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6.5 gallon plastic fermenting bucket

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hepcat

hepcat

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Feb 7, 2012
282
4
18
Central Florida
I bought one of these and am ready to try a 3 gallon batch in it and wanted to know from you experienced mead makers if you have any suggestions about how best to sanitize it? And I'm especially concerned about the spigot. Any info/advice appreciated as always.
 
hepcat said:
I bought one of these and am ready to try a 3 gallon batch in it and wanted to know from you experienced mead makers if you have any suggestions about how best to sanitize it? And I'm especially concerned about the spigot. Any info/advice appreciated as always.
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By spigot, I presume you're alluding to faucet/tap.

A lot of people don't like buckets fitted like that. I'd just fill it up with sanitiser (a "no rinse" sanitiser that is) to above the level of the tap, put the lid on, give it a vigorous shake to coat all the inside with the sanitiser, then drain most of it out through the tap, closing it off once it's stopped running out, and then just pour the rest of the sanitiser out - make sure that it's had however long the recommended "contact time" is....

Then mix the brew straight away.
 
Yes fatbloke that's what I was thinking. Thanks!

Yes the tap, I can see how that could harbor bacteria and be difficult to keep sanitary. But it looks like it would be convenient for getting samples for testing/tasting during fermentation.
I will siphon out of it with a racking cane when it's time. Thanks again.

edit: I also may end up plugging the spigot hole with plastic food grade hardware.

One other reason I like this bucket for a primary fermenter is it's tall profile allowing for ample head space. Standard 5 gallon buckets have have a shorter profile so consequently less available headspace.
 
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hepcat said:
I bought one of these and am ready to try a 3 gallon batch in it and wanted to know from you experienced mead makers if you have any suggestions about how best to sanitize it? And I'm especially concerned about the spigot. Any info/advice appreciated as always.
Click to expand...


I dont have a spigot on my buckets to contend with. I just clean my buckets with soap and water and rinse well then spray with star san RO water mix and let it sit a bit. I love star san!
 
I had one with the spigot, the whole spigot assembly comes apart and can be soaked separately, just make sure that when you put it back together, you check all the gaskets and tighten it sufficiently!
 
Chevette Girl said:
I had one with the spigot, the whole spigot assembly comes apart and can be soaked separately, just make sure that when you put it back together, you check all the gaskets and tighten it sufficiently!
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Yes I was wondering if removing the spigot, for sanitizing and then re-attaching it multiple times make them more prone to leak? My guess is it would. And I checked with my local LHBS today to see if they sell just replacement food grade spigot gaskets and they don't, I'd have to just buy another spigot to get new gaskets(that come with it). Or order them online(but don't want to pay s&h for them). But, they aren't that expensive. Wishing I'd not bought it in the first place but may keep it since it wasn't that expensive. Might want to try brewing a batch of beer one of these days.
 
Over a good bit of time that gasket will degrade. I don't think taking it apart and reassembling will really accelerate that much. I take mine all apart and reassemble every time to help the sanitizing. You should not be any more leaky for the effort, though I suggest a trial run with water every time just to make sure.
 
akueck said:
Over a good bit of time that gasket will degrade. I don't think taking it apart and reassembling will really accelerate that much. I take mine all apart and reassemble every time to help the sanitizing. You should not be any more leaky for the effort, though I suggest a trial run with water every time just to make sure.
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Good to know akueck. So you use yours for a primary fermenter? And there's an industrial supply house just up the street from my local LHBS that may have food grade gaskets that fit the spigot.

Hey I've been meaning to ask you, are you still in New Zealand and do you surf?
 
No, I stay away from the spigot buckets for actual fermentation. I use them a lot for bottling though.

Yep, still in NZ for 2.5 more weeks. No surfing for me though, and we just bypassed the surf highway near Taranaki (it was cloudy and raining anyway).
 
akueck said:
No, I stay away from the spigot buckets for actual fermentation. I use them a lot for bottling though.

Yep, still in NZ for 2.5 more weeks. No surfing for me though, and we just bypassed the surf highway near Taranaki (it was cloudy and raining anyway).
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Yes they look like they would work well for bottling. I'm going to try using it for primary fermenting this time, first time I'll be using it but think after that I'll probably just use it for bottling.
I did put ~4 gallons water in it this morning and it's not leaking...yet. Will just keep a close eye on it during fermentation. Plan to start a 3.5 gallon melomel batch this coming weekend.

I want to get a 7.5 gallon wine fermenting bucket(sans spigot) some day soon.

And glad to here you're still enjoying NZ. Happy trails!8)
 
i have been making beer for a while and just started making mead so am new to this site. what you have is a bottling bucket not recommended for fermintation. they can actually leak under pressure. they make ferm buckets that dont have a spigot on them.
 
jthoward013 said:
i have been making beer for a while and just started making mead so am new to this site. what you have is a bottling bucket not recommended for fermintation. they can actually leak under pressure.:o they make ferm buckets that dont have a spigot on them.
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Aaahhhh, didn't think of that! I'm gonna def use it just for bottling now that you told me that. Thanks.
Or, I could not use the lid......
 
jthoward013 said:
i have been making beer for a while and just started making mead so am new to this site. what you have is a bottling bucket not recommended for fermintation. they can actually leak under pressure. they make ferm buckets that dont have a spigot on them.
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Yeah, but unless he plugs the airlock hole, there isn't really gonna be any pressure.
 
huesmann said:
Yeah, but unless he plugs the airlock hole, there isn't really gonna be any pressure.
Click to expand...

I know that. I might not seal the lid on tight for the first few days so I can easily continue to aerate the must but will have the airlock attached even then for protection from outside air/elements and will eventually seal the lid on tight after aerating first few days.
And I exchanged the bottling bucket bucket for a plain fermenting bucket a couple days ago anyway, it's what I need right now, might get the bottling bucket again in 6 months or so when i'm ready to bottle. Have limited storage space so didn't want both right now.

:cool:
 
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huesmann said:
Yeah, but unless he plugs the airlock hole, there isn't really gonna be any pressure.
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Erm, note ENTIRELY true, you've got an increase in pressure with every inch of water (or must) above the level of the spigot, the more full the bucket, the more pressure on the spigot. Fluid mechanics. Please don't make me do the calculations, I might have a relapse if I have to dig up those notes... <twitch> <twitch>
 
Yes, there's hydrostatic pressure=ρgh, but if his erstwhile spigot was gonna leak, it was gonna leak anyway.
 
I'm currently working on my first batch of mead. The bucket I got was one with a spigot too, and while they seem handy, I think they may be more trouble than they're worth. Mine started leaking as soon as the bucket was around half full (it's a 6.5 gallon bucket). Same thing happened to my friend who bought the same bucket. I managed to control the leak, eventually, but was constantly worried that the spigot could possibly break and spill everywhere. O_O I plan on buying one without the spigot.
 
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