6.0 vs 6.5 gallon carboy

Greetings:

I'm thinking about getting back into homebrewing after a several year hiatus.

My former setup consisted of a 5 gallon carboy, using a big hose in a blowoff system, then using a fermentation lock after the initial fermentation died down.

I see that there are both 6.0 and 6.5 gallon fermenters available, although the 6.5 ones seem to be somewhat less available. I'd like to be able to make a batch without having to deal with a blowoff hose.

My question is this: is a 6.0 gallon carboy big enough to handle the krausen and crud forming from a 5 gallon batch, or is the 6.5 gallon preferable. Restating that slightly differently, is that extra half gallon of volume worth the added expense/weight/different fittings of the 6.5 gallon carboy.

Any of you brewers with a 6.0 gallon carboy later wish that you had gotten the 6.5 instead?

FWIW, I'm planning to stick with glass.

TIA for any advice and guidance.

I've got a 5, couple of 6's, and a 6.5. I've had blowoff from the 6.5 on a dunkleweizen. But not usually with regular gravity beers with general use yeasts. I have not used the 6 for beer, they're for my wine.

I had the same question when I got back into brewing earlier this year. I went with a 6.5 gallon, mostly because I could get it locally and I would have to have ordered a 6 gallon (and pay shipping). The extra space with the 6.5 only means that you'll lose a little less beer when you have blowoff. I say WHEN because I fermented a little less than 5 gallons of an IPA in my 6.5 gallon and it erupted through my airlock. I now use a blow-off tube everytime on my primary. The debate comes down to how much beer you're willing to risk losing on blowoff. It won't be much either way. I like the 6.5, but I'm not convinced it's significantly better than 6.

What's your aversion to a blowoff tube?

Available at most online homebrew retailers for about $5 that will last you about 20 brews, give or take.

Is Fermcap alright in the fermenter? I use it during boiling, but I'm not sure I like the idea of adding it to cooled wort. Other than potential contamination issues, I wouldn't want anything to interfere with the yeast and their important task.

I don't have any blowoff issues with 5 gal. in a 6.5 gal carboy, but the krausen has gotten close a couple of times. I'd go with the bigger ones.

same for me as the post above. i've had some close calls, but never needed a blowoff tube for my glass 6.5 carboy. i say, the bigger the better

Buffman, my only aversion to a blowoff tube is my innate laziness. One less piece of equipment to sanitize and rig up. There may be a minimal advantage in that the less you muck around with a fermenter the better, and putting the ferm lock on and not messing with it may have a very slight advantage when it comes to risks of contamination. Dunno.

That Fermcap stuff sounds slick. Anybody know if it interferes with head formation? Some styles are characterized by a righteous head of rocky foam, and I'd be interested to know if it has any effect.

Thanks for the advice, y'all. When I purchase my stuff, I'll probably go for the 6.5.

Buffman said:

Is Fermcap alright in the fermenter? I use it during boiling, but I'm not sure I like the idea of adding it to cooled wort. Other than potential contamination issues, I wouldn't want anything to interfere with the yeast and their important task.

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arley said:

That Fermcap stuff sounds slick. Anybody know if it interferes with head formation? Some styles are characterized by a righteous head of rocky foam, and I'd be interested to know if it has any effect.

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Yep. Lots of people use it in the fermentor as well. It keeps in the proteins that you would normally lose to blow-off and subsequently, may increase head retention. It may also increase IBU utilization, since those compounds, which can be trapped in the krausen, won't be lost to blow-off either.

Thanks, Pseudo. I'll have to try it, especially when I'm short on headspace.

I started with the 6.5 gal "Ale Pail," and had very little trouble with any krausen getting in the airlock. Lately, I've switched to 7 gal. buckets from U.S. Plastics. they not only have 1/2 gal. more space, they are taller in profile, so that the headspace is deeper. They also have a serious O-ring lid seal, and are cheaper than the "Ale Pail." The only reason I can see not to brew in one is if you have to watch "FermenTV" for some reason.......