6 gal Better Bottle for Primary Fermenter?

[scottaustin]

Does anyone use one of these as their primary....is space in the bottle a constant concern?

Also will warm wort harm the bottle in any way?

Deciding between 6.7 glass or 6 gal bottle for next primary

 

[Kevin Dean]

I've got my Mocha Porter clone sitting in a 6 gallon Better Bottle right now, I pitched yeast into it about two hours ago.

Warm wort won't harm the Better Bottles, hot liquids (boiling) will melt them down.

 

[Wobblebottom]

On the topic of Better Bottles, how do they rate compared to a glass carboy (weight aside)
Are flavors the same, do flavors tend to permeate inside the plastic? What are the advantages to the Better Bottle verus a glass carboy?

 

[Orfy]

I did use one for a fermenter and have also used it to condition in.
Head space is not a problem but I brew 23l batches.

 

[Jekster]

On the topic of Better Bottles, how do they rate compared to a glass carboy (weight aside)
Are flavors the same, do flavors tend to permeate inside the plastic? What are the advantages to the Better Bottle verus a glass carboy?

Biggest advantage I see is weight and they are a lot safer. Occasionally, you'll hear horror stories about someone dropping a glass carboy and almost losing a leg. That doesn't happen with Better Bottles.

As for permeability, I think they are fine. I've done a few brews with pretty decent age times (3 week primary, 4-6 week secondary) and haven't had any problems yet. I only use better bottles.

 

[Kevin Dean]

Are flavors the same, do flavors tend to permeate inside the plastic? What are the advantages to the Better Bottle verus a glass carboy?

Yes, the flavours are the same. Better Bottles are not the same kind of plastic as the office cooler jugs that look identical. BB's are designed for wine and beer, and they have a lower oxygen permeability than other plastics. There are some people who insist that BB's are a gimmick but I don't believe so.

The weight advantage is rather huge.

5 gallon and 6 gallon Better Bottles used the same size stopper, so if you had a mix of sizes you'd not need to find the right size (I just use the orange carboy caps) one.

Better Bottles don't break if you drop them, which makes them safer.

Better Bottles don't suffer from thermal shock and crack which means you can be a little bit more flexible with what you do (like filling it with warm wort and giving it a cold water bath when you don't have a wort chiller yet... )

I'm a HUGE Better Bottle fan. I've got a 7 gallon bucket, a 5 gallon glass carboy and 5 Better Bottles... It's clear which I prefer.

 

[Chriso]

I've wanted to try better bottles for a while now -- I currently use 1 7.5gal ale pail, and 1 6.5 gal Minibrew. Best place to buy one is at High Gravity, they'll save you about 50 bucks off of list price.

I love the Minibrew, and can't wait to get another. I never want to use a bucket again, frankly.

I realize that Minibrews are out of some budgets... Here I'm just sad 'cause I can't get a 14-gal s/s conical. :rockin:

 

[SuperiorBrew]

I only use my glas ones if my BB's are full. I love the racking adapter.

 

[Bobby_M]

I have safely fermented 5.75 gallons in a 6 gallon better bottle (wheats no less). As long as you use a decent size blowoff (I used 1/2" ID tubing), and control your temps well, it will be fine.

 

[Beerrific]

Yup, I use 6 gallon better bottles exclusively for my primary now, I have had to use a blow off a couple times but an airlock usually works just fine. I like the plastic a lot better, but remeber, it can scratch very easily so don't put anything rough in it. Soaking in oxclean or PBW should do the trick.

 

[mrfocus]

Also will warm wort harm the bottle in any way?

Depends on how warm "warm" is.

Polyethylene terephthalate on wikipedia lists the Glass transition temperature as 75C (167F). Basically, if you go over that temperature, the plastic of the better bottle will start to transform into liquid, although it is not the melting point (260C, 500F). Higher than 167F and the plastic will become soft. So basically, cool it down till your safely under 167F and you're fine.

 

[menschmaschine]

I use BBs exclusively. Two 6-gallon primaries and two 5-gallon secondaries. I have the racking adapters for all of them and love them. My wort is always at pitching temp before going in the BBs though. I've never used glass, so I don't have much to compare, but I've never had off-flavors from them... and I've brewed lagers which have sat in the BBs for 7-8 weeks. To clean them, all I do is rinse them out, let them sit over night with an OxyClean solution, and rinse them out again... no scrubbing. They're not cheap with the racking adapters, but I think they were worth my investment.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't mind using my autosiphon with the better bottles so they only cost me $20 each (without the racking adaptor).

 

[FSR402]

I don't mind using my autosiphon with the better bottles so they only cost me $20 each (without the racking adaptor).

Same here.. I do have 3 glass 6.5 gal carboys, one glass 5 gal carboy and one 5 gal Better Bottle. I have only had the BB about a month or so and I have a Bourbon stout sitting in it now and it will stay there for 2 months. But after I used it the first time, I will never buy glass again. Over the next year I will replace all the glass with either BB's or one or two of those plasic conlicals posted above.

 

[Chriso]

Over the next year I will replace all the glass with either BB's or one or two of those plasic conlicals posted above.

I hear ya! I was skeptical when I bought mine (Total price $160.00 shipped to my door, btw), but after just putting my third batch into it, I'm sold!!! They're surprisingly light, almost lighter than an Ale Pail (or easier to grip on, at least), the ball valves are included, and the dump valve on the bottom is one of the coolest toys i've ever had to play with!

IMO, MiniBrew 6.5gal for the win!

 

[FSR402]

I hear ya! I was skeptical when I bought mine (Total price $160.00 shipped to my door, btw), but after just putting my third batch into it, I'm sold!!! They're surprisingly light, almost lighter than an Ale Pail (or easier to grip on, at least), the ball valves are included, and the dump valve on the bottom is one of the coolest toys i've ever had to play with!

IMO, MiniBrew 6.5gal for the win!

Yeah I'm thinking the 15.5 gallon one. I do 10 gallon brews outside and ferment in the basment. So If I roll the brew tower close to the house and run a hose from the CFC thru a window, into the fermenting room right into one of those conicals I should never have to lift anything other then the full 5 gallon keg into the chest freezer. :rockin:

 

[Wobblebottom]

What a gamut of responses! Well even though I sort of hijacked this thread (for which I apologize) I appreciate the info. Someone mentioned a minibrew fermenter. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the larger ones, like the 15 gallon one. I know a guy who doesn't have space for his 15 gallon minibrew fermenter, and he wants to sell it. 220$ is what he is asking. Would this be a worthwhile investment, or should I stick to smaller batch making before moving on to a fermenter of this size?

 

[Chriso]

I know a guy who doesn't have space for his 15 gallon minibrew fermenter, and he wants to sell it. 220$ is what he is asking. Would this be a worthwhile investment, or should I stick to smaller batch making before moving on to a fermenter of this size?

I think it'd be a great investment, because too big is ALWAYS better than too small. If you decide not to, though, I might be interested too, because I too was thinking my next one would be a 15-gal unit. What state are you in? :-D

c

 

[Wobblebottom]

I'm in Illinois. I'm going to be moving to Minneapolis at the beginning of the new year, so I won't be in Chicago for much longer. I figured too big was better than too small, I just needed some prodding in the right direction I think. I'm definitely going to buy it now.

 

[scottaustin]

Thanks for all the responses. It seems BB is the preference here. I was thinking that a 6 gal BB fermenter would probably be easier to fool with and more manageable.

Is the racking system worth it, it seems I could 2 buy regular bottles for about the price of one with the system? Is it really that much easier/time saving to use? Not that I am in any rush

Saw the above response just wanted a more general consensus

And 75-80F is the highest temperature I am planning on dumping in btw

Thanks for the answers once again

 

[Chriso]

Is the racking system worth it, it seems I could 2 buy regular bottles for about the price of one with the system? Is it really that much easier/time saving to use? Not that I am in any rush

This specifically pertains to Ale Pails and not BB's, as I use the former, but I really, really, really F*$#*^NG hate siphoning. Like, I really detest it. So for me, a spigot on EVERY Ale Pail or other fermenter that I own is a solid must. This accounts for half of my refusal to adopt glass carboys. (The other half is that I have an unnatural fear of death by shattered glass. No joke.)

So, in summary, racking systems, no matter from who or on what, are always worth it in my book. But that's just one dude's $0.02.

:fro:

 

[Bobby_M]

An autosiphon would solve all your siphoning ills man. Don't fear it. At least you know it's sanitized right before racking. The spigots are scary little caves.

 

[Chriso]

An autosiphon would solve all your siphoning ills man. Don't fear it. At least you know it's sanitized right before racking. The spigots are scary little caves.

Had one - for about 90 seconds. Boiling wort. Forgot that the LAST time I had used an A-S, it was my friend's piece with an immersion chiller, and wort had been chilled.

Then, the next time, I went to rack it through (*DOH!*) my new Counter-flow, and ... yup. Warped my brand-new A-S the first time I used it. Frankly, for how much they cost, and what a hassle they are, I'll take my caves. I carry a spray bottle of premixed StarSan with me anyways, so any time I touch a spigot, it gets sprayed thoroughly.

(Here, at least, an A-S is about 13.00, and a spare Ale Pail is 15.00 with spigot included, hence the cost issue.)

 

[bigben]

I dont feel comfortable fermemting in a container with a spigot...especially a bottling bucket with a spigot and those little rubber washers and stuff. But that's just me.

Don't hate siphoning because you decided to siphon boiling wort...

 

[Chriso]

I dont feel comfortable fermemting in a container with a spigot...especially a bottling bucket with a spigot and those little rubber washers and stuff. But that's just me.

Don't hate siphoning because you decided to siphon boiling wort...

LOL, sorry we're getting a little

I don't hate siphoning because i tried it on something boiling, I hate it because it's more work. I don't like having one hand holding the auto siphon, one hand holding a strainer, one hand holding some tubing, and the other other other hand doing whatever else came up.

Then again, I am a big fan of using equipment to streamline things -- a year from now, I hope to have an entirely permanent basement set-up, with vent hoods, electric heatsticks, and permanent plumbing so that, after grinding and mashing, I don't have to do anything more than turning a ball valve.

It's just one approach. Many people like to KISS (keep it simple stupid) and use the cheapest, most economical and/or hand-powered methods, because they like the simplicity. I'm the other side, I'm an efficiency nut. If there's any way I can cut off 10 minutes, I want to find every possible way to do it.

Now, the AutoSiphon itself, yeah, I kinda hate the thing. Personal vendetta. What can I say? Same reason some people hate Coca-Cola. Ya get one bad experience and......

:fro:

 

[kenb]

I just got a better bottle (i broke my glass carboy after pitching). What i am wondering is, can i use the same white bristol brush that i used to clean my glass carboy, or will those scratch it?

 

[Beerrific]

I just got a better bottle (i broke my glass carboy after pitching). What i am wondering is, can i use the same white bristol brush that i used to clean my glass carboy, or will those scratch it?

No. They will scratch. Use something VERY soft or just soak in oxyclean or PBW.

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

I just got a better bottle (i broke my glass carboy after pitching). What i am wondering is, can i use the same white bristol brush that i used to clean my glass carboy, or will those scratch it?

I soak mine in oxyclean overnight, dump most of the liquid, add a washcloth, shake and shake like hell to clean the stuck on gunk, then rinse with very hot water.

 

[lustreking]

Biggest advantage I see is weight and they are a lot safer. Occasionally, you'll hear horror stories about someone dropping a glass carboy and almost losing a leg. That doesn't happen with Better Bottles.

Here is a collection of glass carboy horror stories that I found the other day when I was on my lunch break. It's something to think about before you buy another glass carboy.

I highly recommend the better bottles. I also have my full thoughts on the glass/plastic debate here.

 

[TexLaw]

I'm another Better Bottle fan. I don't know how long I stared at those things on the shelf before I finally bought a 6 gallon one and used it for a primary. Barely a week went by before I was back buying a five gallon one for a secondary. I'll have more before I am through. The $20-25 is no cause for hesitation when you consider the downside of glass.


TL

 

[CBBaron]

Here is a collection of glass carboy horror stories that I found the other day when I was on my lunch break. It's something to think about before you buy another glass carboy.

I highly recommend the better bottles. I also have my full thoughts on the glass/plastic debate here.

That is one scary collection of horror stories. I just put a 5gal BB in my online cart to go with the 6gal BB I already have.
Craig

 

[kenb]

Here is a collection of glass carboy horror stories that I found the other day when I was on my lunch break. It's something to think about before you buy another glass carboy.

I highly recommend the better bottles. I also have my full thoughts on the glass/plastic debate here.

Man do i feel lucky..instead of dropping mine, it simply collapsed on the stand i had it sitting on while i was putting the stopper in it, and i only cut two cuts from it..that bled a lot, but didn't need stitches or anything. The worst part was losing the Imperial Stout wort....so guess i am lucky compared to most of those guys.

 

[Cap'n Jewbeard]

Haaaaaa ha, well, I kinda-sorta melted my 3-gallon BB tonight...

I racked the mead in there fresh off the stove. Not sure what the temp was, it wasn't THAT high as the mead hadn't been simmering or anything, but the BB kind of deformed a little.

Still works, though, and now it's all solid and groovy again. Lesson learned, hopefully no harm done, and a bit of a laugh for me!