Couple QUestions (Brew Bucket - Jalapenos)

[John Sand]

I'm leery of spigots on fermenters after a BDC leak.
But I would control the temp like any other batch: in a fridge or cooler.

[BlackDuck]

But I would control the temp like any other batch: in a fridge or cooler.

Yea, me too. Whether it's in a bottling bucket, fermenting bucket, or his current conical, the same process would apply.

[Kealia]

$39 is way too much for a bottling bucket. Check out hombrew supply stores likes MoreBeer, Austin Homebrew, Williams Brewing, etc. (Guys, help me out with others)

Midwest has bottling buckets for $20.00 with spigot and no cover, what makes me think it might be a brew bucket but would have to see it. He said he got it for $24.00

Whoops, totally overlooked that part! $24 is much better.

If it were me I would ferment in the bucket you have and just plan to get an actual fermenting bucket (no spigot) for the next batch.
No airlock?
You can plug the hole with a sanitized napkin/papertowel and just leave the lid slightly off so CO2 can escape through the lid 'seal' (unsealed).

It depends on your comfort level in going slightly against the grain in terms of "Best Practices" (sealed lid, airlock, etc.)

For temp control, assume you'll be using ambient temp as you do now with your conical? Just be aware that a 5Gbatch will create more heat than the smaller batches so your temp will run a bit higher. Temp control is a good thing to nail down early, but so are so many other things. As long as you are 'close' and use an appropriate yeast strain you'll be good.

Hopefully, this helps and doesn't confuse you with more options.

[mashani]

So, FWIW, I think airlocks are overrated.

I haven't used an airlock in 10 years, my fermenters free vent. They just have a lip designed so that it blocks things from falling "down" past the edge and in, because the lip extends outwards. Things like LBKs and Little Demon fermenters work the same way, because the lid extends down over the edge. The only way beer infecting bacteria can get into your fermenter is "falling down" into it because they are blown around in the air if there is a breeze... but they can't crawl up the bucket and get under the lid like that. That is why those kit fermenters work fine.

That said fruit flies can crawl into things, so the lid/lip has to be fitted well enough to keep them out.

And if the lid has a hole on top, of course you have to plug that with something, in that case may as well use an airlock.

But really IMHO, as long at the lip of the fermenter is covered with something that goes over the edges and keeps flies out (even aluminum foil works) airlocks are really only important in secondary fermentation, or if you are leaving it in the primary longer then about 3 weeks because oxygen will start to displace the CO2 by then.

As far as spigots, I use spigoted fermenters, but I am always cleaning my spigots and replacing them when they get wonky. You can't use a spigot and be lazy about cleaning/maintaining them.

That said, a spigot on a bottling bucket might not be good quality, and I'd make sure I got something designed as a fermenter + spigot to make sure the gaskets and such are built for long term leak free-ness.

[The_Professor]

.........Jalapenos....How many jalapenos per gallon fermenting to reach a mild hint that a hot pepper is in the beer? Or, how many gallons of fermenting beer per jalapeno? I am going to test it out in a wheat beer that I plan on fermenting in the two gal conical. I want a base to start with, so your suggestions would really help. If I need more or less next time I can adjust.

This is what I have listed for the last jalapeno beer I made (5 gallon):
Jalapeno schedule:
1 medium large oven roasted with seeds
2 medium large oven roasted without seeds
Pureed and added post boil.
The advice to remove the skin by sweating them after roasting did not work out so they are added with the skins.

Control the heat level by how many jalapenos with seeds you use. Add more without seeds for flavor.

[Hayzer]

Thank you all for the advice. I have learned that this brewing, and commenting about brewing, is very specific. It seems my first few posts were fairly general in terms of info. I plan on filling the 5 gal with water and monitor the spigot overnight. I do have some food-grade silicon if I need any. While fermenting, the bucket will be in a friend's basement, which is a constant 68 degrees. (I built my house on a pad and the garage is too cold) He also has a mudroom in his walkout basement which is a bit cooler. So I have two options of ambient temps for the bucket. I also plan on bottling from that bucket in his basement.

Thank you for the jalapeno advice. I am adding these peppers to the 2 gallon conical as a test, then later adjusting as needed. It is my goal to be flirting with AG by next winter. These BD kits are fun, we like drinking it and it gets us where we need to be. I am certain that I can get much closer to the flavor profile that I want with AG.

Has anyone added bacon to their fermenter?

[BlackDuck]

I plan on filling the 5 gal with water and monitor the spigot overnight.

If you install the spigot correctly (tightly) you won't see any leaks by just letting 5 gallons of water sit in the bucket. It's when it's sealed and under pressure during fermentation that it may start to leak.

[FrozenInTime]

Lowe's has food grade buckets for $12 or so. Add a lid with seal, $3-4. Drill small hole, insert rubber grommet (3/8 I thunk), put in bubbler and go to town, been doing it for years. Buckets, food grade, are cheap, never had a problem with them. I use them 5-6 times, throw in barn and buy a new bucket.

Pepper beer, I brew a light blonde, don't need to get fancy, peppers will take over. I slice pepper in half, leave the white vanes in for hotter, place half pepper per bottle. Let condition for a few months. The longer, the hotter, more pepper flavor. I have some a couple years old, holly cow are those beer hot, like drinking fire. At 3 months, had pepper flavor without much heat, the longer they condition the hotter they get.

Edit: I use a step drill to punch a hole in bucket about 2.5 inches or so up and use cheapo spigot from any LHBS. Water test like said, then use. Never had more than a couple drips leak out.

[RickBeer]

Thank you all for the advice. I have learned that this brewing, and commenting about brewing, is very specific. It seems my first few posts were fairly general in terms of info. I plan on filling the 5 gal with water and monitor the spigot overnight. I do have some food-grade silicon if I need any. While fermenting, the bucket will be in a friend's basement, which is a constant 68 degrees. (I built my house on a pad and the garage is too cold) He also has a mudroom in his walkout basement which is a bit cooler. So I have two options of ambient temps for the bucket. I also plan on bottling from that bucket in his basement.

Thank you for the jalapeno advice. I am adding these peppers to the 2 gallon conical as a test, then later adjusting as needed. It is my goal to be flirting with AG by next winter. These BD kits are fun, we like drinking it and it gets us where we need to be. I am certain that I can get much closer to the flavor profile that I want with AG.

Has anyone added bacon to their fermenter?

68 degree air temp is not 68 degree wort temp. Checkout the mudroom temp.

People add bacon by using bacon-flavored things. Bacon-flavored maple syrup, bacon-flavored vodka... Bacon has a lot of fat. Fat and beer aren't a great combination. At the least, it will impact head retention. At the most, the fat will congeal.

[berryman]

http://brulosophy.com/2019/01/14/chili- ... YphzCE6ai4

[MrBandGuy]

These guys have you covered. But I will add that when I started out, I fermented in 5G icing buckets I got free from Kroger. I still use them to hold stuff around the brewery.


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