Leaky Lagering Carboy

[jotaigna]

Hi All
I brewed a partial mash Munich Dunkel. Racked to a better bottle for lagering in the brewfridge and things were going fine (I often rack to secondary with good results). I noticed this morning that the tap at the bottom has a very small leak(i.e. 1 drop over 4hrs or so) so I am now pondering my options:

1. Clean the leak daily and hope that lagering temps (2-3degC) are keeping nasties stunned.(a bit of a gamble but its kinda easy)

2. Tip the carboy on the side so I can remove the tap, put some sanitised thread tape around it and stop the leak. Drastic and risky but it would kill the leak dead.

3. Bottle now. Which means I would only have lagered it effectively 6 or so days. Safest option, but kinda cutting the losses really.

I would much appreciate your thoughts on this.

edit:spelling

 

[samhaldane]

I'd go for option 1.

With positive pressure very slowly pushing beer out, I wouldn't expect any nasties to be able to get in, right?

I'd clean it every day with some starsan and bottle when you're ready. How long are you planning to lager it?

 

[jotaigna]

I'd go for option 1.

With positive pressure very slowly pushing beer out, I wouldn't expect any nasties to be able to get in, right?

I'd clean it every day with some starsan and bottle when you're ready. How long are you planning to lager it?

I was going for 3 weeks, so 2 more weeks. If I go for option 1, I might starsan the crap out of the fridge surface just to be sure.

 

[manticle]

I've lost whole batches to leaky taps. Rack into a different vessel.

It's not the infection risk, it's the loss of actual beer.

 

[Pennywise]

Yeah I'd be inclined to rack to another vessel. Either that, or bottle it now & lager for a little longer in the bottle

 

[jotaigna]

Yeah I'd be inclined to rack to another vessel. Either that, or bottle it now & lager for a little longer in the bottle

In that case I would have to bottle, as my other vessels are either the priming bucket or 30l fermenter, which both seem to have too much headspace for my liking. I dont have access to CO2 to purge the air out either.

In any case, thanks for the replies.

 

[stux]

I'm no sure how the tap works in a Better Bottle, but you could try *very* gently tightening the tap, it might make all the difference...

be very careful you don't cause it to jump out or something silly like happens with one of my plastic barrels

 

[[email protected]]

Option 4 is keep the container on its side for the remainder of the lagering and then syphon out the bung hole. I don't think option 2 is paticularly drastic. I would have a sanitised tap ready to go on and then just a quick 1 2 swapsy.

 

[Ross]

If you are bottling, why the need/want to let it sit for 3 weeks in a secondary container?
Once the beer has dropped bright, which will result in less yeast sediment in the bottle, go ahead & bottle - you'll not make a better beer leaving it for extended periods in your betta bottle.

cheers Ross

 

[raven19]

Another option - Spray tap with metho/sanitiser then wrap well in glad wrap, secure with rubber band. Hey presto no leaks till you are ready to bottle/keg, etc.

 

[jotaigna]

Another option - Spray tap with metho/sanitiser then wrap well in glad wrap, secure with rubber band. Hey presto no leaks till you are ready to bottle/keg, etc.

brilliant!, so much in fact I got out of bed and did it! brrrr, bloody cold outside...