5 gallon kit + 5 gallon carboy?

Hello newbie question again..

If I buy a 5 gallon malt extract kit and already have a glass 5 gallon carboy I should be able to go correct? (I already have the airlock also)
I have seen/read/heard that I need a 6.5 gallon to start this kit in, then transfer to the 5 gallon carboy.

Thanks
Steve

 

You will need more head space in your fermenter to brew a 5 gallon batch. Lot's of foam during the early days of fermentation and if you put it all in a 5gal carboy it will be spewing all over the place. Simplest solution is to get a larger fermenter so you can brew that kit as is. I like the BSG 6.5gal bucket that Beverage Factory sells. Inexpensive and easy to clean too.

 

The 5 gallon would not have enough space for the primary fermentation, I have a 6 and 6.5 gallon carboy that I use for that purpose, but I used to do primary in a plastic bucket then rack into the 5 gallon carboy for the secondary.

These days people don't usually do a secondary but years ago it was all the rage, lol.

If money is tight and you don't want to brew in a bucket you could do a smaller batch.

 

Thanks for the info...for some reason in the back of my mind I knew this would be the answer...

 

I just make 4.5 gal batches to fit in my easy-to-find 5 gal buckets.

 

I fill my 5gal carboy up just a little past the shoulder, a couple of cups shy of the 5gal mark and use a blowoff tube for the first few days. I also try to keep the temps in the lower half of the yeast's preferred range. May not be ideal, but, it lets me use what I've got.