But how shall I fix it, dear STW, dear STW?

I have two 23 litre homebrew fermentation buckets. They each have a tap at the bottom, threaded through a 25mm hole in the buckets. I want to remove the taps and bung up the holes so that they are sealed watertight.

I’ve Googled and eBay’d ’25mm blanking plate’ but it’s not bringing back anything that I think looks like the right thing. Any ideas? Straw etc. being a given, obviously…

Just leave the taps in and don’t open them?

Whack in a rubber bung firmly?

25mm Bung Google Search

Stick a bung in & then silicone/hot melt glue around them? Depends what you want to use them for.

Ideally, you could find a bung with a threaded nut on the other side & a gasket to help keep the water in.

Or, as PP say – just leave the taps in.

Ideally, you could find a bung with a threaded nut on the other side & a gasket to help keep the water in.

Yep, this is what I’m trying to find

Or, as PP say

I’m not falling for PP’s ideas about hole-bunging again, not after last time.

What are going to use them for? If you are still brewing with them, whatever you patch with will need to be food grade.

As others have said, just leave the taps.

Or but some new ones? You can get 2 new ones from Ebay for £13. Ebay food grade búckets

If you are still brewing with them, whatever you patch with will need to be food grade.

Yep, still going to be brewing with them. what does ‘food grade’ actually mean (serious Q)? I kind of assumed that as long as the bung was plastic and not, I dunno, lead, it’d be fine.

BSP tank outlet nut, sealing washer and a BSP plug

Will one of these fit? You can get a few different sizes but this is the most common and about the right size

https://www.screwfix.com/p/fluidmaster-blanking-off-plug/65267

With straw – obviously.

Will one of these fit? You can get a few different sizes but this is the most common and about the right size
https://www.screwfix.com/p/fluidmaster-blanking-off-plug/65267

I think we have a winner

Will that be able to withstand the pressure that builds up whilst brewing?

Yep, still going to be brewing with them. what does ‘food grade’ actually mean (serious Q)? I kind of assumed that as long as the bung was plastic and not, I dunno, lead, it’d be fine.

If it were me I’d be using something food-grade. Non-food-grade plastics (depending on the plastic) may leach toxic chemicals into your beer. Some of these are known carcinogens. So for the sake of a little bit more searching about, why not go food-grade?

Will that be able to withstand the pressure that builds up whilst brewing?

The only pressure is the static fluid pressure of 23 litres of water/beer in the bucket. Any gaseous pressure goes out through the bubble chamber at the top.

Non-food-grade plastics (depending on the plastic) may leach toxic chemicals into your beer.

So what’s a ‘safe’ plastic then? Plumbing stuff all seems to be polypropylene

I’m not falling for PP’s ideas about hole-bunging again, not after last time.

Taps aff

Can you turn them around so the hole is at the top?

Or how about a champagne cork wedged from the other side?

If you’re still using them for the post-boil side of brewing you’ll want something removable so you can give it a good clean between brews, otherwise it will be a great hiding place for all sorts of stuff that could ruin the next batch.

Yep, which is why something like the blanking plug above will be perfect, can just unscrew it.