1 Gallon Batches

[masta]

What is everyone using for a primary fermenter when making small 1 gallon batches?

 

[MedPretzel]

I use the handy 1-gallon jugs from Carlo Rossi.

 

[Hippie]

I use my big 8 gallon bucket, same as I use for everything. Probably not a good practice. If only fermenting juice, I should probably use a 3 gallon carboy.

 

[greenbean]

I use the big glass jars that you see the pickles and stuff in at
stores. If you talk to the owners they will normally save them for you.



Chris

 

[Hippie]

Ah! Never thought of those. How much do they hold, about 2.5 gallons?

 

[Maui Joe]

I use 2-gal. white buckets. Alot of pastry shops have them where pie fillings and frostings come in.

 

[MedPretzel]

DUH, I'm 32 and obviously don't know how to read and just noticed it now. PRIMARY fermentors.... I don't primary ferment in Carlo-Rossi jugs... I do that in a small white pail I got at the local winemaking place when I started this hobby. It holds rougly 1.75 gallons, so I usually make 1.5 gallon batches. The extra 0.5 gallon is handy when I rack and need to top up. The .5 goes into those smaller carlo-rossi jugs (duh, half the size), which take the same sized bung as the 1-gallon jugs.





Sorry for my mistake. It's been a nerve-racking week.

 

[greenbean]

The most of the big ones hold 2 1/2 to 2 gal. If you keep the lids you can punch a hole in the top and put in a airlock.



Chris

 

[Maui Joe]

I got hooked on installing spigots on my buckets...so much easier to use.

 

[Hippie]

Oh yes, you see that, Scott, SPIGOTS!

 

[masta]

I see it Country....I like my Auto Siphon and it works for me!

 

[Maui Joe]

I guess whatever works is fine. For me, I forget what the "left-hand is doing, while the right-hand is busy...

 

[Berrywine]

Ialso use 2 gallon buckets from the local bakery . They work quite well. berry

Edited by: Berrywine

 

[Maui Joe]

Berry, what is good about those buckets too, they are small enough to hold alot of supplies and stack well with the lids.


People here are catching on to the "free" buckets so now they become a "stand in line" item.

 

[Berrywine]

Hey Joe,


Yes they are very handy for a lot of things. I use themfor everything around the house.I have plenty of them.


I asked the bakery manager if he would save me a couple and I would be back in a couple of weeks to pick them up. I got there and he had saved 15 for me. Goldmine! berry

 

[Maui Joe]

Berry, that's a 24 carat blessing! I put spigots on all my buckets...so much easier to work with.


"Good Score!"

 

[Berrywine]

Joe, I bought 2 spigots to put in my buckets and when they came in the instructions said "forbuckets at least9 in. indiameter". I haven't tried them because mine arejust 8 in. at the bottom. I am afraid it might leak from having too much of a curve in them. Guess I could sacrifice one and fill with water to see.

berry

 

[Maui Joe]

Berry, I have been using the same spigots as that of the 6 gal primaries. When I drilled the hole making sure that it was abit undersized to the diameter of the spigot. Then, using a "half moon file, I just filed slowly until the spigot fitted, making sure also that the small burrs are removed and the surface is smooth.


The spigots that I used was #2217 in George's catalog. The gaskets are doing a good job. The key here is not to "torgue" it all the way home, but fairly tight so that you may "rotate" it counter clockwise when not in use without having to wrench the inside nut. Then when needed, just rotate back to the 6 o'clock position and it will tighten up again.


I think that the onesyou have will work fine. Good idea to test with water first as you suggested!

Hope this helps some!

 

[Berrywine]

so far so good . got out my trusty unibits and made a one inch hole, still too small, filed it out, filled it with water, no leaks so far.


berry

 

[Maui Joe]

Just remember to monitor the nut after you used the bucket at cleaning time to make sure that the nut stays snug. Also a good idea to find a small brush that fits both ends of the spigot for cleaning. I work the brushes back and forth while at the same timerotating the spigot valve slowly so that you clean the valve as well to avoid any contaminates that just might wedge where you cannot see them. Then "reverse flush." When not in use, roll a piece of paper towel and insert in the exit tip of the spigot to avoid "crawles from camping out as well."