What would you do - 2 Batches and a lot of fermentation options

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on this: I am planning to brew two 4 to 5 gallon batches of beer this weekend using extract. I have not purchased my ingredients yet as I am not sure how big my batches are going to be, or what recipes I will be using, though its going to be an extract brew.

Here's my dilemma:

I have alot of fermenters. I have two 4 Gallon glass carboy's and about three 10 gallon plastic primary fermenters. I am not sure what the best option would be for my brewing - I could make two 4g batches in the glass carboys, or 2 5-6 gallon batches in the plastic primary's. I am not planning to secondary these batches.

The plastics seem like my best option because A) I get more beer and B) they are easier to clean. My only concern with the plastics is that the lids I have are crappy at best so I am afraid it may oxidize my beers.

What would be my best option? How would the pro's do it?

with the 4 gallon carboys, you would be best filling only 3 - 3.5 gallons as it will blowout if you try to put more in it than that.

brewing 3 gallon batches, in my opinion, that is not enough reward.

I would brew a 6 or 7 gallon batch in the plastic. Try to find a better lid, or, like many fine brewers, don't worry about getting an airtight lid on it. Just place the lid over the top so you don't get any crap in it, and let her go. Or, forego the lid and sanitize and place a piece of tin foil over the top.

Just my 0.02

+1 on that.

No worries about the lid. Just don't open it too much after high krausen. A few gravity samples here and there won't hurt ya.

Sorry, forgot to say - go with the big batches. Obviously!

def 5-6gal batches, or even upto 7g batches in those buckets!

Thanks for the pointers! I went and did a count on all my fermenting equipment and I apparently have 2 6 Gallon buckets with lids also (I forgot I got them for free when I picked up another 50 swing-tops from a garage sale) and air bung holes drilled in them. I could probably use those bad boys too!