fermentation vessel preference?

I am currently using a plastic fermentation bucket. What do you distinguished types use? Is it worth it to use a 6.5 glass or even a better bottle carboy and why. thank you in advance for a reply.:cross:

I moved this to the Equipment/Sanitation forum for you.

I've always fermented in plastic with good results. I recently upgraded to the MiniBrew 6.5 conical. I was able to pick it up, brand new on Ebay for $89; so I couldn't pass it up. Unlike a glass carboy, it's very easy to get inside and clean. The bottom dump valve is great for flushing settled break and dead yeast once and a while. The racking port is also great because I don't need to transfer to a bottling bucket. The less transfering of the beer, the less risk of contamination. If you can afford to go conical, that would be my recommendation.

Plastic bucket, loosely covered with a lid, either 5 or 10 gallon depending on the brew size.

I will use a glass carboy for lager because it conducts heat better and it takes longer to ferment.

I started out using a 6.5 gal glass carboy. But then, like a dope, I dropped it on the garage floor and shattered it while in the midst of a brew session. My LHBS shop was out of 6.5 gal carboys so I bought a 7.9 gal plastic fermenting bucket. I have had no problems with the bucket, but for me, the biggest drawback of plastic is that I CANNOT SEE what my brew is doing. Call me crazy, but I just like to watch the whole process.

Cheers,
Ken

Buckets, I don't want to see a bunch of yeast pi$$ing in my beer!

david_42 said:

Buckets, I don't want to see a bunch of yeast pi$$ing in my beer!

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That was a visual I could have done without...

I use a combo of both, plastic and buckets. I want to go to conicals though. Nothing wrong with any of them. Buckets can be had very cheap.

Hey guys,
For those of you using conicals, do you transfer into a 2ndary carboy or do all the fermentation in the conical? also do you dump any crap out of the bottom during fermentation. I'm interested in going to conical fermenter.
any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I like my glass carboys but I'm always worried about breaking them.

6.5G glass but also vary afraid of breaking...broke 2 in 10 years and its not pretty when they go. Would really like to use my corny's but would loose too much out a blow-off since they are only 5G.

I'm a very happy camper with my 7.9 gallon plastic bucket with spigot as a primary and my 5 gallon Better Bottles as secondaries (when I actually use a secondary).

So far, I've focused on two beers lately, a Bavarian Hefeweizen and a Haus Pale Ale. Both are fermented in my plastic bucket then kegged. Everyone who has had one of of these beers find them remarkable and then ask for seconds, thirds, etc.

I love making good beer, and I love finding ways to simplify the process.

My only problem now is I don't have enough taps to have my regular stock (Bavarian Hefeweizen, Haus Pale Ale, & Apfelwein) plus a seasonal or specialty beer. I need more taps dagnabit!

I use only glass after getting some nasty vinegar bacteria in my bucket. 6 1/2 for primary and 5 for secondary.

I've been using glass for over 25 years, and haven't broken one yet. (I always wear latex gloves when handling wet carboys). I switched from plastic simply because it doesn't get scratched so easily, and comes out cheaper in the long run.
Watching a vigorous fermentation is much more interesting than watching Law and Order.

-a.

So are conicals worth staying in one fermenter for all fermentation or should you go to secondary glass?

KitrGy said:

So are conicals worth staying in one fermenter for all fermentation or should you go to secondary glass?

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I would think that the main benefit of a conical is there is no need to secondary as you can draw off the bottom trub. There is also a port a little higher for racking into a keg or bottling bucket.

I hate primary fermenting in carboys because they are hard to clean afterwards and they are too small.

I use an 8 gallon open bucket and cover the top with plastic wrap. I wash it in the shower with hot, hot water before I use it. I've never had a problem with infections although my buckets are a bit scratched.

I was fortunate in the fact that my folks quit milking cows after about 80 years continuously.

I inherited the stainless steel buckets that were the bottom part of the milking machine. I made some circles of 1/4" plexiglas for the lid, and after pitching the yeast I place a box of 22 rifle shells on top for weight. These are about 6 gallon buckets.

I recently got a 30 gallon conical plastic fermenter from National Tank Outlet with a stand delivered for about $155.

I'll add the dump valve and the racking valve assembly, and still have less than $200 invested.

Jim Karr said:

I was fortunate in the fact that my folks quit milking cows after about 80 years continuously.

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Congratulations! It's got to be tough kicking an 80 year habit! I'm sorry; but that looked too funny not to say something.

The cows must have gotten sick of that after a while, too...

Hey EdWort...

Do you have problems with a leaking spigot ever? I would hate to have my brew sitting in a fermenter and have it spring a leak....

Why doesn't any one use stainless kegs, 1/2, 1/4, or Corney, to do a primary fermentation?

I'm thinking of doing it because I could easily transfer the beer to a second Corney or third. This would minimize bacteria problems wouldn't it?

paddy21 said:

Why doesn't any one use stainless kegs, 1/2, 1/4, or Corney, to do a primary fermentation?

I'm thinking of doing it because I could easily transfer the beer to a second Corney or third. This would minimize bacteria problems wouldn't it?

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This has much to do with availabilty of kegs (cost) and the ability to cut an access hole and engineer a means to seal and manage pressure and trub removal.

Certainly in the realm of possibility (we've seen it done), but given that only a small percentage of brewers have keggles, I think most people find that the combination of hurdles too much to overcome.

Let us know your results if you do this.

Pretty sure that Yuri was manufacturing some 7-gallon cornies to act as primaries. 5 gallons just isn't big enough, otherwise you end up with 4.5 gallons after inevitable trub losses. You also need a way to affix an airlock. Cornies do have the benefit of not being light-penetrable, but so do buckets (and buckets are cheaper ).

I personally love my Better Bottle, but I've done well with a simple Ale Pale for many a batch.

I didn't realize that pony and cornies were also being asked about.

Echo bird on that.

I (sometimes), as well as many others will secondary in a corny keg.

12g plastic carboys here. Would like some nice SS conicals but they are to expensive at the moment.

Those plastic conicals. Can they handle pressure? One advantage to SS is that you can seel them up and let the beer carb naturally.

Primary in a bucket with spigot, secondary in a better bottle.

I use 5 Gallon glass carboys. I used to use a couple of plastic buckets, but they got tired and scratched, so I started using my glass as primaries. On Saturday I picked up a 6.5 glass carboy from my LHBS Strangebrew, as he was having a 10% off sale. Hopefully I'll be home brewing a dark lager on Friday, and I'll use it for that.