Is a Better-Bottle worth the expense for a begining brewer?

I like the idea of using a Better-Bottle for convience and keeping trub out but I can get 2 glass carboy's with a racking cane for $20. Do you think the extra $45 is worth it? I will be kegging.

Extra $45?!? How much are they charging for better bottles at your LHBS?!?

And where are you finding glass carboys for under 10 bucks?!?

Ported BB with that fancy valve $65

$10 glass carboy from a friend who has had them in his attic for like 5-7 years

ChshreCat said:

Extra $45?!? How much are they charging for better bottles at your LHBS?!?

And where are you finding glass carboys for under 10 bucks?!?

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You don't need anything with a port or valve, unless you have a conical or something. Since the glass carboys are so cheap, I'd go with them. The advantage of the better bottle (not valved) is that they're lighter and won't shatter, although you do have to worry about scratching them. Let's not get into another glass vs plastic debate here, though, since that argument has been had over and over.

If you can get the glass cheaper, go glass. That's my opinion. You don't need a ported carboy just to ferment something. It's overkill. Just get an auto-siphon and call it a day.

Ahh ok. I was gonna say that carboys are more than better bottles at my shop.

The port isn't worth the money if you ask me. Hard to keep clean and sanitized. 5 gallon better bottles are only $25 and 6 gallon are $28 at my LHBS. Good deal compared to new carboy prices. Then an autosiphon to transfer makes it easy.

I'd say.... get both! You're just gonna want more fermenters once you start anyway. Pick up the carboys from your buddy and then expand with better bottles. Just make sure the carboys are in good shape and be careful with them. They have a tendency to kersplode when dropped and throw shrapnel.

btw... if those are 5 gallon carboys, you're going to need a larger fermenter anyway. If that's the case, get the carboys for secondaries and pick up a 6 gallon Better Bottle for your primary.

ChshreCat said:

Ahh ok. I was gonna say that carboys are more than better bottles at my shop.

The port isn't worth the money if you ask me. Hard to keep clean and sanitized. 5 gallon better bottles are only $25 and 6 gallon are $28 at my LHBS. Good deal compared to new carboy prices. Then an autosiphon to transfer makes it easy.

I'd say.... get both! You're just gonna want more fermenters once you start anyway. Pick up the carboys from your buddy and then expand with better bottles. Just make sure the carboys are in good shape and be careful with them. They have a tendency to kersplode when dropped and throw shrapnel.

btw... if those are 5 gallon carboys, you're going to need a larger fermenter anyway. If that's the case, get the carboys for secondaries and pick up a 6 gallon Better Bottle for your primary.

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Sometimes I don't pay attention to what I'm typing. I was thinking in terms of batches. The carboys are 6 gal. And he's including the autosiphon. He's never used his equipment. I see your point about the valve being 1 more thing to keep clean. As far as expanding, if I like the brewing hobbie, the plan is to move to a conical fermenter.
I don't think I need anything for secondary if I'm kegging, right. When it's done fermenting put it in a sanitized keg and force carbonate? Just thinking this thru off the top of my head.

You generally don't need a secondary anyways, contrary to kit instructions.
If you really want a Better Bottle, I think $25 is pretty standard for a 6-gallon, but if you can get glass for $10, go for it!

jetmac said:

Sometimes I don't pay attention to what I'm typing. I was thinking in terms of batches. The carboys are 6 gal. And he's including the autosiphon. He's never used his equipment. I see your point about the valve being 1 more thing to keep clean. As far as expanding, if I like the brewing hobbie, the plan is to move to a conical fermenter.
I don't think I need anything for secondary if I'm kegging, right. When it's done fermenting put it in a sanitized keg and force carbonate? Just thinking this thru off the top of my head.

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Conicals are good, but they only hold one batch. If you get one, you're still going to want to do some brews alongside it. Especially if you do some big beers that need a long primary. You might want to do something else while that barley wine is spending a few months in a fermenter. No worries... if the brewing bug bites you like it's bitten most of us, you'll see in time. Most of us said "Oh, I'll only need one ____." at least once and then laughed at ourselves later.

You can use a secondary, or not, depending on your own tastes. Many of us don't use them most of the time, but they still come in handy if you're doing a fruit beer or you're dry hopping. I like to secondary most of my beers for a week or so just to make sure they're clear.

Anyway, sounds like a good deal on the carboys. Go for it and expand later if you want.

Get both. I've only been brewing for three months and I've already bought 3 Better Bottles (no port) and a glass carboy from my neighbor. I want to make some of EdWort's apfelwein and so I'm going to buy another BB since it will probably sit in the carboy for 2+ months. I love the BB just because they're light and easier on my back, but I wouldn't turn glass down for a good price.

You can definitely find cheaper Better Bottles at any of the fine vendors that frequent this forum.

ChshreCat said:

Conicals are good, but they only hold one batch. If you get one, you're still going to want to do some brews alongside it. Especially if you do some big beers that need a long primary. You might want to do something else while that barley wine is spending a few months in a fermenter. No worries... if the brewing bug bites you like it's bitten most of us, you'll see in time. Most of us said "Oh, I'll only need one ____." at least once and then laughed at ourselves later.

You can use a secondary, or not, depending on your own tastes. Many of us don't use them most of the time, but they still come in handy if you're doing a fruit beer or you're dry hopping. I like to secondary most of my beers for a week or so just to make sure they're clear.

Anyway, sounds like a good deal on the carboys. Go for it and expand later if you want.

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Wow. Very good insite. Hadn't thought about 2 brews at the same time. And I do want to try my hand at some fruit beers. And, I do want clear beer.

jetmac said:

Hadn't thought about 2 brews at the same time.

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Yeah, neither had I, but I realized after the second batch that one at a time wasn't going to cut it.

CaptainCoconut said:

Yeah, neither had I, but I realized after the second batch that one at a time wasn't going to cut it.

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Especially when I have friends and family that drink products like Bud Lite Lime. If I can brew 2 beers, one that I think I would like and another that would be between the commercial beer they like and what I like. It might get them to come to the other side. My wife says all I do is find the beer with the strangest name to drink. She doesn't realize the thought that went in to trying to name a craft beer.

Glass carboys are more expensive than better bottle carboys at my lhbs, also. The BB are around $25, I don't recall the price for glass, but it was more. Either work just fine - go with the deal.

i want to know the same thing. my local homebrew store has them for around $25.

I think the going rate on 6-gallon glass carboys nowadays is about $40, compared to the $25 Better Bottles. The only thing I like better about glass is that you can scrub it with a brush and not worry about scratching it up. A Better Bottle won't sever an artery though, if you're the clumsy type.

Buy the glass/autosiphon!!!!!

Anytime you can get brew stuff for such a good price, get it. Worst case scenario is you can sell it later on Craigslist for more than you bought it but why would any self-respecting home brewer ever sell his/her equipment anyway:cross:

I prefer Better-bottle all the way. Glass is dangerous, lots of accidents happens with glass.. People got their arm open because of broken carboys.

Pick up the two glass carboys for sure. Even if you don't end up using them, at that price, you'll MAKE money in a resale. Do some googling. You can't get a 6 gallon glass carboy for anywhere near $10, let alone a pair of em for that price. I paid $15 each for a pair of 5 gallon glass carboys, and that's a steal too. You're getting 6 gallon carboys at $5 each. That's insane. And if you don't want em, give em to me

I started with just a single 6.5 gallon bucket primary fermenter. On my second brew, I got a 5 gallon BB to secondary in. That was about 2 months into brewing. ~4 months into brewing I got a pair of 5 gallon glass carboys and a 3 gallon carboy for half batches off craigslist. I'm already on the lookout for a cheap 3 gallon BB to round out the carboys. That's only becuase I"m hooked on the hobby like everyone else here.

I'd say don't buy TOO much gear until you know you're hooked. Stick with 1 or 2 o 3 fermenters for a while before getting too much stuff.

i have 1 5g better bottle, and 1 6.5g glass. rarely use either, as i keg. price was the difference for me

I have six BB's and they are going on 3 years old. 3 six gallon and 3 5 gallon. I have something in all of them most of the time. The point being, they last a long time and scratching is not that big of an issue.