Water jug for a carboy?

Hi all. New to the forums and also to brewing. I just bought a home brewing kit that leaves the fermenting process in the plastic bucket.

I was wondering if it's possible to do a two stage with the second being a 5 gallon water jug. The type you use in the water dispensers at gyms and such. It's plastic as well. If yes how would I fit an air lock on there?

According to this website #2, #4 or #5 plastic jugs should be safe to use.

http://yalesustainability.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/do-you-know-which-number-plastic-bottles-are-safe-to-reuse/

As for the airlock, you'd have to rig up something unless the Better Bottle tops would fit on the jug.

I've been using a 5-gallon water bottle for two batches of Skeeter pee. It happens to fit a standard 5-gallon carboy cap. The cap is tight enough to allow the airlock to bubble, which means it won't let nasty critters in. Unfortunately the seal is microscopically loose enough to not work when I blow air into the cap to force the liquid through a racking cane -- the pressurized air escapes out the bottom of the cap.

The bottle was available at the local big box store for $7, near the water filters. It is marked as food grade.

There have been no big, flavorful beers in this bottle yet, so I can't comment on its ability to resist absorbing stuff.

I've heard they are fine for primary but not for secondary because they do not prevent O2 from getting in. which is not good for beer AFTER fermentation is complete

I would first ask why you are doing a secondary.

Kingfish said:

I would first ask why you are doing a secondary.

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Why Not?

iskuse said:

Why Not?

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Is that your main reason for doing it?

ChickenArise said:

Is that your main reason for doing it?

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I actually go the extra mile and do a tertiary just because I can. I know how it upsets all the Primary only brewers.

Kingfish said:

I would first ask why you are doing a secondary.

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The guide I'm reading mentions that your beer will turn out clearer and potentially better tasting.

m_c_zero:

Thanks a lot for the info and website. I'll look into it a bit further. The idea just popped into my head at work.

PlasmaDave said:

The guide I'm reading mentions that your beer will turn out clearer and potentially better tasting.

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Do a search of this site for "no secondary". A lot of very experienced home brewers will recommend against secondaries unless they are specifically needed (dry hopping, adding fruit, big beers, long term bulk aging, etc.) Even Palmer has revised his recommendation on using secondaries.

yes. work fine.

use number 10 bungs. the over-the-top caps will just leak.

bungs :
[ame]http://www.google.com/search?q=number+10+drilled+biung&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a#q=number+10+drilled+bung&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Nj1&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=CMTbT9qOGsKK2gXYobniCg&ved=0CGQQ_AUoBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=921e708cb96b652f&biw=1218&bih=647[/ame]

PlasmaDave said:

The guide I'm reading mentions that your beer will turn out clearer and potentially better tasting.

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That is the traditional school of thought, but many brewers are finding the reverse is actually true and have abandoned secondaries altogether.

IME, there isn't much difference. But it's more work and requires more vessels. Bottom line is you don't *have* to use a secondary. Though you can if you want.

Secondaries are useless. I'm not just repeating the mantra, it's true (anyone remember the 3-2-1 process?). I've tried for years to get spectacularly clear beers, and I'm there, and secondaries is not part of the equation.

And they CERTAINLY won't improve flavor in any way.

passedpawn said:

Secondaries are useless. I'm not just repeating the mantra, it's true (anyone remember the 3-2-1 process?). I've tried for years to get spectacularly clear beers, and I'm there, and secondaries is not part of the equation.

And they CERTAINLY won't improve flavor in any way.

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What about for lagering?

Primary and wait. When I want crazy clear beer I filter.

jigidyjim said:

What about for lagering?

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That's a good question. I lager in kegs, so I guess I'm slanted to my own system.

If you wanted to store a beer for a long time in a carboy, a secondary would be a good idea. I've kept sour beers in carboys on yeast for almost a year without any problem, but I'd say it's probably best to just get them off the yeast after a few months, move them to a secondary.

I'd leave the lagers on the yeast anyway. The yeast won't die and turn into raw meat in a few months. The danger of oxidation is real, and moving to a secondary then storing for weeks / months might do more harm than good. But it's a good point you bring up, lagers that is.

iskuse said:

I actually go the extra mile and do a tertiary just because I can. I know how it upsets all the Primary only brewers.

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I do like having a good tertiary, but I usually skip secondary. I just don't find that it helps.