Waddell

Recipes 

My current set up is a 6.5 gallon primary with a 6 gallon secondary and I am a newbie wanting to brew my first batch of extract.

Here is my dilemma, can I ferment a 5 gallon batch in my primary then top up my 6 gallon secondary with the remaining 1 gallon of boiled then cooled water without comprimising the taste? Or should i rig up a bow off tube in a drilled bung and do a 6 gallon batch from the start?

HbgBill

Recipes 

Split the batch in two? Should be fine. Or, simply make a 5 Gal batch and you'll be fine in either. Depending on the beer you are making.. you should not need a secondary.

__________________
Cheers, HbgBill

Barefoot Brewing

Bottled: American Amber Ale, N.British Brown Ale and an IPA
Kegged: Falconers Flight and Northern British Brown Ale
Next: Irish Oatmeal Stout

brtisbuck

Recipes 

Most extract kits make 5 gallon batches, so you will need more extract if you are working from a kit. If you are working from a recipe be sure to adjust quantities accordingly so you are actually making what you expect.

If it were me, I would use no secondary and brew 2 batches at 5 gallons. More practice and more beer!

Rbeckett

Recipes 

[QUOTE=brtisbuck;3700530
If it were me, I would use no secondary and brew 2 batches at 5 gallons. More practice and more beer![/QUOTE]
Dude, I like the way you think. Why waste room when you can run off two batches at the same time. Bottling day might be a little hectic, but that only happens every so often. Orrrrrr....You could just keg it and call it good. Hmmmmm.....decisions decisions, decisions.
Bob

Waddell

Recipes 

Thanks everybody, I will do a one stage fermentation. My last question is whether I should be using a blow off tube for precautions?

HbgBill

Recipes 

5 gals in a 6 or 6.5 shouldn't be a problem. Especially, if you keep your ferm temps down to about 18 or 19* in my experience.

__________________
Cheers, HbgBill

Barefoot Brewing

Bottled: American Amber Ale, N.British Brown Ale and an IPA
Kegged: Falconers Flight and Northern British Brown Ale
Next: Irish Oatmeal Stout

brtisbuck

Recipes 

I'm actually in the same boat. I have a 6.5 gallon carboy and two 5 gallon carboys. My planned timing got messed up so this weekend I will be brewing a 5 gallon batch of APA and a 4 gallon batch of light hybrid ale back to back. I would go for the hatrick, but I need the last carboy as a secondary for dry hopping and amylase enzyme addition.

Wait a minute.....maybe I can use my bottling bucket as the secondary. Hmmm...If I can only figure out how to come up with that many bottles at once.

fixitoscar

Recipes 

Although you may not need it, I look at it as cheap insurance for the first 48hrs. especially if its a high gravity brew.

Waddell

Recipes 

thanks fixitoscar

volktc

Recipes 

I agree with fix. if you discovered you needed a blow off tube then its already to late and you have a mess to clean