Little bottler/FV tap advice

[mrs moosey]

I've now got my first brew conditioning, and have just bought my next kit - very excited!

Sorry - bit of a newbie question here:

After my long, drawn out efforts at bottling the first brew, I've been looking at fitting a tap and getting a little bottler for next time. However, my method of keeping it at the right temperature is by standing it in a flexitub thing with an aquarium heater.

Would I be taking too much of a risk with germs and nasties if I stand an FV with a tap in the flexitub, or do I really need to get a 2nd bucket and fit the tap/little bottler to the second one? I'd like to avoid this if possible, because of the extra space it would take up.

 

[fermentall]

Hi M,It will be fine using the fv & tap in the water bath,if it bothers you push a sterilised rag in the tap wrapped around a pen or the like and give it a good scrub but i think you will be ok. : ken.

 

[mrs moosey]

Now getting ready to start my second brew and need to fit the little bottler tap onto the FV (it's a plastic bucket type one). Roughly how high/low should I drill the hole to fit the tap?
Thanks

 

[BIGJIM72]

Looking am my 2 old FVs I would say the bottom of the hole was 1 1/2 to 2 inches from the base.

 

[pittsy]

drill the hole as low as possible , otherwise you will be tilting the bucket when bottling for ages instead of the last pint or 2 .

 

[mrs moosey]

Great - thanks for that ... :)

 

[Brewedout]

When working out the position just make sure you can get the back nut on the back of your little bottler on the inside of the bucket or you will end up needing a new bucket. If you put the back nut on the inside of the brew bucket and shine a light from the inside to the outside you can mark the centre of the hole on the outside for drilling. This technique will allow you to get the little bottler as low as possible and avoid the need to tilt the bucket until very close to the end. :thumb: