Beginner here! Fitting a tap to a fermentation bucket?

[terobi]

Hi all,

I'm pretty much a complete beginner here. I've done a few extract kit brews, and eventually want to move on to something a bit more complicated.

But first, the small stuff! The big problem I had with the brews I've done so far is bottling - attempting to syphon just seemed to get beer basically everywhere in my kitchen except for in the bottles, and I ended up filling the bottles with a sterilised jug instead.

So I figured, before I try a new brew, I'd try and fit a tap to the fermenting bucket to make the whole process easier. A friend had a spare Wilko bottling wand that comes with a tap, and I have holesaws of the right diameter to fit it to the bucket.

The trouble is, it really doesn't look like this tap will snugly fit a rounded surface, especially since it only comes with one rubber washer. I get the distinct feeling that this thing's going to leak. Has anyone used one of these things before? Any warnings or advice?

Cheers!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You can use the wand part in the end of your syphon tube if you do not want to cut a hole in your FV i did this and it works well.

 

[foxbat]

If it's a normal plastic fermenting bucket then don't worry when you tighten it up it pulls the plastic flat around it. Not sure about the 'Youngs' branded ones as they seem to have stiffer walls.

Do remember to remove the tap between sessions, disassemble it as much as you can for cleaning and leave it removed and in bits until you need it again. That way you won't run the risk of infections.

 

[Llamaman]

I'm using a 15L Young's bucket with a little bottler. No problems.

 

[stz]

Best tool for cutting plastic is those stepped drill bits. You tend to get some pretty big sizes and can chamfer the edges.

 

[stevey]

I have a youngs FV and drilled it for the tap, I can't remember what I used as it was years ago. It's never leaked, I just have one rubber washer; it's about 2mm thick.
The washer is fitted to the outside. Don't try to fit the tap too low, mine is fitted so that when the tap is rotated 180 degrees the FV can sit flat without resting on the tap. This will leave the trub behind when you empty it. If you find you are leaving clean beer behind, you can always gently tilt the FV a little.

 

[Davemc]

As long as you cut the right size hole it will be fine I drilled a hole in mine and fitted a tap and no leaks at all.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Softly, softly catchee monkey!
One member cracked his FV while trying to drill out a hole for a tap, so take care.
I also recommend step drills - they're cheap enough on Fleabay.
If you want a thicker washer, cut one out of a silicon cake tin and add it to your existing washer.

 

[Clint]

If you're really not happy about drilling your bucket....I would make a mess if it probably....just order one ready done with tap,washer and bottling wand...as I did. Got mine from homebrew online...you can at least then spend five minutes putting it together and zero time worrying.

 

[Cwrw666]

Personally I found the bottling wand a pain in the a**e. So now I just use the tap it came with straight into the neck of the bottle.

 

[Gunge]

I use a piece of 22mm copper pipe to make the hole... get it really hot and thrust it through the plastic - neat hole with just a little flashing to trim off. Ye, I AM a genius.

 

[Clint]

...but only in the sense of a maniacal James Bond villain....

 

[ScousePints]

I used a soldering iron to form a hole in mine.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Hi all,

I'm pretty much a complete beginner here. I've done a few extract kit brews, and eventually want to move on to something a bit more complicated.

But first, the small stuff! The big problem I had with the brews I've done so far is bottling - attempting to syphon just seemed to get beer basically everywhere in my kitchen except for in the bottles, and I ended up filling the bottles with a sterilised jug instead.

So I figured, before I try a new brew, I'd try and fit a tap to the fermenting bucket to make the whole process easier. A friend had a spare Wilko bottling wand that comes with a tap, and I have holesaws of the right diameter to fit it to the bucket.

The trouble is, it really doesn't look like this tap will snugly fit a rounded surface, especially since it only comes with one rubber washer. I get the distinct feeling that this thing's going to leak. Has anyone used one of these things before? Any warnings or advice?

Cheers!

You mention "seemed to get beer basically everywhere in my kitchen." Are you using a bottling wand? It's attached to the siphon and has a spring-loaded tip. That means beer will only come out of the fermentor when you press the wand into the bottom of a bottle? A racking cane is a siphon with two parts, one part fitting into the other. Could you clarify if you are using this device or something else?

 

[DavidDetroit]

Hi all,

I'm pretty much a complete beginner here. I've done a few extract kit brews, and eventually want to move on to something a bit more complicated.

But first, the small stuff! The big problem I had with the brews I've done so far is bottling - attempting to syphon just seemed to get beer basically everywhere in my kitchen except for in the bottles, and I ended up filling the bottles with a sterilised jug instead.

So I figured, before I try a new brew, I'd try and fit a tap to the fermenting bucket to make the whole process easier. A friend had a spare Wilko bottling wand that comes with a tap, and I have holesaws of the right diameter to fit it to the bucket.

The trouble is, it really doesn't look like this tap will snugly fit a rounded surface, especially since it only comes with one rubber washer. I get the distinct feeling that this thing's going to leak. Has anyone used one of these things before? Any warnings or advice?

Cheers!

I do need a partner to bottle for the most part. Technically I could do it solo but the degree of difficult skyrockets. What I see when I read your post is beer spraying, unchallenged, everywhere. That should not be the case.

 

[Clint]

I use the bottling bucket,wand combo and always bottle on my own. Dead easy,no dramas. Crash the fv did a few days,dissolve priming sugar in boiling water,Syphon brew into bucket,place bucket on worktop above open dishwasher,away you go!

 

[Bigcol49]

I use a piece of 22mm copper pipe to make the hole... get it really hot and thrust it through the plastic - neat hole with just a little flashing to trim off. Ye, I AM a genius.

. . . pardon the shaky writing - both my hands are bandaged following serious burns.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[WilfHilton]

The tap will turn sideways but when I fitted one I fitted it slightly higher so the bucket/FV could stand on a flat surface and the tap did not foul the table it stood on. The last bit can be bottled with the tap open [but no flow] then bottle under and gently tip with other hand. No problems with leaking but remove and clean, replacing always test with water first before adding valuable wort.