Primary fermenter size

Hello All,
My first post here.
I have always used a 6 gallon carboy for primary and racked to a 5 gallon secondary. I don't get any blowoff in the 6 gallon because of all the extra head space. Is this bad practice? Do most of you use a 5 gallon carboy so it will blow off some of the icky stuff?

Thanks for your help. I'm looking forward to some good conversation here.

Rich

 

I'd go with the bigger size for a primary. It is definately not necessary to have blow-off and if you put a full five gallons in a five gallon carboy you are asking for a mess. I use the 6 gallon better bottles for primary and even then they sometimes don't contain a fermentation.

(Basically what I just did was agree with Yooper, but worded it a bit differently).

 

even a 6 gallon BB is no insurance



Saison super active fermentation


I have had 5.5 gallon brews that make a mess even in the 7.5 gallon conical

 

I ferment 5.5 in a 6 gallon Better Bottle. I always use a blowoff tube so I don't have to worry about any mess. I wouldn't worry about the yucky stuff as it will fall out over the course of fermentation.

 

In this case, bigger is better

 

Thanks everyone.