Plastic bucket, glass carboy or Better Bottle for lambics

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JoeLindley

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For those of you who have experience with lambics, do you have any recommendations for what kind of vessel(s) to use? I started my first 5-gal batch in early October with Wyeast 3278. It's been in a plastic bucket since, which makes it 8 weeks so far. I've got glass carboys and I could pick up a Better Bottle if that's what works best.
 
I would do a plastic bucket for a month (or two in your case) and then transfer into a carboy or Better Bottle.
 
OK.. Would it be OK if you use a bottling bucket as the secondary in a frig for lagering as opposed to a carboy.

I am just not a fan of the carboy.. its heavy, no spout and you have to use a funnel to fill it.. to me it seems like a messy way to do the job.

Why are they popular... ? Is it a matter of "thats the way it has been done" or is there a better reason ?

I will probably just get the Deep Wood SS carboy in the future anyway. But for this batch I was curious, if the 6 gallon bucket would work.. since its not tightly sealed.
 
CDGoin said:
OK.. Would it be OK if you use a bottling bucket as the secondary in a frig for lagering as opposed to a carboy.

I am just not a fan of the carboy.. its heavy, no spout and you have to use a funnel to fill it.. to me it seems like a messy way to do the job.

Why are they popular... ? Is it a matter of "thats the way it has been done" or is there a better reason ?

I will probably just get the Deep Wood SS carboy in the future anyway. But for this batch I was curious, if the 6 gallon bucket would work.. since its not tightly sealed.

The small headspace is the main advantage of carboys over buckets and the like. Glass is impermeable to O2, nonreactive and easily cleaned with an array of chemicals.

I fill my carboy with a 1/2'' hose and a pump, personally.
 
OK.. Would it be OK if you use a bottling bucket as the secondary in a frig for lagering as opposed to a carboy.

I am just not a fan of the carboy.. its heavy, no spout and you have to use a funnel to fill it.. to me it seems like a messy way to do the job.

Why are they popular... ? Is it a matter of "thats the way it has been done" or is there a better reason ?

I will probably just get the Deep Wood SS carboy in the future anyway. But for this batch I was curious, if the 6 gallon bucket would work.. since its not tightly sealed.

You're going to use a funnel to fill your secondary? You're supposed to keep oxygen OUT of beer.

It looks like the best option is the better bottle:
1. It's super light
2. Small opening doesn't matter since if you should use a siphon anyway. Using a funnel with mix in oxygen
3. Why do you need a spigot? Use siphon to go to bottling bucket when bottling, then use spigot from there.
 
I prefer gravity and a spigot.. Put the fermentor up high, and the bucket low.. run the sanitized hose to the bottom of the bucket and slowly transfer.

Thats what I have been doing.. to me it seems easier and no chance of contaminating the beer in any way. Also would keep the splashing down to a minimum. Even the better bottles (Which I just found out about) have spigots.

To many bad experiences siphoning, not with beer.. but none the less..
 
A tube is better than a funnel, I like 3/8" silicone tubing with a 1/2" autosiphon. Airtight, and you can boil the tubing for sanitation.

I've personally had issues with spigots and never had a problem with siphoning. I even bottle with an autosiphon.

To each their own though, both work fine.
 
I prefer gravity, tubing and a clamp. No need for a filthy spigot or a silly autosiphon if you know what you're doing.
 
I boil the spigots prior to re-installing it after cleaning. I also then empty the iodine solution through the spigot as the last stage. Then when I go to use it, I wipe the spigots down with a an rag in iodine solution. Never have had a problem with "a filthy" spigot.

As for transfers just hook up the hose, put other end in the bucket and open the valve. Nothing simpler

And I meant using a funnel for filling the carboy as the primary, not for transferring to the secondary.
 
BTW.. a little off topic.. but still in the realm of 5 Gallon equipment.

I started brewing with the little 6.5 Gallon fermenter in my avatar.

I haven't seen the like of it anywhere.. I was told it was from an older Mr. Brew or maybe Mr. Beer kit. I can't find any info on it anywhere online, no pictures, nothing. Anyone know where it came from..?

Anyway, I like it as it fits nicely into my kitchen sink and no where near as cumbersome as a carboy, and yet better than a bucket as I can see through it, etc..

Just curious about it more than anything else.. Is it a common piece ? I would like to get another one.
 
BTW.. a little off topic.. but still in the realm of 5 Gallon equipment.

I started brewing with the little 6.5 Gallon fermenter in my avatar.

I haven't seen the like of it anywhere.. I was told it was from an older Mr. Brew or maybe Mr. Beer kit. I can't find any info on it anywhere online, no pictures, nothing. Anyone know where it came from..?

Anyway, I like it as it fits nicely into my kitchen sink and no where near as cumbersome as a carboy, and yet better than a bucket as I can see through it, etc..

Just curious about it more than anything else.. Is it a common piece ? I would like to get another one.

Early Mr Beer I believe. I've seen others write about them. I've never seen on (except in pictures). I don't think you can buy them anymore.
 
If it is a Mr. Beer, wonder why they went from this marvelously engineered piece of equipment..

To that gimicky little brown keg..?
 
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