Swap out buckets for a carboy?

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gsueagle7703

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Complete noob here. I did my first batch (which has been greatly enjoyed) under the watchful supervision of my good friend. I have a Witbeir planned to cook this weekend. Right now all I have is the 6.5 gallon bucket. I liked how you could watch the process better in my friends carboy, but is there any real advantage to switching to carboys for a primary?
 
The yeast don't care what they do their job in....In reality a fermenter is a fermenter is a fermenter.....glass, plastic, carboy, bucket, jerry can, keg, milk jug, ceramic crock, glass hurricane jar, stainless steel or plastic conicals, pet food storage vessels (vittle vaults), HD or Lowe's buckets, frosting buckets, water jugs, the old Mr Beer jug...All of those and anything you can think of, all work perfectly fine, and have been used by hundreds if not thousands of brewers...

No one type is better or worse than any other...good beer or crappy beer can be made in all of them, dependant onthe brewer, NOT what it's fermented in...

It's really just a matter of preference, nothing more....

It really isn't rocket science, it's really about using what works for you.

It won't have an "impact" on the beer one bit.
 
We have 2 plastic buckets & 1 6.5 gal glass carboy for fermentors.
The glass is cool so you can watch (which is why we got it) but they are more fragile.
They are more expensive than buckets, but I'd say get one so you can watch.

The "downsides" of glass in my opinion: Fragile, Clear (lets light in, so you need to be aware & address that... easy enough to do)

We tend to use the buckets first. Stuff goes in, seal it up, open it up in 3 or 4 weeks...
like magic... there's beer in there!!!
 
I use glass carboys because that is what I have and what I have always used. But they definitely have down sides. They are a PITA to clean compared to a bucket, are heavier than plastic, and can break with some brewers reporting serious injuries from them. They are also more expensive than buckets and potentially could leach lead into your brew, but that is probably not an issue unless you are using an antique demijohn or something.
 
I like glass because it's highly reusable, long lasting, non-porous, and easy to clean and sanitize.
 
potentially could leach lead into your brew, but that is probably not an issue unless you are using an antique demijohn or something.


Definitely not an issue. Lead glass is extremely rare and I doubt it was ever used for making a big old clumsy carboy.
 
The number of "I think my beer is ruined" threads on this forums is directly proportional to the number of clear fermenting vessels in use. Fermentation is not a spectator sport. There have never been any blockbuster movies starring fermenting wort. There's nothing here to see. Move along and let the yeast formicate in peace.
 
I like using carboys as primary fermenters strictly because I like seeing the beer go through the process which is impossible with a non-clear fermenter. Buckets are easier to move around and clean.
 
Definitely not an issue. Lead glass is extremely rare and I doubt it was ever used for making a big old clumsy carboy.

I wouldn't be so dogmatic about it. Like I said, it is probably only potentially an issue if you are using old or antique glassware. But many glass carboys used in brewing are old water bottles made before all the companies switched to plastic bottles. Many of these were made in mexico and it would be very difficult to track down if and how much lead they used in the manufacturing. Lead can definitely be found in glassware that does not have a percentage high enough to call it Lead Glass or crystal. From a glass expert I found the following:

"Lead is used not only to lower the melting point of the glass, but it makes it less susceptable to fractures. It does this by altereing the physical crystalline structure of the matrix, filling in gaps, etc. Glass is almost never pure silica. It would be fragible beyond any usefulness. Manufacturers utilize up to 50% or more metallic oxides (calcium, lead, lithium, etc) in making glassware. The ratios determine susceptablity to leaching as different materials can add "hardness" to the final product. In theory, one could create glassware with lead which would not leach metals. However, historically this has not been done with any kind of consistency and hasn't been a concern until about 30 years ago."

Water doesn't leach lead out of glass however long exposure to acidic liquids (like what we do in brewing and wine making) certainly has the potential to.

Again, I'm not particularly worried about it but it is not as simple as "Lead glass is extremely rare and I doubt it was ever used for making a big old clumsy carboy". Lead's not rare. China and Mexico are two of the leading producers and also happen to be some of the leading glass producing countries. I would expect due to current understanding and policical pressure they wouldn't use lead intentionally (you never know with china), although it would definitely be present in trace amounts, hell, candy from china and mexico has lead in it.

Anyway, I think I'll RDWHA lunch break LOL.
 
The shape of your fermenting vessel has an effect on your beer. It's not a slight against one vessel or another, but all other things the same, a beer fermented in a bucket will be slightly different from a beer fermented in a carboy.
 
Like I said, it is probably only potentially an issue if you are using old or antique glassware.

Anyway, I think I'll RDWHA lunch break LOL.

That history is actually interesting to know, thank you for sharing it. But young children (aged 6-84 months) are usually the sub-population of chief concern for lead exposure. The chance that children will be drinking beer from your antique carboy is negligible. Plastics have a similar problem with BPA, which affects most of all babies, kids and nursing mothers. BPA has only been removed from plastics since 2008 in the US. That's because evidently we are still discovering harmful chemicals that are leeching out of plastics. Plastic from China, from Mexico, and from Detroit, Michigan.

There's a strong case for using glass and stainless steel against plastics. But I think the strongest argument for me is that I will never have to worry about in which order oxy-clean + bleach + star-san needs to be used to clean my new food grade BPA-free bucket after a bacterial growth without leaving an awful smell or alas have to replace it.

The only case against glass for me is the cost, but it evens out in the long term.

::reaches for beer::.... damn I'm still at work.
 
That history is actually interesting to know, thank you for sharing it. But young children (aged 6-84 months) are usually the sub-population of chief concern for lead exposure. The chance that children will be drinking beer from your antique carboy is negligible. Plastics have a similar problem with BPA, which affects most of all babies, kids and nursing mothers. BPA has only been removed from plastics since 2008 in the US. That's because evidently we are still discovering harmful chemicals that are leeching out of plastics. Plastic from China, from Mexico, and from Detroit, Michigan.

There's a strong case for using glass and stainless steel against plastics. But I think the strongest argument for me is that I will never have to worry about in which order oxy-clean + bleach + star-san needs to be used to clean my new food grade BPA-free bucket after a bacterial growth without leaving an awful smell or alas have to replace it.

The only case against glass for me is the cost, but it evens out in the long term.

::reaches for beer::.... damn I'm still at work.

Yeah, kind of like choose your poison. In fact the most neuro-toxic thing in your beer is the exact thing we are after so I don't get too worked up about any of it:drunk:

That being said, I hate to burst another bubble but lead is damn toxic and not just to children. From wikipedia:

Lead is highly poisonous metal (regardless if inhaled or swallowed), affecting almost every organ and system in the body. The main target for lead toxicity is the nervous system, both in adults and children. Long-term exposure of adults can result in decreased performance in some tests that measure functions of the nervous system. Long-term exposure to lead or its salts (especially soluble salts or the strong oxidant PbO2) can cause nephropathy, and colic-like abdominal pains. It may also cause weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles. Lead exposure also causes small increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older people and can cause anemia. Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or children and ultimately cause death. In pregnant women, high levels of exposure to lead may cause miscarriage. Chronic, high-level exposure have shown to reduce fertility in males.[70] Lead also damages nervous connections (especially in young children) and cause blood and brain disorders. Lead poisoning typically results from ingestion of food or water contaminated with lead; but may also occur after accidental ingestion of contaminated soil, dust, or lead-based paint.[71] It is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and is believed to have adverse effects on the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, kidneys, and the immune system.[72] The component limit of lead (1.0 μg/g) is a test benchmark for pharmaceuticals, representing the maximum daily intake an individual should have. However, even at this low level, a prolonged intake can be hazardous to human beings.[73][74] The treatment for lead poisoning consists of dimercaprol and succimer.[75]
 
The shape of your fermenting vessel has an effect on your beer. It's not a slight against one vessel or another, but all other things the same, a beer fermented in a bucket will be slightly different from a beer fermented in a carboy.


Really?? Conical maybe, but the difference in shape of a carboy as opposed to a bucket?? They are both cylinders of approximately the same proportions.
As for the headspace shape that would only come into play with a large krausen.

IMO you would be very hard pressed to tell any difference, if there would be any in the first place.
 
I use the new Cooper's fermenter (great fermenter, bottles, bottling wand and hydrometer, the cooper lager kit sucked arse). I love that it is transparent, plastic, has a krausen collar and uses no airlock, have brewed 6 batches in it and I love it! Best of both worlds, plastic and transparent and is like for 8 gallons.
 
kh54s10 said:
Really?? Conical maybe, but the difference in shape of a carboy as opposed to a bucket?? They are both cylinders of approximately the same proportions.
As for the headspace shape that would only come into play with a large krausen.

IMO you would be very hard pressed to tell any difference, if there would be any in the first place.

I've brewed the same recipe over and over again in both and have never been able to tell the difference in the final product as to which vessel it was brewed in:)
 
The biggest headache to a carboy as others have mentioned is cleaning it. What a PITA.

I've only used my carboy as a secondary because watching the fermentation process is about as exciting to me as watching paint dry. That said, I use it because I can see the "clarity" of my beer before bottling and because I like using secondaries (heretical I know).

But anyway, cleaning it, and moving it about are the most difficult things, a bucket is far easier. I don't think you'll notice any other difference in your beer.
 
Thanks to all for the rapid responses to my question. Think this site is defiantly a keeper for questions in the future.
 
Some glass advantages:
No oxygen transfer (only worth considering for very long conditioning periods)
No accumulation of bacteria-harboring scratches

So glass is probably the way to got for wines and ciders that you mature but for beer its not such an issue.
 
I use 6 gallon Better Bottles. I highly recommend those if you are looking at carboys. Light weight, resistant to cracking/ breaking and the opening at the top is a little bigger. I use these over buckets just because i like being able to watch the yeast churn, and see how the beer is clearing up. I've thought of switching to buckets because of easier cleaning, but stay with these cuz its fun to watch. Its kinda like looking at a lava lamp when fermentation starts.

The only thing I would suggest doing if you switch is wrapping your carboy in a towel or a tshirt to keep light from getting in. Buckets stop light without a towel.
 
1 item that hasn't been mentioned is the blow off tube.

Yesterday I brewed a batch & used a carboy that I originally put an airlock. I saw it was fermenting like crazy. I heard it bubbling like a witches cauldron. I switched to a blow off tube just in time.

Here's what I found the morning after..........................

IMG_0072.JPG


If I used a bucket to primary in, I would have a mess on my hands today.

Hmmmm............ 2009? You mean I'm not the 1st?

May I also just add that you should be prepared for a blow-off to happen. In a 6.5 gallon, it's less likely but can still happen depending on your batch size.If the Krausen hits the top of the opening and starts coing into the air lock (vodka turns from clear to brown), you may be at risk for a ceiling covered in sticky beer.

Good discussion on that here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/air-lock-vs-blow-off-tube-50456/

Lots of videos and FAQs online explaining how to do it. I use 5 gallon carboys and always use a blow off tube for the first week or so then switch to a standard airlock.

P.S. I blow off tube on a bucket? I've never seen that. I'm sure it would work.
 
word, if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball install an airlock, you can install a blowoff.

little blowoff: add a length of tubing starting at the body of a three piece airlock
big blowoff: get some larger ID tubing and just use the hole in the lid where the airlock attaches. you can add gaskets if you like on both ends of the tubing, but I personally don't bother.
 
I guess he means that most buckets, if they have an airlock at all, use the little grommets rather than a bung-sized hole so you can install a larger tube. To be honest I thought that buckets were meant to be large enough to prevent the need for a blow-off in most cases anyway?
 
To be honest I thought that buckets were meant to be large enough to prevent the need for a blow-off in most cases anyway?

Yep, no bottle-neck effect on a bucket either.

I've only rigged a blowoff a couple of times when using a bucket, once when I was fermenting a massive beer with an aggressive pitch and one other time when I overshot gravity and just ended up making a couple extra gallons of beer.
 
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