Secondary and Carboy Question

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zonabb

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OK, I want to get a glass carboy for my primary. I found the plastic bucket I have to be no fun!!! Can't see anything. I'm brewing 5-galon batches so what size should it be? 5, 6, 6.5 gallon?

I assume then that I can still use the plastic bucket as a secondary?
 
6 or 6.5 gallon for primary will be fine. if you go with 6 gallon, will probably want to use a blow-off tube. 6.5 gallon carboy probably doesn't need it. personally, i use the blow-off tube with all primary ferms. don't use the plastic bucket for secondary. you may run into some oxidation isues.
 
6.5 Glass for primary. 5 gallon plast for secondary. Use the bucket for transporting and aerating your beer.

You really will like having clear containers for prim and sec so you can see the beer. Having the bucket as a secondary won't let you see the effect of secondary conditioning over time.
 
Thanks. I'll be hitting the LHBS tomorrow in the a.m.

BierMuncher, are you saying a plastic carboy for the secondary?
 
Zoneabb,

Hey man,
use glass.
I mean really.

I use three 7.5 gallon primarys
and three 5 gallon secondarys
They will last forever and are easier to clean than plastic.
They will brew better xxxx.


Get a 5 gallon secondary
and as big of a primary as they have.
Glass, Glass, Glass.
A big brush to clean them out and luck.


J. Knife
 
I have a 6.5 for primary, though we just put our second batch into a plastic primary because we still had another batch in the 6.5.

That said we just got six 5 gal carboys for $15 ea off craigslist! They're all a bit different though, as they're old water bottles. The necks are a bit narrower than the 5 gal I already had that I'd purchased at my old LHBS when I lived in Albuquerque. Probably about four of them will be used as secondaries for ale, but as I understand it these will make good primaries for mead and cider, and we're looking forward to doing some of those too.

We eventually want another 6.5 so we can do two batches at a time in primary.

Don't forget a blowoff hose for your new carboy, and enjoy!
 
Never made it to the store this weekend. Home project kept me away from brewing. Your input was helpful and I'm gonna get the glass this week.

Thanks
 
There is a plastic carboy called Better Bottle. They look very similar to glass carboys but are much lighter and wont shatter if you drop them. They claim to be made of a special plastic that blocks O2 preventing oxidation. I like the one I have so far. It is much easier to handle when empty and I don't have to worry as much about setting it on hard floors. However it doesn't come in 6.5gal sizes so a blowoff will probably be necessary.
Craig
 
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