Starting fermenter questions

[TheCatman]

I'm new to this forum and to brewing (I don't even have any hardware yet), but I have a few questions about fermenters. I've been looking at beginner homebrew kits online and at a local brew store, and I'm unsure of where to start.

-Is it worth it to spend a little extra up front and start out with a carboy as a primary fermenter, as opposed to a bucket?

-How valuable is a secondary fermenter?

I'm fresh out of college and living in a one-bedroom apartment, so I don't have the resources or space to construct my own setup, so I'm kinda stuck with the starter kits for now. Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[phenry]

Buckets work just fine, and using a secondary isn't exactly necessary 95% of the time. To me carboys just aren't worth the extra money, weight, or risk of dropping them.

Is a 5 gallon carboy a good thing to have later on down the road? In my opinion, yes. I have a RIS aging in mine right now that I didn't want to leave in the primary, mainly because I needed that bucket for another batch.

You'll probably get a lot of different opinions to this question, but just starting out, you can make fantastic beer with just a simple bucket.

 

[unionrdr]

Check out Midwestsupplies.com for their basic starter kit @ $64. 2pales,capper,etc. All you really need to start with,as it has 1 pale for fermenting in,the other for bottling.

 

[Brewnoob1]

I'd get a bucket. The ease of using them as well as replacement shall something go wrong far outweighs the benefits of a carboy. If you do in fact get a carboy, get at least a 6.5 gallon to allow room for fermentation. I will say though, in regards to a carboy, I got one with a gift card and the "cool" factor of watching the fermentation is pretty epic. It is worth it to some degree. But if you just want to get your feet wet and don't want to spend the extra money, buckets work perfectly. I have 2 in rotation with my carboys at any given time.

As for a secondary, unless you plan on aging beers or adding stuff like fruit or oak chips, don't even bother. Being a noobie, you most likely won't have the patience to use one effectively anyways haha.

 

[medusa1066]

My two cents: Get a glass Carboy (its a long term investment), skip the secondary, use the bucket for bottling. Dry hopping can be done in the primary glass carboy. Ferment for 3-4 weeks for clarity.

 

[unionrdr]

The biggest thing I like about buckets is the wide openning. Makes it easier to get hop sacks in-n-out,& cleaning is way easier.

 

[TheCatman]

Wow, that was quick. Thanks for the thoughts

And Midwest is one of the kits I've been looking at, and it's at the top of my list right now, so it looks like I'll probably end up going that direction.

 

[TheCatman]

The biggest thing I like about buckets is the wide openning. Makes it easier to get hop sacks in-n-out,& cleaning is way easier.

Yeah that's a big factor for me. In my little apartment, it would be a real pain to try to work with and clean a carboy.

 

[Hopper450]

I use carboys for fermenting, they take up less space and they are better for long term sanitation (in my opinion). That being said, I have fermented in a pail, it worked out just fine, and that is a perfectly acceptable option, especially if you take care of the bucket and don't let the inside get all scratched up or whatnot.

 

[unionrdr]

Another thing I like about Midwest is that their 2nd cheapest shipping option is Fed-Ex home delivery. Really fast & things get here in perfect condition. Good quality stuff too! It also seems to mee the carboy is about the same diameter as an ale pale,plus heavier.

 

[kh54s10]

I use carboys for fermenting, they take up less space and they are better for long term sanitation (in my opinion). That being said, I have fermented in a pail, it worked out just fine, and that is a perfectly acceptable option, especially if you take care of the bucket and don't let the inside get all scratched up or whatnot.

How do carboys take up less space than buckets? In use the are about the same size. When not in use you can nest the buckets inside each other!

I like Better Bottles, so you can see what is going on in there. And buckets.

I do not like the weight of glass and do not want to risk a trip to the ER when one breaks.

If your plastic is taken care of it should last a very long time. If they do get compromised you can re-purpose them for grain storage etc..

 

[Hopper450]

I should clarify, they take up less space in my fermenting chamber due to their circumference. You are correct that with multiples in storage you can stack the buckets unlike carboys.

 

[atom]

How do carboys take up less space than buckets? In use the are about the same size. When not in use you can nest the buckets inside each other!

i was wondering the same.

i would go with a bucket to start.