blow off tube/fermenter size

[shaggy727]

Hey everyone. I am planning on upgrading equipment to a decent setup soon. I am planning on getting better bottles because of the price and durability. If I were to get thr 5.5 gal would that be sufficient room for a 5 gal batch if I used a blow off tube? What about for a secondary?

 

[Uziyahu]

I've never used better bottles, but I have a 6.5 gal carboy that I use for primary. Sometimes it is too small for the krausen on a 5 gal batch and blows my airlock or clogs my blowoff tube. I would go with 6.5 gal for 5 gal brewing. A 5.5 gal carboy would have a lot of blowoff.

 

[shaggy727]

That's kind of what I was thinking but I'm new. I'm bottling my first non mr beer crap in a couple of days. Next part I guess would be what size should I do for a secondary. Since air is bad after the initial stage is the 6.5 still fine or should I go with a 5(ish) so there is no much air.

 

[YeastHerder]

I've been making do with two 5.5gal carboys using them interchangeably as fermentors/secondaries. Hefs and Belgian yeasts blow off like a mofo, but irish/british ales and lager yeasts have been much more tame.

 

[justhops]

When I secondary (rarely) I use a 5 gal better bottle. You could possibly use a 5.5 depending on your batch size. Uziyahu is right, stick with the 6.5 for your primary.