Secondary Fermentation Equipment Question

[pmgeahan]

Folks -

I'm planning to try a 2-stage fermentation on some of my upcoming beers.

Right now, I have a 6.5 gallon plastic primary fermenter(with lid and airlock) and a 5-gallon bottling bucket with no lid. Both were acquired with my original purchase of a brewer's kit.

I'm trying now to figure out what to add to this to best achieve two-stage fermentation. My options, as I see them, are as follows:

1. Primary in the 6.5 gallon plastic, secondary in a 5-gallon glass carboy.
2. Primary in a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, secondary in the 6.5 gallon plastic.
3. Primary in 6.5 gallon carboy, secondary in the 5 gallon bucket.

I seem to read that most folks use a glass carboy as the primary, for better viewing of the fermentation process. This makes sense; so then the secondary would be in a plastic bucket. Is there any problem using the 6.5? The lid for the 6.5 doesn't fit the 5, so I'd have to find a place to buy the lid for the 5.

Thanks for the help!

 

[ChshreCat]

If I were you, I'd pick up a 5-gallon Better Bottle. Then I'd primary in the bucket and secondary in the Better Bottle. I like bucket primaries because they're easy to transfer into from the kettle and they're just plain easy to handle. No need to worry about siphoning or funnels or anything. Just pour the whole mess through a large kitchen strainer right into the pail. It's fun to be able to watch your beer ferment in the primary, but not really necessary.

Glass is good and lots of folks swear by it, but one slip and you're out a carboy and maybe a pint or two of blood. Unless you're doing a LONG secondary, a Better Bottle is just fine.

 

[CFuggles]

I would personally go option 1. Glass 5 gallon for secondary. You usually want the least amount of headspace for secondary so deff. 5 gallon plastic or glass. But Glass isn't permeable to oxygen and you also can see if you beer is really clear if your using your secondary for additional clearing.

 

[khiddy]

+1 on using the bucket as your primary. You need the headspace to accommodate the krausen, plus if you want 5 finished gallons, you're gonna be putting closer to 6 gallons in the primary to account for the volume lost to trub.

So, why are you doing a secondary? Are you adding something to the beer at that point (some sort of fruit or spice or hops or ???)? If you are, then you might just consider using a bucket as your secondary as well, though you can back off to a 5 gallon (or 5.25 gallon) bucket. If you're not adding something to the beer, why exactly have you decided that you NEED a secondary?