5 Gallon Carboy vs 6 Gallon

[ronan]

I haven't used a 5 gal. carboy is some time and now I remember why (see pic). What are most people using now days for their primarys?

 

[Tarks]

I use 6 gal. This allows me to put 5.5 gal in and 5 gal to bottles.

 

[ffaoe]

6 for primary, and 5 for secondary if necessary

 

[amandabab]

6.5's most of the time, 6's when no 6.5's are available. both with a 1" blow off hose.
5's for secondaries.

 

[SilverZero]

I was using a big carboy, it must be 8 gallons, until I decided I'm not going to mess with glass anymore. Just switched to an 8-gallon bucket (two, really). Always used a 1" blowoff with my carboys, only needed it once . . . but that's why I used it every time.

 

[ronan]

Anyone a fan of better bottles? Always figured glass is more sanitary.

 

[LoneWolfPR]

6.5'' with a 3 piece airlock. Never had an issue with it yet.

 

[Glynn]

I use a 6.5 glass carboy as my primary and a 5 for my secondarys

 

[mtyquinn]

6 Gallon glass carboy.

 

[Basevol]

6.5's most of the time, 6's when no 6.5's are available. both with a 1" blow off hose.
5's for secondaries.

Same here.

 

[MississippiSlim]

6.5 g brew buckets, 5g carboys when I run out of buckets, with a blow off tube...let it blow let it blow. the 5g carboys were free so .....

 

[zeg]

Anyone a fan of better bottles? Always figured glass is more sanitary.

I am.

I've never used a glass fermenter, but I don't see any evidence that the Better Bottles would be less sanitary than any other solution. They're certainly much less likely to sever any limbs if I slip while carrying one around the house.

The only annoying feature is that they tend to suck back on their airlock when you lift them, since they're a bit flexible. No big deal, though, I just pull the airlock when I have to move them.

To keep this on topic.. I have a 6 gallon BB for primaries and a couple 5 gallon BBs for secondary. I usually do about 5.3-5.5 gallon batches, and I frequently have fairly significant blow-off even with the 0.5-0.7 gallons of headspace.

 

[BrotherGrim]

I am using 6.5 gal better bottles now. I have two going at the moment. I was using the 6.5 gallon plastic bucket, but I hate racking directly to kegs with it. I always seem to get some trub into the keg. With the ported better bottles and the racking valve, I get clean beer without having to secondary or rack to another bottling bucket.

 

[zacster]

6.5 as primary, 5 as secondary, both glass. That's what I have.