Bucket v.s. Carboy

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In regards to buckets, just picked up a new one today after losing a previous one during moving... and it was $16 with a lid.

Come on LHBS, what a rip off*... probably should have paid 27 for the BB instead. Maybe it's just a problem for me, but at that price I'd rather get something I can watch the yeast have sex in.

Edit: * Last time I bought one, it had to be around $11
 
ianskate said:
In regards to buckets, just picked up a new one today after losing a previous one during moving... and it was $16 with a lid.

Come on LHBS, what a rip off... probably should have paid 27 for the BB instead. Maybe it's just a problem for me, but at that price I'd rather get something I can watch the yeast have sex in.
Click to expand...

I do enjoy watching writhing blobs of yeast having their alcoholic fungus orgies. It's hypnotic. :ban:
 
So...if that's the case, Captncully would argue (correctly...) that your bucket is now likely harboring bacteria, as well as odor. That odor indicates that chemical compounds have attached themselves to the plastic...and it's time for a new bucket. Or how about a carboy!?
 
MileHiBrewingSupplies said:
So...if that's the case, Captncully would argue (correctly...) that your bucket is now likely harboring bacteria, as well as odor. That odor indicates that chemical compounds have attached themselves to the plastic...and it's time for a new bucket. Or how about a carboy!?
Click to expand...

Yep, but I recently went better bottles, got 2 of the 6 gallon and 2 of the 5. Only complaint is harder to clean than a bucket but I think its plastic is harder and retains less.
 
ianskate said:
In regards to buckets, just picked up a new one today after losing a previous one during moving... and it was $16 with a lid.

Come on LHBS, what a rip off... probably should have paid 27 for the BB instead. Maybe it's just a problem for me, but at that price I'd rather get something I can watch the yeast have sex in.
Click to expand...

Now that I AM one, I can assure you that the prices you pay at your LHBS are not the fault of the owner (in most cases). Wholesale prices, shipping, rent, etc...add up fast. Believe me, most of us would LOVE to lower prices, but we can't!
 
I have one 7gal bucket as my primary. 3 glass carboys as secondaries. I have a few other buckets but they are for grain and starsan.
 
I'm all bucket, and even somewhat regret getting Better Bottles when there was a 2 for 1 sale.

The common knock against a bucket is that "once it gets a scratch, it's impossible to sanitize." That's 100% wrong. In fact, you can sterilize a bucket by boiling water, and dumping it in. Every microbe in/on/touching the bucket = dead
 
CaptnCully said:
The next time that you brew.... take your bucket, clean it, rinse it, and sanitize it like you normally do. Then turn it upside down, put it over your head... take 3 DEEP breaths and tell me that it does not still SMELL like a bucket.... then maybe, just maybe i could think about switching from my carboy's. I have a big problem with plastic. I have not even enjoyed a tall glass of milk since it no longer comes in glass. Stainless steel i can deal with but plastic.. you have got to be kidding........
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Are you saying that you're able to fit your head inside a carboy?
 
I've got them all - SS conical, buckets, glass carboys, and PET carboys. The conical is my favorite for ease of use, cleaning, trub purging, bottling, etc.

After that, it really just depends on my mood. For a while I was all glass all the time, but now I'm seeing myself just going with buckets quite a bit. I've made good beers in all of them. What I've actually got my eye on is one of these: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/6-GALLON-VINTAGE-SHOP-CARBOY-WITH-SPIGOT-P2826.aspx For half the price of a BB with spigot, you can get one of these with smooth sides. Or $25 without the spigot. I'm all about making my life easier, and if I can eliminate having to clean and sanitize a wine thief or autosiphon, even better.
 
I recently sold my carboys. Even though I am fit, and not a small man...handling, moving, and cleaning glass carboys was awkward. As much as I brew, it seemed that an accident was just a matter of time.

I sold 3 of them for enough cash to buy: a 5 gallon better bottle, an 8 gallon bucket, and 2 new 7 gallon buckets.

I use 5 gallon food grade buckets for 2.5 to 4 gallon batches, and a 3 gallon better bottle for any of these that need secondary.

I use 7 gallon buckets for most batches, and a 5 gallon better bottle for any that need secondary

The 8 gallon bucket is awesome for 6 gallon batches, or high gravity 5 gallon batches..no need for a blowoff!

No right or wrong on this question...there are many paths to good beer!

edit: I almost forgot: Odor is not really an issue: the same cleaning method most use for carboys takes care of buckets and better bottles, the advantage is you can pre-clean easily with a soft rag or sponge: 24 hour soak in PBW or Oxyclean, hot water rinse, Starsan= clean with no odor.
 
You might have better luck finding a large, clear glass container. A couple of similar things have been posted already, and if there were a readily available source for clear buckets that size, I honestly think the membership here would know about it.

I kind of liked the Ice buckets. Just need some sort of cover (Saran wrap?) to keep the bugs out.
 
PackerfaninSanDiego said:
still looking for that clear 6 gallon bucket,anyone?
Click to expand...

I put a comment asking Craig where he got these but haven't heard back yet, maybe someone else will know. Watch the beginning of this video and see the ones he has. At about 1 min 40 sec in, you'll get a good shot of it.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
jflongo said:
I put a comment asking Craig where he got these but haven't heard back yet, maybe someone else will know. Watch the beginning of this video and see the ones he has. At about 1 min 40 sec in, you'll get a good shot of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLSKUAokKk0&list=UUoHbeio8mHTGe4G0dkTONrg&index=1
Click to expand...

There's a place in town that carries them, but they're primarily a BOP, not HBS, so I don't know if they would ship them out. Here's the contact portion of their site, if you want to try: http://corknlabel.com/index.php/contact
 
jflongo said:
I put a comment asking Craig where he got these but haven't heard back yet, maybe someone else will know. Watch the beginning of this video and see the ones he has. At about 1 min 40 sec in, you'll get a good shot of it.
Click to expand...

I have one of those buckets, and I abso-freakin-lutely love it. Bought it for ~$17 at the LHBS (Tri-State in Moscow, ID). It's got a 9gal capacity and was made by BrewCraft. It's nice to be able to see what's going on in there, as well as the extra head space. It was especially useful for the Porter that I did last weekend. It ended up with a 2 gallon krausen, which would have caused a giant mess in my smaller, regular fermenting bucket.
 
I just can't understand what the fascination is with being able to see the fermentation in progress. Guess I'm jaded....
 
Denny said:
I just can't understand what the fascination is with being able to see the fermentation in progress. Guess I'm jaded....
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It's not so much that you can see everything, I just like being able to see the differences between the trub, the beer, and the krausen. It's just another mechanism for which I know things are going well.
 
Upthewazzu said:
It's not so much that you can see everything, I just like being able to see the differences between the trub, the beer, and the krausen. It's just another mechanism for which I know things are going well.
Click to expand...

I guess I've brewed enough I can tell when things are going well by other signs. And I can always open the bucket and look!
 
Denny said:
I just can't understand what the fascination is with being able to see the fermentation in progress. Guess I'm jaded....
Click to expand...

+1
I use buckets, put in wort, pitch yeast, cover it and leave it be until its done. Take it out, clean vessel, repeat.......

IMO fermentation is not pretty to watch. I just like the beer:D
 
A couple of posts that made me scratch my head:
One was about if clear buckets were so good they would be used," A couple of similar things have been posted already, and if there were a readily available source for clear buckets that size, I honestly think the membership here would know about it."
Well ya know what? nobody here knows everything about brewing

and then there is this one, "I just can't understand what the fascination is with being able to see the fermentation in progress. Guess I'm jaded...." Nuff said for now
 
I'll have to put it on my bucket list.


Just for fun, go back to the first page of this thread. Then you have to drink every time someone says "bucket".
 
pwkblue said:
I recently sold my carboys. Even though I am fit, and not a small man...handling, moving, and cleaning glass carboys was awkward. As much as I brew, it seemed that an accident was just a matter of time.

I sold 3 of them for enough cash to buy: a 5 gallon better bottle, an 8 gallon bucket, and 2 new 7 gallon buckets.

I use 5 gallon food grade buckets for 2.5 to 4 gallon batches, and a 3 gallon better bottle for any of these that need secondary.

I use 7 gallon buckets for most batches, and a 5 gallon better bottle for any that need secondary

The 8 gallon bucket is awesome for 6 gallon batches, or high gravity 5 gallon batches..no need for a blowoff!

No right or wrong on this question...there are many paths to good beer!

edit: I almost forgot: Odor is not really an issue: the same cleaning method most use for carboys takes care of buckets and better bottles, the advantage is you can pre-clean easily with a soft rag or sponge: 24 hour soak in PBW or Oxyclean, hot water rinse, Starsan= clean with no odor.
Click to expand...

I usually soak mine in Oxy after I'm done for 24 hours and then sanitize before use. Haven't had any issues although the bucket itself does have a funky odor. But hasn't effected beer which is the main things.
 
I'm into brewing for the long run and I have had to retire a few buckets now. Glass never goes bad. I have 8 carboys ranging from 12g to 3g and have no problem with cleaning n e of them. Just a thought...
 
Yeah, I may swap out buckets pretty soon as it's cheap enough to do so. I have about 1.5 years/10 batches with my current one. Maybe at Batch 15, change it out. We'll see.
 

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