Glass Carboy vs Better Bottle vs Bucket

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Which do you prefer for primary?

  • Glass carboy

  • Better Bottle

  • Bucket


Results are only viewable after voting.

Jumbo82

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It seems that most people prefer Better Bottles. I for one use glass carboys and couldn't be happier. Its just a preference thing. This poll isn't meant to start another discussion (we all know this has been debated to death...). I'm just curious about what the hard numbers are on this forum.
 
Bucket is awesome. Cheap (less than half the cost of glass carboy). Easy to clean. Has a handle to carry and lift into fermentation chamber. Protects wort from light. You can drop it without going to the emergency room.
 
Better Bottle for Apfelwein
Bucket with spigot for Beer

Both are primary fermentation only. No secondaries.
 
Better Bottle for Apfelwein
Bucket with spigot for Beer

Both are primary fermentation only. No secondaries.


I prefer a bucket for a primary because it is easier to transfer from the brewpot into the bucket. I just put a sanitized paint strainer in the bucket and pour from the brewpot. The strainer catches the hops and other solids, and pouring also oxygenates the wort. I use better bottles as secondaries.
 
I have an all glass system but am thinking about expanding into kegs as secondaries
 
i have a lot of glass but will not be buying anymore. got my first bb, and due to several factors, cost of glass exploding like my last dropped carboy, and my last dropped carboy, and the light weight of the bb, i will be only purchasing bb in the future.

my stamp of approval for bb, for what it's worth...
 
I ferment in a conical now, but all of my carboys are glass. I really like glass, even though it is heavy and can be dangerous.

I don't have any Better Bottles, but I have long said that if I have to buy another carboy, it'll be a BB due to the lighter weight, lower risk of injury, and lessened chance of loosing a batch of beer. But.... I have recently started making wine, and wine has to be degassed. It is a bit easier to do this in a glass carboy as you can use a mightyvac or vacuvin or similar vacuum system. Vacuum degassing won't work with a BB. So I may end up buying a few more glass 6 gallon carboys after all.
 
I started with a 6.5 carboy and a 5 gallon carboy for secondary both glass. I have a ale pail with spigot, and a 5 gallon and 2 3.5 gallon hy vee icing buckets. I like the glass carboys, the 6.5 makes a good primary for beer, the 5 gallon is a little small as its 5 gallon to the top. The 6.5 actually holds more than 6.5 gallons. Buckets are good, but I dont trust them as secondaries, too much headspace.
 
i have a lot of glass but will not be buying anymore. got my first bb, and due to several factors, cost of glass exploding like my last dropped carboy, and my last dropped carboy, and the light weight of the bb, i will be only purchasing bb in the future.

my stamp of approval for bb, for what it's worth...

I'm with you, also have some glass, but don't see the point of getting more glass after using the better bottles.
 
I almost always use my bottling bucket as primary and secondary in a glass carboy or another bucket to free up my "primary" for bottling. I primary for at least 2-3 weeks and honestly I use the bottling bucket because it's big enough not to need a blow off and I haven't bothered buying a dedicated primary bucket of equal size... I'd have to also agree with the "whatever is available" post though because I am an opportunity brewer who rarely gets to plan more than a couple days in advance when I'll have a free day to brew. My last brew went into a bucket from ACE because I couldn't get some gunk out of my available carboy quick enough and my bottling bucket was already in use as a primary... I did get a reminder of why I like the bigger bucket though as I tried to use a regular airlock and had a blowoff though it.
 
The OP has a simple request that merits no debate and I ask that you honor it.

Declaring "dead horse" is almost beating a dead horse unto itself.

Several OT comments deleted and those that quoted the deleted comments also deleted.. you know who you are and why.

Do not make personal accusations or attacks.
 
I prefer Glass:

My Pros:
They are only $20 a piece at the LHBS (with airlock and handle)
No worries of Scratching and opening to contamination
No having to pry off a lid from a bucket or worry about the lid being sealed

My Cons:
Must be VERY careful
So Heavy when full

- I'll probably eventually try a Better Bottle -- the reason I switched to glass though was to be safer about scratching the inside and opening it to bugs.
 
I just dropped $45 a piece for two glass carboys. The guy at the store talked me out of the better bottle because there plastic and eventually absorb beer flavors.

I plan on making a lot of beer, at least five gallons a week. Then I will wait the six weeks or what ever to drink the first batch. This way I will actually wait until the beer has aged enough to taste really good and not be green still. We drink about five gallons of beer a week.

After primary fermentation I will rack the beer to glass and store it.
I'm not sure if I would want to store beer in plastic down cellar. But then again i'm trying to justify dropping all the cash for carboys, lol.
 
I've only used a bucket once, and was happy with it, but now that I am doing AG 10 gal batches I am short 1 fermenter, and hey, just happen to have these plastic bucket fermenters...

I rarely use secondaries anymore, so what about using a bucket as a primary for as long as 3 weeks? Should the headspace issue be moot if the lid is never removed?
 
For me, buckets are no good. (SWMHBO uses them for purposes other than brewing, and wrecks them.)
Better Bottles may be OK, but they seem too small with a maximum size of 6 gal.
I use 6.5g glass carboys which I bought a long time before Better Bottles were invented.

-a.
 
I did not vote for the simple reason,I am now fermenting in kegs......but glass was my fav. worst nightmare. and buckets was so easy to clean. but its sanke all the way for me now. unless I'm doing it in the corny keg. its all about what YOU like,feel safe handling,and can find/afford. the beer will be good in all of the above. as long as you have temp control.
 
I asked this earlier, and didn't get much response - any thoughts from anyone?

I rarely use secondaries anymore, so what about using a bucket as a primary for as long as 3 weeks? Should the headspace issue be moot if the lid is never removed?
 
I love my better bottles. 40lbs is more than enough for me to handle. I've dropped them a few times both empty and full. I am so glad they weren't glass. Thanks olllllo for your moderation. Sheesh!
 
I have all glass carboys 6.5 and 5 gallon ones. They are just what I've always had so I continue to use them.
 
I guess we have dug up a dead thread...

I prefer better bottles for the primary because they are light and easy to carry, as I brew upstairs or outside and then need to carry them into the basement. They are also very easy to aerate via rocking.

I have had too many buckets develop cracks on the inside plus you cannot safely (IMO) rock them without introducing microfractures.

For fining and/or lagering I will rack out into glass.
 
I asked this earlier, and didn't get much response - any thoughts from anyone?

I rarely use secondaries anymore, so what about using a bucket as a primary for as long as 3 weeks? Should the headspace issue be moot if the lid is never removed?

It's not the head space that could be a problem, more of the permeability of the plastic to O2 that might be of concern. I don't think that I have ever heard of anyone having an issue with a 3 week primary in a bucket. I've kept wine in plastic for months without issue so I think you will be good.
 
It's not the head space that could be a problem, more of the permeability of the plastic to O2 that might be of concern. I don't think that I have ever heard of anyone having an issue with a 3 week primary in a bucket. I've kept wine in plastic for months without issue so I think you will be good.

I have had beer in a primary bucket at room temperature, without racking, for over 8 months with no issue.
 
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