5.25 gal beer in 5 gal carboy???

[nwbeer]

Sooo. I have a dilemma and am seeking advice.

1) I have a 5 gallon beer in primary in my 6 gal carboy, (I do plan on dry hopping it in the next week or so.) I do not want to transfer this beer to secondary unless totally necessary. So i need some advice on starting the next beer.

2) I have a 5.25 gallon American Stout recipe that has been sitting around for a couple days while i debate either -

A) Reducing only the water from 5.25 gallons to 5 and putting it in my 5 gal carboy.
B) Transferring the beer that is currently in primary to secondary to open up the 6 gal carboy for the 5.25 gal beer.
C) Stuffing the 5.25 gal into the 5 gal carboy and hope for the best.
D) Or i will just wait it out and hope that my hops last in the fridge another 10 days or so while the IPA in primary finishes the F up.

The hops i am using on this Stout are left over from the IPA i brewed on Feb 23. I left the hops in their bag, put them in separate little snack bags and pressed all the air out of those bags, then stuck them back in the fridge knowing they'd be good for at least 14 days.

Let me know your thoughts

Thanks guys,

 

[LandoLincoln]

If I were you, I'd transfer it to secondary and dry hop in there.

Putting 5 gallons into a 5 gallon carboy for primary fermentation purposes is a good idea if you like to have blowouts. Most people do not.

Stuffing 5.25 gallons into a 5 gallon carboy is an even worse idea. If it's even possible.

Yes, your hops will last an extra ten days. Put hops in the freezer instead of the fridge, though. They'll last a lot longer.

 

[RM-MN]

Make a cider or mead and put that in the 5 gallon carboy so you won't be so tempted to use it for something else, then go buy a couple bucket fermeters. The buckets will have enough space for your stout and one other beer. With them, if you control the temperature of the fermentation like you should to avoid off flavors, you won't even need to worry about a blowoff because the fermentation will go slowly enough that the bucket will easily contain all the krausen produced.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Without trying to be "that guy", were it me, I would go out and buy another 6.5 gallon bucket. Most LHBS should have them for under $10 for a bucket with a lid. It seems like the best option to me, plus it will give you another primary vessel for future use.

Reducing the water down to 5 gallons could make for an interesting brew..probably not much different. If you end up using the 5 gallon carboy, just make sure to rig up a blowoff hose.

I would imagine that you wouldn't be able to get 5.25 gallons into the 5 gallon carboy..or if you did it would be right to the lip where the bung goes. I would recommend not doing it this way. Seems like a potential for a huge mess.

 

[MagicMatt]

No need to buy anything else if you have an open 5 gallon secondary carboy available. That's what it's for, after all.

Transfer it to the 5 gal and drop hop in there, then your 6 gallon will be free for your new brew.

 

[mrgrimm101]

No need to buy anything else if you have an open 5 gallon secondary carboy available. That's what it's for, after all.

Transfer it to the 5 gal and drop hop in there, then your 6 gallon will be free for your new brew.

True enough. I only recommended buying another 6.5 gallon primary because I do not use secondaries so I was thinking from my POV. Plus it's a good idea to have an extra primary bucket around anyway. Just my 2 cents.

 

[nwbeer]

I do have a 6.5 gal bucket and an 8 gal bottling bucket that are open but i have avoided brewing in them... I typically only use the 8 gal on bottling day.

Thanks grimm!

One thing i was hoping to get more responses on was the narrowing of the 5.25 gal recipe to 5 gals and eliminating only the 1/4 gal of water and not adjusting the recipe. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Jcruse]

I do have a 6.5 gal bucket and an 8 gal bottling bucket that are open but i have avoided brewing in them... I typically only use the 8 gal on bottling day.

Thanks grimm!

One thing i was hoping to get more responses on was the narrowing of the 5.25 gal recipe to 5 gals and eliminating only the 1/4 gal of water and not adjusting the recipe. Any thoughts on this?

That's only a 5% reduction in the amount of water used....you'll either end up with a slightly higher OG, and a teeny little more alcohol by volume or just a lower efficiency of extraction. Not enough to make a noticeable difference.

But as others have said: 5 gallons wort in a 5 gallon carboy for primary is going to be messy. That's why 6 and 6.5 gallon carboys exist.

 

[nwbeer]

My gravity has been stalled at 1.020 for a couple days now. i plan on taking a reading again in two days. if nothing has changed i think im gonna rack it. Any thoughts?

Should i rack my beer on top of the pellets into the carboy?

Pellets at the bottom, then beer racked onto the top?

 

[LandoLincoln]

It won't really matter. I've done it both ways and couldn't tell a difference.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I would toss the pellets in, then rack on top of the pellets. If for no reason other than avoiding splashing when adding the pellets if you rack the beer first.

 

[max384]

I do have a 6.5 gal bucket and an 8 gal bottling bucket that are open but i have avoided brewing in them... I typically only use the 8 gal on bottling day.

Thanks grimm!

One thing i was hoping to get more responses on was the narrowing of the 5.25 gal recipe to 5 gals and eliminating only the 1/4 gal of water and not adjusting the recipe. Any thoughts on this?

So let me get this straight, you have four other, better options, and yet you still want to adjust your recipe to fit the five gallon carboy?

You can either:
1) transfer your beer into the five gallon carboy, then use your six gallon carboy for your next brew
2) use your 6.5 gallon bucket
3) use your 8 gallon bucket
4) buy another bucket and/or carboy
5) wait until you bottle to do your next batch

Don't start a five gallon batch in a five gallon carboy.

 

[nwbeer]

What shall i do about the stalled beer? I did use LME as my malt and the Gravity has been stalled at 1.020 since monday (7 days in Primary). Should i rack tonight (day 11 Primary) or wait until monday (day 14 in Primary)? I doubt the gravity will have changed an iota by then...

 

[max384]

What shall i do about the stalled beer? I did use LME as my malt and the Gravity has been stalled at 1.020 since monday (7 days in Primary). Should i rack tonight (day 11 Primary) or wait until monday (day 14 in Primary)? I doubt the gravity will have changed an iota by then...

Relax. Let it sit there for another week... Or two... Or three...

Brewing is not a good hobby for the impatient.

 

[nwbeer]

Ok.

When I take gravity readings I have been taking samples...purely academic of course . The clearity is good, the smell is spot on and the taste is peeerrrttty darn good as well. So i cant wait to dry hop it and get it in bottles asap.
Plus! That way, it being in secondary will free up the bigger carboy for my next beer.

I have only been picking short brew time beers. My other beers have been Stouts, Browns and Reds bottled after only 7-21 days and have turned out great. This recipe was supposed to only be a one week ferm, one week secondary and a 3-5 day dry hop. Im just irrated it has been at a gravity of 1.020 for five days now. I have never had this issue. Damn LME.

Thanks for all the input guys.