Can I do a whole fermentation in my 6 gallon can boy?

[automatauntaun]

I am making two beers tonight (or would like to)
I have a six gallon glass car boys ( stage one fermentation)
And a 5 gallon ( secondary)
Is it ok to put recipe one into the six gallon and just let it stay in their the full six weeks? Or will this adversely affect my beer?
(I.E .skipping the transfering to the 5 gallon for secondary fermentation)
It is a northern brewers
Smashing pumpkin ale.
I also plan to do the same recipe with a extra hop added and different yeast.
I want to put that in the 5 gallon (secondary) and leave it their as well.
I could use some advice if this is a bad idea. Should I buy another car boy so I can do two beers at once?
Again I would just like to know can I leave these recipes in their carboys till bottling? Thanks in advanced!

 

[Erroneous]

It is fine to leave beer in one fermentor, in fact it is preferable. The five gallon may be a bit small for your batch, so you could brew 4 gallons and top it off with pre boiled water after fermentation. If you don't you'll lose a bunch when the yeast takes off.

Secondary "fermentation" for homebrewers should only be used when adding stuff like fruit, dry hopping, etc.

 

[automatauntaun]

Thanks!
So it sounds like I could do both batches and just leave them in their respective carboys?
It is a five gallon recipe. So I guess, since this is my first batch,
If I out that in the five gallon car boy during fermentation it would have to much kroisen and blow off?

 

[automatauntaun]

Also, I would need help reducing my recipe. Since its all Pre measured to a five gallon recipe.
Or do you mean add everything and just use on gallon less water?
Again this is my first beer.

 

[DarthMalt]

You could just use a blowoff tube on the 5 gal. and say "screw it" to whatever is lost. Not all fermentations are so insanely vigorous that you lose a ton of beer.

What kind of yeast are you using?



BTW, I think what Erroneous was getting at is adding all the ingredients to the recipe but only topping to 4 gallons in the carboy. This will result in a more concentrated wort. After fermentation is complete, you'd add more water (boiled and cooled, of course) and dilute to your target FG.
I've never done this before and suspect there could be some attenuation and/or yeast stress issues associated with the process if you don't pitch enough yeast to account for the higher starting gravity. Of course, there's always the problem of evenly distributing the water without oxiding the beer. Maybe someone who's had experience with this could help.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

If you leave your beer in the primary that long a single sip will kill you.

 

[Erroneous]

You could just use a blowoff tube on the 5 gal. and say "screw it" to whatever is lost. Not all fermentations are so insanely vigorous that you lose a ton of beer.

What kind of yeast are you using?

BTW, I think what Erroneous was getting at is adding all the ingredients to the recipe but only topping to 4 gallons in the carboy. This will result in a more concentrated wort. After fermentation is complete, you'd add more water (boiled and cooled, of course) and dilute to your target FG.
I've never done this before and suspect there could be some attenuation and/or yeast stress issues associated with the process if you don't pitch enough yeast to account for the higher starting gravity. Of course, there's always the problem of evenly distributing the water without oxiding the beer. Maybe someone who's had experience with this could help.

This has recently come up in byo. Best thing you can do with a concentrated wort is add thoroughly boiled water so it has little chance of oxidation. You could also just use the blow off tube and say screw it but you may lose a good amount of healthy yeast and some fermentables. If you are trying to do a side by side of the different yeasts then get another 6.5 gallon fermentor from your lhbs. Plastic buckets are fine and cheap too.

 

[sr20steve]

It is fine to leave beer in one fermentor, in fact it is preferable. The five gallon may be a bit small for your batch, so you could brew 4 gallons and top it off with pre boiled water after fermentation. If you don't you'll lose a bunch when the yeast takes off.

Secondary "fermentation" for homebrewers should only be used when adding stuff like fruit, dry hopping, etc.

Agreed, I have never done a secondary. I do mostly hoppy beers (pa's, IPA's, IIPA's) and I even dry hop in my primary, beer turns out great. Seems like transferring to a secondary is just asking for trouble IMO...tranferring to my keg is the only oxidizing I wanna do, lol.

 

[automatauntaun]

hmm, good to know. my Northern brewer instructions talked about it primarily to free up the 6 gallon in think and for clarifying.
thanks so much to everyone!