Bottling bucket hot liquor tank?

[sertainment]

Hey everyone, this is first time posting on here. I've been using this site as a reference and finally decided to join.

So, I recently brewed my first all grain batch, making a black ipa. During the sparge, I used a regular bucket filled with correct temp water. Could I use a bottling bucket as a hlt or will the water be too hot for it? Any help is appreciated.

 

[ApothecaryBrewing]

you should avoid using the bucket as the water may be above the temperature rating of the plastic it is made with.

That being said, I usually take my first runnings into a bottling bucket and heat my sparge water in my kettle then batch sparge... and I am not dead yet.

 

[Beernik]

HDPE, as a material, can take 230F continuously. However the FDA approved food grade temperature is 160F.

The exact phrasing is "it cannot be used with products filled at over 160 °F". I've personally come to the conclusion that the 160F limit is more of a thermal-expansion and sealing issue than a chemical leaching issue.

The reached that conclusion for two reasons, HDPE will expand ~0.75% when taken from room temperature to 160F and the full text of the paragraph on the food rating is:

"While HDPE provides good protection at below freezing temperatures, it cannot be used with products filled at over 160 °F (71 °C) or products requiring a hermetic (vacuum) seal."

That all sounds like packaging limitations to me.

Just make sure it's a white / non-dyed bucket.

 

[sertainment]

Well in that case, I've got myself a hot liquor tank. Thanks for the help.

Anyone else have some sort of a crazy set up for a hot liquor tank?

 

[meltroha]

I use a $22 5gall Igloo beverage cooler from Walmart with a home made ball valve assembly, about $35 at home depot

 

[sertainment]

That's how I made my mash tun. I just have 2 bottling buckets that I use...well when I'm bottling. Speaking of, my ball valve is a little tough to turn, and because of that the entire assembly moves and I get leakage out of the front of the cooler. I have to hold the spigot when I turn the valve to try and minimize the leak. Would food grade silicon sealant help to stop that? Or would it just break off?

 

[ApothecaryBrewing]

It might help but you could add more washers to the assembly. I ended up getting a 2inch nipple and using like 4 fender washers on my bulkhead and spigot. It still rotates a little with I turn the valve but there is no more visual leaking. (It still could be leaking into the wall of the cooler but oh well).

I recently picked up an 8 gallon beverage cooler that someone at my local hombrew club already had drilled out for a HLT. I just need to purchase the valve parts and it will be good to go. Ideally I want to purchase a second 8 gallon pot and 2 propane burners (or electric elements if money and time allow) and work my set up in that direction.

The whole precariously placing your mash tun on the cupboard and splashing boiling hot wort and water around your kitchen are not things I am fond of.

 

[sertainment]

Not to beat a dead horse, but do some spigots turn easier than others and would it be a good idea to possibly look in to a different spigot? I don't have a lot of room for washers on my assembly but I'll squeeze in what I have room for and try to seal the whole thing up.

 

[ApothecaryBrewing]

Not sure... that question is above my pay grade.

 

[cluckk]

I've always used my bottling bucket to hold sparge water. I usually heat it to 168 and have had no problem with off flavor (that I have noticed) or with the plastic distorting. I am a bit concerned about the voices I've been hearing but they keep telling me to "Relax, don't worry, have a home brew." Until they switch to "Relax, don't worry, kill your neighbor" I think it will be ok.

 

[Evan_L]

I always use the buckets I have spare to hold mash and sparge water. No issues here. I would imagine that the 160* recommendation is fairly conservative so overshooting it by 10* is not a big deal.

 

[DSorenson]

I've always used my bottling bucket to hold sparge water. I usually heat it to 168 and have had no problem with off flavor (that I have noticed) or with the plastic distorting. I am a bit concerned about the voices I've been hearing but they keep telling me to "Relax, don't worry, have a home brew." Until they switch to "Relax, don't worry, kill your neighbor" I think it will be ok.

L. O. L. This.

 

[Wynne-R]

I used a bottling bucket as a mash tun for a couple of years. The problem is with the spigot. When it gets hot, it will slip a thread. You can generally rotate it and tighten it back up. Then when it cools it’s way tight. Eventually it will break.

After breaking three of them, I replaced the bucket and drilled a hole for a threaded ball valve. Much better.