Advice on new equipment

Before I start,let me just say I've read plenty of "better bottle vs. glass carboy" threads and "bucket permeability" ones as well,so I'm not just posting without searching.However,I still find all the info a bit disorienting and dull(even if I'm the dull one).

Now,my question is,what would be a better first upgrade?a better bottle or an extra fermenting bucket?I wonder because while the bottle would probably last me longer and be a wiser INVESTMENT,it seems like it needs more accessories(such as unique airlocks,milk crates,etc.) as opposed to a simple bucket,lid and airlock.I'm simply looking to brew more than just 1 beer at a time,since practice makes perfect.Thank you.

Buy the better bottle. I use glass carboys to ferment in and have used a bucket to ferment in. I prefer the transparency of the better bottle and the glass carboys to the buckets. If you already own a racking cane you don't need any extra equipment to use a better bottle.

BB. For stopper, get one of these. Ed doesn't have a pic there, but they are the sh1tz.

hereforbeer said:

. . . it seems like it needs more accessories(such as unique airlocks,milk crates,etc.) as opposed to a simple bucket,lid and airlock . . .

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I use a better bottle and have not a single special accessory for it. Use a regular stopper I bought at my lhbs and a piece of tubing for blow off.

Pappers said:

I use a better bottle and have not a single special accessory for it. Use a regular stopper I bought at my lhbs and a piece of tubing for blow off.

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The stopper I recommended (sorry, no pic) is far far better than a normal rubber one. It is less expensive and available at some brew shops. I'll track down a pic if I can.

OK here's the pic

I use a bucket for primary and plastic carboy for secondary . You don't have to spend a lot of money to make great tasting beer but if you get hooked like myself and most homebrewers do , you will spend a lot of money.

Thanks to all the replies.Now I'm set on the better bottle.I'm thinking on getting the 5 gal for bottling/secondary.Will it be better to get the 6 gal for primary to replace my bucket instead?

I'd never get anything but the 6's.

I bought a second primary bucket. I know you can use the BB as either, but I figure I'll leave beer in a primary longer than in a secondary, using my carboy for when, and if, I want to do some secondary fermentation. That way I can run 2 batches at once and adjust my secondary schedule to fit the equipment I have.

That's what I'm doing. Got apfelwein going to secondary this weekend, so I just ordered a fruit wine kit (for SWMBO) and ingredients for 3 gal. of weitzbier (also for SWMBO... I'm starting to see a pattern here...). Gotta plan how to do it all at once... hmm.

I'll be moving the apfelwein to my carboy on Sat., then fermenting the fruit wine in the then-empty primary while I ferment (primary) the weitzbier in my bottling bucket (after I give it a great sanitation twice-over and triple check that the nozzle is watertight). I'll have three things going at once, and I only have three containers!!

I'm a happy man. :fro:

I have some 6 gal better bottles, and they're all ported. I just hate dealing with racking canes and siphoning. Sure I'm siphoning with a ported better bottle but the siphon is only 3" long and get sanitized along with the rest of the bottle. Then when I rack out of the better bottle I just give the spout a little squirt with sanitizer and throw it in my bottle bucket. There's an add in the classifieds for the racking adapters right now I already bought four off him. They're like $40 but he is selling for $25.

I own buckets, better bottles, glass carboys and a pyrex carboy. I've tried fermention in all of them and my preference is better bottles for beer, buckets for mead (primary), glass for bulk aging mead and the pyrex serves no real purpose other than it looks cool.

BBBF said:

I own buckets, better bottles, glass carboys and a pyrex carboy. I've tried fermention in all of them and my preference is better bottles for beer, buckets for mead (primary), glass for bulk aging mead and the pyrex serves no real purpose other than it looks cool.

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Pyrex carboy? How much did that run you? they look $$$$. As far as equip, I've recently gone through this same dilemma. I have a 7 & 2 5 gal glass carboys, 6 gal better bottle and an ale pail. I tend to use the glass as much as possible, but they all make great beer. It's just a matter of what works for you. I've had luck surfing C-list for carboys, got my 7 gal for 20$ and a 5 for 15$, give that a try, people are always getting rid of brew stuff (I don't know why

Jughead said:

I've had luck surfing C-list for carboys, got my 7 gal for 20$ and a 5 for 15$, give that a try, people are always getting rid of brew stuff (I don't know why

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I'll try looking for a glass carboy like that.Looks like it can be a convenient tool in the future,but for now,I'll get a better bottle(and the stopper posted earlier).Now I gotta choose an online store...

Jughead said:

Pyrex carboy? How much did that run you? they look $$$$. As far as equip, I've recently gone through this same dilemma. I have a 7 & 2 5 gal glass carboys, 6 gal better bottle and an ale pail. I tend to use the glass as much as possible, but they all make great beer. It's just a matter of what works for you. I've had luck surfing C-list for carboys, got my 7 gal for 20$ and a 5 for 15$, give that a try, people are always getting rid of brew stuff (I don't know why

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Got the pyrex off craigslist for $20