Ferment 2.5 gallons in 3 gallon BB?

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It's a good ecuse to get a larger fermentor! I mean come on, I just spent $23 dollars on a 8 gal plastic tube just to have something bigger then my 6.5 gal glass carboy. I seem to push the limits of my carboys but who does not want more beer!
 
I dont want bigger. The only reason I ask is because I want to start experimenting by splitting 5 gallon batches in half, and only two 3gallon BBs will fit together in my ferm fridge (becuase they are square-ish).
 
Haha, I just thought of Fermcap-S and came to the thread to see if anyone had mentioned it. Good idea, definitely going to go that route. Thanks
 
yes it would be pushing it. Secondary in a 3 gallon is good.

Why is it pushing it? I PRIMARY it all the time.....2.5 gallons is perfect for a 3 gallon better bottle.Is this speculation or experience? :rolleyes:

Every batch I've EVER fermented in my 3 gallon BB has been 2.5 gallons, and I've never had a problem.

Please not in this picture where the 2.5 gallon mark is...and how much room there is above it.

krausen5.jpg


And I've never need fermcap in it either.

I think I've even squeezed a 2.75 gallon in there....you see where the graduations are...
 
Speculation. Mostly if it will be too little room and blow off like crazy. I'm going to use blow off's regardless just in case (and I like to hear the fermentation by the bubbles hitting the bottom of the growler so I dont have to open the fridge)
 
Speculation. Mostly if it will be too little room and blow off like crazy. I'm going to use blow off's regardless just in case (and I like to hear the fermentation by the bubbles hitting the bottom of the growler so I dont have to open the fridge)

It's good to have some head space, many if not most beers will stay pretty tame, but others will go nuts and foam a bunch, pretty impossible to predict. I figure for the price of a squirt of Fermcap (maybe 10 cents) I have avoided many a cleanup.
 
Speculation. Mostly if it will be too little room and blow off like crazy. I'm going to use blow off's regardless just in case (and I like to hear the fermentation by the bubbles hitting the bottom of the growler so I dont have to open the fridge)

Well, personally I'd rather have advice based on actual experience with the object at hand, than someone's opinion when I'm looking for advice...If I don't REALLY know what I'm talking about I tend not to answer a post, rather than muddy the water with opinion not based on anything concrete. I would think since you were looking for info, you'd want facts based on folks who've actually used something, not someone's speculation....

I do a lot of 2.5 gallon batches in all manner of fermenters, including several 3 gallon water bottles;

fermentation_closet.jpg


In fact 1,4 and 6 are all 2.5 gallon batches in various 3 gallon sized containers, and NONE of them had too little headspace, needed a blowoff tube, or needed fermcap.

In fact in terms of needing a blowoff tube, I've probably needed 3 in several hundred various sized batches in my brewing career. In my experience they've been rarely necessarily. It's good to have the stuff laying around to fit them, but rarely have I needed one.
 
k.

Just started searching. Don't want the #7s.

I'm all out of primary space so I was trying to save a few bucks.. looks like I'll just spring for another carboy.. :D

Thanks for the quick reply!

:mug:
 
k.

Just started searching. Don't want the #7s.

I'm all out of primary space so I was trying to save a few bucks.. looks like I'll just spring for another carboy.. :D

Thanks for the quick reply!

:mug:

More and more waterbottles these days (especially with water already in them) are showing up as number 2's thanks to the BPA recalls. Many of the companies are even using BB's these days.

In fact whatever brand Kroger supermarkets carry the 3 gallon bottles are neat, they're squat like this one, much lower profile. And <2>

3-5-gal.jpg


I used them a lot, but over time, maybe because of too prolonged oxyclean soaks, or just a lot of use, I broke both of them, one at the seam and one at the bottom. But I got several batches out of them. The squat size is really cool. One of them is now the hopper for my grainmill.
 
My dad and I both use 3 Gallon Better Bottles for 2.5 Gallon batches.

Just make sure you have a blowoff tube for the first couple days, although I rarely have batches that need the blowoff tube!
 
Revvy, how'd you calibrate your Better Bottles? On their site, they show the 3 gallon mark at the bottom of the neck & yours looks to be a little further down.
 
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