Vels

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This weekend i had to keg/bottle 3 brews. So on Wednesday i hauled 3 carboys out on the deck to cool crash, and Sunday back to the kitchen. These thins weigh 10 pounds empty each, and held just above 6 usgal each. It was killing my back.
After talking to the treasurer about the hazard of glass carbuys, and the weight issue too, i got the go ahead to replace my glass.
Also the fact that my carbuys are the 70's wine baloon style, made me quite nervous after reading the stories about loosing hands and feet.

Today i use a bucket for primary and glass for secondary. I cannot really decide wether to use the BBs primary too as that will cut down my batch size a lot i think.
Today i do 6gal batches in 8gal primary bucket and 6,5gal glass secondary.

Do you guys use your BB's for primary, and is so what is your batch size ?
Also what size blowoff hose will fit in a BB if to be used as primary ?
And do you use a brush the get the krausen ring out, or just chemestry ?

Cheers
Jakob

Evan!

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I haven't heard stories about people losing hands and feet. Please, do tell [*gathers 'round the campfire*]

I have all glass, mainly because they were all given or loaned to me. If I need to purchase more at any point, I'll probably go better bottle, but in the meantime, I just keep all my carboys in plastic milk crates.

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MOSS HOLLOW BREWING CO.
Aristocratic Ales, Lascivious Lagers

.planned:
•Scottish 80/- •Sweet Stout •Roggenbier
.primary | bright:
98: Moss Hollow Soured '09 72: Oude Kriek 99: B-Weisse 102: Brett'd BDSA 104: Feat of Strength Helles Bock 105: Merkin Brown
.on tap | kegged:
XX: Moss Hollow Springs Sparkling Water 95: Gott Mit Uns German Pils 91b: Brown Willie's Oaked Abbey Ale 103: Merkin Stout
98: Yorkshire Special 100: Maple Porter 89: Cidre Saison 101: Steffiweizen '09 (#3)

Revvy

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This link was floating around here a way's back. http://brewing.lustreking.com/articles/brokencarboys.html

Our own brewpastor makes an appearance in it...

*shivers* Reading only the first couple was enough to make me shift to buying BB's whenever I need a new one.

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Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew

Yooper

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I am switching gradually to most BBs. I will keep the big glass ones for my wines, because they stay in there so long, I'm rarely hauling them around. Still, I have a 6 gallon carboy here next to me, filled with 6 gallons of wine. I'm NOT looking forward to moving it to crash cool it, or to rack it.

Because BBs only come in sizes up to 6 gallons, I still primary in ale pale buckets, usually.

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

Beerthoven

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I'm planning on getting rid of my glass, too, and using 8 gallon buckets for primaries and 6 gallon BBs for secondaries (5.5 gallon batches).

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Primary/Secondary: #90 American IPA, #91 Brown Ale

Kegged: #89 California Common

Planned: Dusseldorf Altbier, American Wheat

I use secondaries!

RichBrewer

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I need to consider this! I use 6 1/2 gallon glass for my primaries. I haven't used an ale pale in over 10 years but the thought is suddenly appealing.

Sorry.

I don't blame you for wanting the better bottles. Every time I haul a full carboy I'm holding my breath!

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Cheers,
Rich

zoebisch01

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If you use glass carboys be sure to have something like a crate as Evan! mentions. It isn't worth the risk. Some of the newer carboys are really cheap glass. If you are starting out I'd recommend 100% without reservations the Better Bottle.

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Event Horizon ~ A tribute to the miracle of fermentation.

Brew what you like. Do this, and you will find your inner brewer.

lustreking

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The link to my carboy breakage horror stories has already been posted (thanks Revvy!), here are my full thoughts on the glass/plastic debate:
http://brewing.lustreking.com/articles/nomoreglass.html

I have never had to scrub the inside of a better bottle. The krausen and gunk just doesn't seem to stick to the BB as well as to glass. I just soak it in pbw or just oxyclean, and the always come out clean.

I usually do 5.5 gallon batches in a 6 gallon carboy, and sometimes use foam control. If I'm expecting big krausen, I'll use a bucket for primary.

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My brewing site:
http://brewing.lustreking.com

cheezydemon

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I use the bottles that I ganked from my office's water cooler 2 years ago. They work great.

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BOTTLED: "Route 66 IPA" 7% ABV, "Dave's Imperial Stout" 12% ABV , "Spider Imperial Stout" 9%ABV , "Mutt Irish Ale" 7% ABV, "Sorta Sierra" IPA's 4.4% ABV, "Habanero Ales" 5.5% ABV, "Pumpkin Seed Ale" 5.5% ABV , "Marzen" Lager, "Step child Ale",
PRIMARies: "Caramel Amber" , "Black Porter"
SECONDARIES:1 :"Miller Ale"
On DECK: Another Russian Stout

Revvy

Recipes 

Wow! What a great article.

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Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew