Fermentation Bucket Kit with Tap, Airlock and Thermometer

This kit turns our plain plastic bucket into a fermenter you can keep an eye on from the outside. Each kit is one bucket with its snap-on lid, a drain tap with its seal, a plastic bubbler airlock, the grommet that seats the airlock in the lid and a liquid crystal strip thermometer, so a batch of wine, beer, cider or mead can be started, followed and bottled in the same vessel. It comes in black or white and in 20 litre or 25 litre sizes, and every colour and size is a kit of its own.

The bucket is made from durable, lightweight plastic that is easy to wipe clean. Its snap-on lid closes with a dependable, spill-resistant seal, and a metal handle with a black grip lets you lift and carry the bucket. In our photographs the drain tap sits low on the side of the bucket and the grommet sits in the lid, with its small stopper beside it.

Fermentation is easier to follow when you can see what is going on. The clear twin-bubble airlock, part-filled with fresh water, lets the carbon dioxide from fermentation escape while keeping outside air and dirt away from the brew, and its bubbling shows that the yeast is working. The strip thermometer goes on the outside of the bucket and shows the temperature in degrees Celsius, so you can check a batch without lifting the lid. Whenever the airlock is out, the stopper closes the opening in the lid.

Once fermentation has finished, the tap lets you draw the brew off above the sediment, or fill bottles and jars directly, without lifting and tipping a heavy bucket and with less spilling on the worktop or floor. The kit suits anyone making a first wine or beer at home, and it is just as handy for regular home producers who put on a batch every season from grapes, apples, currants, raspberries or chokeberries. Choose the 20 litre or 25 litre bucket to match the size of batch you usually make.