottled has a bit of infection that people don't realize is there. I'd bet that valve is responsible for most of those infections. So take it apart!

[rundausaurus]

I don't know, you've got me confused.

O.K. The spigot consists of 3 parts.The red or blue part that has the handle on it,the white part that the nut attaches to, and the outer white part which is pressed into the other white part allowing it to rotate so your spigot handle doesn't rest on the counter.I pop the colored part out of the outer white part to fully get it clean between brewings,and have found funk in between the colored and white parts when I first did it.Hope this helps.

[jml]

What!. You are supposed to put it appart, clean it and sanatize it everytime you use it. Most of them (if not all) Have a nut type inside of the bucket (Mine is plastic). Simple hold the spigot with one hand, and with the other uncrew it. Be carefull not to loose the seal.

Come on now, obviously I know the nut comes off, I thought there might be away of separating the part that spins from the part that doesn't.
jml.