Fermenter taps or not

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private4587

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Hi everyone brand new to this great hobby and have a rather pertinent question regarding fermenter taps. Do one use them or just go with a syphon stick. I am worried that if i get a brew into the fermenter and find leaks or does the ease of using a tap to transfer outweigh the risk. Any help much appreciated.

Peter
 
Hi Peter, you will get split opinion on this. Some swear by having a tap, others prefer not to have one. I think there are pros and cons for both sides of the debate. I prefer to syphon as there have been reports from some people having issues with the tap getting blocked and having to keep taking it apart to ensure sanitation and cleanliness. But my syphon works well, whereas some people have had problems with syphons in the past.
 
They are both fine. I'm gearing up for some kind of conical one where I can remove the yeast. The good ones are costly but over all the brews I've done, getting the right equipment is the best. I've tried to rig stuff and it ends up costing the same as just getting the proper item.
 
The 2 systems work, you just have to find the system that suits you...I have both systems. If you go from tap to bottle you will need a funnel as well
 
I have a siphon for racking to either bottle (with bottling wand) or to keg.

I also have a tap on the FV which I use to allow me to pull a small sample during fermentation to check the gravity without having to open the FV and expose to oxygen and bacteria.
 
The 2 systems work, you just have to find the system that suits you...I have both systems. If you go from tap to bottle you will need a funnel as well

Agree 100% with finding what suits you.

For me, I have an FV for primary which has a tap, it makes taking gravity samples much, much easier (and reduces any risks of infection I think) and I also find it easier to syphon to my bottling bucket through the tap. The bottling bucket also has a tap to attach the bottling wand.
 
Agree 100% with finding what suits you.

For me, I have an FV for primary which has a tap, it makes taking gravity samples much, much easier (and reduces any risks of infection I think) and I also find it easier to syphon to my bottling bucket through the tap. The bottling bucket also has a tap to attach the bottling wand.
You are right..for sampling its dead easy.
I have 2 FV's which are 10L and 15L so a tap is a bit impractical, and then I use a simple syphon. strangely, I bought a bottling wand in Wilcos today since I had a voucher to use up, so that gives me 3 systems!!:doh:
 
I'm the same as a couple of the guys above.

I fitted taps on mine so i could take SG readings without taking the lid off and risking exposure. So easy to fit with a step drill but can be done with a little drill and a lot of holes. If you get the taps from Wilko's make sure to get the one with the bottling wand. They are the same price but the one with the wand has a longer thread on it.
 
Great thread folks, very useful info, thanks.

I have a standard tap-free FV, and I syphon into a bottling bucket which has a tap and little bottler. I'm thinking of sticking a tap on the FV to make transfer to the bottling bucket a little easier.

My question is: how do you filter hops (from dry hopping) if you use a tap to transfer from your FV to your bottling bucket? At the moment I use one of those nylon bags (like you get in a Festival kit) tied around the intake of the syphon tube. It stops hops getting into the syphon and blocking it up, and also (I think) stops a bit of the yeasty crud going through to the bottling bucket.

Cheers,
 
fwiw I use fvs with and without drain taps, taps are more convenient, But do require a little extra care and attention to cleaning and sanitation.

I dont strip Every brew But ensure the whole tap inside is sat in a solution to soak clean and later sanitise(usually involves a cup or tray to submerge the spout exit and a slow drain of warm solution through), And i rinse the spout after use taking samples.
 
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