6 Gallon Carboy too big for 5 Gallon Batch?

[scripto]

We have a stout in our primary, which is recommended to transfer to a secondary. However, our secondary is a 6 gallon glass carboy, and this is only a 5 gallon batch. Wanted to see what the recommendation is, in this scenario, do I keep it in the 5 gallon plastic fermentation bucket? Transfer to the 6 gallon glass carboy? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JustLooking]

do I keep it in the 5 gallon plastic fermentation bucket?

Yes

 

[Jaybird]

You can totally transfer it if you want to. Not sure how long its been in primary but you might want to purge the 6 with C02 before the transfer and then don't bother it. But if its been in the primary less than 3 weeks then I would leave it in the 5 gallon. But thats just me.

Cheers
Jay

 

[argyle]

As I see it, You have three options.

1. Flush the 6 gallon secondary with CO2 after you transferred from your primary

2. Leave it in the primary and forget about a secondary. Bottle or keg it when it has finished.

3. Go buy another primary for your next batch while waiting for this one to finish. So you can start a new brew. You can never have too many primaries.

Since 1 & 3 say leave it in the primary, those are the ones I'd pick.

 

[argyle]

Jaybird beat me to it!

 

[scripto]

Brewed & placed in primary on 2/1.

 

[JustLooking]

If it was primaried in a five gallon bucket as you say, allowing for head space, you probably have four gallons of beer. Most six gallon carboys actually hold around 6 1/2 gallons. That's way too much head space for a beer that didn't need to go to a secondary in the first place.

And I'm only guessing, but if you're asking this question, you probably don't have the ability to purge?

 

[scripto]

And I'm only guessing, but if you're asking this question, you probably don't have the ability to purge?

I don't, but would be open to finding out more about what this entails. I do have a CO2 tank for our kegerator. Not sure what else is needed for this process, but any help is always much appreciated.

 

[70ls1nova]

Take your co2 and pump it into the 6 gallon carboy before racking into it. I would just go buy a 5 gallon better bottle. They're cheap and you will certainly need it again.

 

[scripto]

Ok, any preference between Plastic v Glass? Wide mouth v Narrow? Thanks for all the help.

 

[JustLooking]

If you're using it as a secondary, narrow and filled to the neck. Long term (year plus) aging I'd go with glass. Medium to short, plastic is fine.

 

[fuelish]

Ok, any preference between Plastic v Glass? Wide mouth v Narrow? Thanks for all the help.

I prefer glass to plastic, same as I prefer a Les Paul to "pointy guitars"

 

[70ls1nova]

Get one of each. It's only money. You'll make more. Like JustLooking said, glass is better for long term aging. I like the plastic with the wider openings when i'm dry hopping.