Better Bottle Advice Needed

[Oldyote]

I have four glass carboys (6.5, 6. two 5s). Lately I've been looking at the Better Bottles especially after reading a couple of stories about broken or shattered bottles.

I wondering how Better Bottle owners like the bottles compared to glass and if I should go with the valves. Also curious if they have any "can't live without" accessories.

 

[passedpawn]

I have 5 BB and 2 glass. Much, much prefer the BB.

Regarding accessories, one of my BB has the port. Expensive, and I don't like it. It's the weak point in the bottle, and makes me nervous for sanitation.

The one accessory they have (that i haven't tried) that looks cool would be the dry airlock thing.

 

[Nateo]

I only use the non-ported better bottles, and only for secondary fermentation. I used to have a glass carboy, but it was really heavy, and I didn't like how fragile it was. Whether or not you need valves would depend on your setup. I've found an auto-siphon work fine for me, so valves aren't necessary.

 

[cheezydemon3]

BUCKETS.

I have 3 buckets 1 glass and 1 BB.

The Glass is my last resort and the BB is my next to last resort.

Buckets are just too freaking versatile.

The giant lid comes off in case you need to do some serious scrubbing, or get a hop bag or oak chips out of.

They also have TONS more headspace for primary fermentation.

BB's are fine. BUCKETS are WAAAAAY better.

 

[MalFet]

I really like my BBs with valves, though they do get a touch spendy. God only knows why a 6 oz valve costs $40, but they are very, very nicely designed. It's nice for racking and taking hydrometer samples, and the racking arm does let you get just about every last drop out of there without picking up trub or yeast. It is ultimately a convenience thing, though.

I own some glass too, even dropped one once. I have some friends who would die before they would let their beer touch plastic, and that's their prerogative. Personally, I don't see much advantage of glass over better bottles these days.

 

[Oldyote]

BUCKETS.

Do you have your buckets set up with valves or do you siphon?

 

[burglar]

We have 2 glass carboys, a BB (no valves), and a minibrew.

The BB is great, bigger neck size than the carboys, very light and durable. My only issue with it is when moving it to rack, it flexes and can pull a lot of air in through the airlock. s Sometimes enough to pull the airlock liquid into the beer if we're not careful.

The giant minibrew opening is awesome, and the bottom dump is neat, but it's unruly to clean. Also the big lid fits poorly and it takes up a lot of space.

We like our glass guys the best, but options are nice.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Do you have your buckets set up with valves or do you siphon?

1 has a spigot, but I always syphon.

 

[Oldyote]

Decisions Decisions

 

[DeafSmith]

I use Better Bottles and like them - I don't use any of the accessories. For more info on BB's, see post #9 in this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/carboy-221499/

 

[michur]

I've got three little kids so the BB are a no brainer for me. I still use glass carboy for laggering and my 7g bucket if I know i'm going to have a massive fermentation. I've thought about the BB accessories, but can't justify the cost.

 

[schweaty]

I've only ever used Better Bottles and I love them! If you can, spring for the ported style and get the racking adapter. Makes transfers a breeze and they disassemble for easy cleaning. I also like hooking up the hose from the plate chiller to the racking adapter. No splashing, no foam, and no wasted wort!

 

[RegionalChaos]

I think I have 3 or 4 glass carboys. I don't plan to buy anymore. I don't have any problem using them, but the breakage issue scares me. I have started to ferment some in corny kegs, and will probably just go that route instead of BB. I also like the idea of fermenting in a sanke for 10 gal batches.

 

[iaefebs]

My better bottles with the spigots rarely see a drop of beer. The glass carboy in milk crate just takes up room in my basement. I think I should sell them and buy more grain. I use buckets and siphon.

 

[passedpawn]

My better bottles with the spigots rarely see a drop of beer. The glass carboy in milk crate just takes up room in my basement. I think I should sell them and buy more grain. I use buckets and siphon.

Empty carboys? Shame. Try putting a sour beer or barleywine or mead in there.

 

[iaefebs]

Empty carboys? Shame. Try putting a sour beer or barleywine or mead in there.

Now I remember why I kept them. You are exactly right thanks

 

[oregonparamedic]

I started with glass and they worked fine. Yes they are heavy and can break. I now use bb's and love them. Light weight and safer around the kiddo's. The bottoms do flex a little and can suck some of the airlock juice into the beer but it's never effected my beer.

 

[TheBrewinator]

I have two 5 gallon better bottles and before I bought my second bucket and got my pipeline going, I used them to secondary to free up primary and to dry hop. I now use them for 8 gallon (2 x 4 gallon) batches of something I keep on tap to appease the masses who aren't into my strong beer tastes. Moral of the story, two thumbs up from me for better bottles.

 

[mr_cad]

I have 2 glass carboys and a Better Bottle. I have been using the bb recently. I have the dry air lock accessory and love it. My last batch I went 8 gallons and split into 2 corny kegs. I think I am really going to prefer the kegs. The built in handles are great and they take alot less room. I will probably sell my glass carboys after seeing my fellow homebrew club member limping around in a foot brace from cutting himself. 1 trip to emergency room pays for a better bottle!

 

[wh4tig0t]

I use a carboy cap and tube for a blow off, then the MoreBeer sterile siphon starter to transfer. Both of these havn't failed me yet. They do suck in the airlock juice if you use an airlock. I recently dropped a carboy in the freezer to crash cool, and quickly rememberd a few hours later when the airlock was dry that it would all get sucked in. I may switch to using vodka in airlocks to avoid any problems with this.

 

[PantherCity]

Glass Vs. better bottle has really been debated to death, so lets start a new debate
6 Gallon PET carboy Vs better bottle.
I'm just kidding I would go the plastic carboy over the glass. I have a 15 gallon Minibrew conical that I love and a few better bottles and I just broke my LAST EVER glass carboy. My newest acquisition is the "6 Gallon PET carboy by the Vintage Shop" and I think I will really like it. I just started a thread on them so if any one has any experience with them or wants to know my preliminary thoughts let me know over on that thread.
Thanks

 

[glenn514]

My first batch was fermented in a brew bucket. But I really, REALLY wanted to know what was going on inside that bucket. I had two 5-gallon B.B.'s but they aren't big enough to ferment a 5 gallon batch, so I bought a 6-gallon B.B. and have done virtually all of my fermentation in that. I "secondary" as a practical matter: to empty the 6-gallon bottle in order to brew another batch! And I do have the B.B. stopper/airlock, and it works quite well.

glenn514

 

[rico567]

I also use the standard, unmodified 5 gal. BB, and like it a lot. Since I'm now doing primary-only on most of my beers, the BBs are used seldom, usually only where additions or a big beer requiring an extended secondary. For really long aging, I have a glass carboy I can fall back on, but I gave away my second glass carboy. It's just not used any more.

 

[woodstone]

I broke a 5G glass a long time ago and don't ever want that again.

Right now I still have two 5G glass, one 6G glass, and one 7G glass...love them but dread the day they fail!!!

Done a ton of research and will someday switch out to BB with no ports...you can buy a four-pack of AutoSiphons for the price of one port for God's sake!!!

BB no ports. :rockin: