ACo
Well-Known Member
Hey, so I just purchased two 5 gal better bottle carboys which i was quite excited about, but then I realized...do i need to be using 6 gal carboys for 5 gal batches? Did i just blow it?
Did I buy the wrong carboy?
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ACo
Well-Known Member
Hey, so I just purchased two 5 gal better bottle carboys which i was quite excited about, but then I realized...do i need to be using 6 gal carboys for 5 gal batches? Did i just blow it?
llazy_llama
Well-Known Member
5 gallon carboys will work, but 6 gallon are preferred for primary fermentation. Be sure to use a blow-off tube for the first few days of fermentation. You'll probably lose a little bit of beer, but not enough to worry about.
My first two extract batches were fermented in 5 gallon carboys. 1 was fine, the other had a lot of blow-off... maybe a quart.
My first two extract batches were fermented in 5 gallon carboys. 1 was fine, the other had a lot of blow-off... maybe a quart.
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ACo
Well-Known Member
I'm just wondering if it's worth it to return them for 6 gallon carboys....
If you can do it easily, I would.
dontman
Well-Known Member
I regret my two 5 gallon BB purchases. If you can I would definitely return these. If you can't and you plan to use these as primaries you will have to plan for blowoff and 4-4.5 g batches.
conpewter
Well-Known Member
You'll be better off using a 6 gallon carboy to ferment 5 gallons in. If you do use the 5 gallon carboys you'll want to use a blow-off tube and you'll loose some of your beer that way. You could also look into "foam control" drops that really help keep the krausen (foam) low.
EvilTOJ
Well-Known Member
In a word, yes. 5 gallon carboys don't work well for 5 gallon batches because of blowoff. You'll lose at least half a gallon of wort when that sucker erupts. A minimum of 6 gallons is recommended for 5 gallon batches.
Look at it this way, now you have a place to rack your beer out of the primary to so you can get your pipeline going
Look at it this way, now you have a place to rack your beer out of the primary to so you can get your pipeline going
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You could always scale your recipes for 4 gallons
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ACo
Well-Known Member
Thanks... *sigh*
McNasty
Well-Known Member
You could always scale your recipes for 4 gallons
Or scale them up to 8 gallon batches.
He has two.
Brewme
Well-Known Member
I use a 5 gallon carboy for 5 gallon batches with no problem using an airlock. Although, a blow off tube is cheap, so I got one just in case for my last brew and I only had a little bit of yeast get in there, even after over filling the carboy a bit.
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Yessss! More beerOr scale them up to 8 gallon batches.
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
I use 8 gallon buckets, and occasionally I'll get some krausen up in the air lock. It would suck using 6 gallon ones... 5 are virtually unusable IMHO.
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ACo
Well-Known Member
thanks people. Ill prolly just return them.
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5 gallon carboys are the perfect size for 5 gallon Apfelwein batches. No krausen, no blow off, just lots of tiny bubbles.
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
I vote for getting a 6 gallon for a primary and use the 5's as secondaries, which they're better suited for than the bigger ones.
IwanaBrich
Well-Known Member
I primarily use my 2 carboys (glass & BB) as secondary fermenters. I use a 7 gallon plastic bucket with an air lock as my primary. I found the carboys a pain to clean. I start my batches in 7 gallon bucket and I transfer them into the carboys after the heavy fermentation stops. So, you can keep the 5 Gallon BB and go out and get a plastic primary for about $15.
A couple questions:
Will you still lose wort through the blowoff tube using a 6gal carboy for 5 gal batches? If so, how much?
I have tended to use open primary fermentation (7gal plastic pail with loose fitting lid, so no need for airlock). Is this more than fine, or should I consider switching to some sort of closed fermentation?
Will you still lose wort through the blowoff tube using a 6gal carboy for 5 gal batches? If so, how much?
I have tended to use open primary fermentation (7gal plastic pail with loose fitting lid, so no need for airlock). Is this more than fine, or should I consider switching to some sort of closed fermentation?
Slipgate
Well-Known Member
I've never used a Carboy for primary fermentation, only secondary. I've made many batches like this!
