Using a water dispenser for aging or as a secondary

[Black Crow]

I am still new to mead making. And i am busy fermenting me second batch of mead as we speak.(been fermenting for aboit 3 weeks now ). Now with me previous batch i habe used some 1.5litre bottles to age my mead in and found when i bottled out of those, by siphoning using a pype, some yeast got kicked back into suspension. It may have been techniques or human error.

I am thinking to avoid this by using these drink dispensers since they have a tap. And from my fermentation chamber i have found that by using a tap i can avoid this(with a pype conected to it to prevent any oxygen getting reintroduced of course).

I am mainly conserned with air getting in the dispensar while i let it stand for the aging or when i am using it perhaps for secondary(so that i can start my next brew of course own) to prevent the exygen i am thinking of using cling wrap but are open to any other sugestions are constructive criticism. I need advice on if it can work and how to best put it in practice.

I dont have easy and affordable(at this time) access to carboys tonuse. Or the nice and fancy auto siphons(but later on as i learn more i will defently see to invest in these. When i brew larger quantities.

 

[EricHartman]

Those are certainly useful. I have a few of them myself. A few considerations are that they cannot be air tight during transfer or the spigot won't work, they won't handle really hot water without cracking (starting at the hole), lees like to settle on the internal spigot, and you want to prop something under the back half to help shift the lees and minimize losses.

 

[Shelley]

Definitely make sure you pour cool liquid into these. The glass is probably not tempered, and untempered glass doesn't like extreme shifts in heat.

I've been thinking about putting some already aged mead into one of these in my fridge for the summer. I have a wee oak cask and it's lovely to just pour a glass of any size at any time -- adding refrigeration to that is tempting.

 

[Black Crow]

Those are certainly useful. I have a few of them myself. A few considerations are that they cannot be air tight during transfer or the spigot won't work, they won't handle really hot water without cracking (starting at the hole), lees like to settle on the internal spigot, and you want to prop something under the back half to help shift the lees and minimize losses.

Wow thanks. With the leese on the sprigot. How do you normally clean it. And howndo you make it airtight when aging. I am worried that they dont seal properly. But when i need to drain out i will definitely lift it out.

 

[Black Crow]

Definitely make sure you pour cool liquid into these. The glass is probably not tempered, and untempered glass doesn't like extreme shifts in heat.

I've been thinking about putting some already aged mead into one of these in my fridge for the summer. I have a wee oak cask and it's lovely to just pour a glass of any size at any time -- adding refrigeration to that is tempting.

I will never use boiling water thanks. And yeah they are defintly untemmpered. And i also prefare a colder mead. From everything i have tasted. Even if it is like now winter,. Later on i will.be experimenting with the oak. My current batch(second one now) is busy turning into aomething that i was supriced of its taste. And thats all thanks to all the greate feedback here

 

[EricHartman]

Wow thanks. With the leese on the sprigot. How do you normally clean it. And howndo you make it airtight when aging. I am worried that they dont seal properly. But when i need to drain out i will definitely lift it out.

I haven't really aged in one. I like the wide mouth for the primary fermentation. You could likely get a silicone gasket to line the inside of the lid to seal it up. You'll have a rather large surface open to the air in the vessel so sulfites will be important even if the lid is sealed. Cleaning is easy enough with soap and water. Disassemble the spigot (plastic bolt on the inside) each time you clean it so you can clean out the threads and the gaskets.

 

[edaskew]

The problem with fermenters with a spigot is sanitation. I’ve used them long ago but migrated back to a siphon and food grade 6 gallon buckets with airtight lids, mostly bought from baytec containers. I own no glass fermentation vessels, and never have, home brewing since 1982.

 

[Dan O]

The problem with fermenters with a spigot is sanitation. I’ve used them long ago but migrated back to a siphon and food grade 6 gallon buckets with airtight lids, mostly bought from baytec containers. I own no glass fermentation vessels, and never have, home brewing since 1982.

Do you bulk age in said same plastic buckets or do you age after bottling?

 

[edaskew]

I bulk age in plastic. I normally don’t for more than a year, but I neglected some during the pandemic that are going on 16 months and are fine.

 

[Black Crow]

I haven't really aged in one. I like the wide mouth for the primary fermentation. You could likely get a silicone gasket to line the inside of the lid to seal it up. You'll have a rather large surface open to the air in the vessel so sulfites will be important even if the lid is sealed. Cleaning is easy enough with soap and water. Disassemble the spigot (plastic bolt on the inside) each time you clean it so you can clean out the threads and the gaskets.

Thanks. I am planing to split my batch into 2 difrent containers for aging. One container to keep as traditional. And the other container to make a nice(hopefully) fruit mead not sure what kind yet but thinking oranges for now. And the addition of fruit is way i want a wide mouth aging container. There will most likely. Fall under secondary because i have a feeling my fermentation will continue due to the low tempretures i am having now.

 

[Black Crow]

I bulk age in plastic. I normally don’t for more than a year, but I neglected some during the pandemic that are going on 16 months and are fine.

And now after taste from thw plastic. Might consider using plastic containers then. That way i can add a spigot lower. Later on ill see to get a autosiphone then those will turn to fermenting containors or something

 

[Black Crow]

Thanks for the awesome advise everyone. Ill keep my eye on here for more advise. I quickly leanred these forums are the place to come for information and this is why.