# Homemade FV help



## Gr390ry (25/2/14)

My step-dad has gotten me a few of these food grade buckets which I want to turn into some small FV's/bottling buckets. I'm wanting to put taps on them so they are easier to use but I'm not the handiest person going around, any advice or instructions what I need and have to do to put a tap on?


----------



## davedoran (26/2/14)

Drill hole up a bit from bottom of fermentor. High enough to allow all the trub to be below it but not too high that you would miss out on beer when transferring.
Other than that you will need a bsp ball valve and a bulk head union to attach to wall of fermenter.

Hole in lid if using airlock. lots of recommendations for gladwrap on here instead of lid.

Job done.


----------



## squirt in the turns (26/2/14)

If you go with the ball valves, do not use unplated brass ones as brass, like copper, will react with the beer (which has a far lower PH than water), potentially leaching off flavours and harmful chemicals.

Chrome plated should be ok. Stainless would be better still. Another problem with ball valves is that they are very difficult to sanitise effectively. Most of us get away with using them on our boil kettles because in that situation they get hot, have hot wort flowing through them, and/or are not in contact with vulnerable wort for very long. On an FV it's a different story.

A better alternative might be a plastic tap of the type found on most fermenters. The Temple of the Big Red Hammer sell these for about $1.50.


----------



## Gr390ry (26/2/14)

Thanks for the advice guys. If I go with the plastic tap is there anything else should get to make sure it doesn't leak from the tap, or is it just a matter of making sure I still the correct sized hole?


----------



## S.E (26/2/14)

Gr390ry said:


> Thanks for the advice guys. If I go with the plastic tap is there anything else should get to make sure it doesn't leak from the tap, or is it just a matter of making sure I still the correct sized hole?


You won’t have a threaded hole so will need a nut to hold your plastic tap.


----------



## S.E (26/2/14)

You could just use them without a tap and just use a siphon instead.


----------



## sp0rk (26/2/14)

I'd also grab a cheap silicone baking tray and cut some silicone washers out to ensure a better seal
The easiest way to put a tap in a bucket is straight through the bottom, as I've done for my filtering bucket for my fire water, but you need a stand that has a hole/large mesh so the tap will poke through
or as S.E says, you could just siphon


----------



## Jord (26/2/14)

Its a plastic bucket, so just use plastic taps. Search for snap taps, seals and backing nut are included, just drill a hole and put it all together...
http://www.thebrewshop.com.au/still-spirits-ez-filter-snap-tap-w-backing-nut.html


----------



## Weizguy (26/2/14)

I prefer to not ferment in a vessel with a tap, as there's less cleaning required and less chance of contamination.
Then rack to a bottling bucket/fermentor with a tap, and bottle or keg.
As the brew spends little time in the bottling bucket, there is much less contamination in my brewery.
Just a thought.


----------



## Gr390ry (26/2/14)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'll most likely go with Jord's snap tap suggestion seems to be the easiest option that suits my needs. Cheers!


----------



## Jazzman (26/2/15)

I do that. Get a plastic tap with a thread and nut on the other side. I got mine from the HBS. I used a wood bit to cut the hole, but use one smaller than the tap- they cut bigger- then rat tail file it out. Bingo!


----------



## sp0rk (27/2/15)

I'm going to guess he probably solved this problem a year ago mate


----------



## Mr B (1/3/15)

But imagine if he was still waiting........... He would be pretty stoked eh?


----------

