Can You use a bucket for dryhopping?

[Cicada]

I'm looking into a recipe right now that requires dry-hopping, but I don't own a carboy. Of everything I've read here, I always see secondaries as carboys but I can't really justify buying a carboy right now. Is there anything special about carboys that make them necessary, or could I do it in another fermenation bucket?

Thanks Yall.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Bucket will work fine, just don't open it daily and muck about w/ your brew...keep it sealed up as much as possible! Say ferment 10-14 days then dry hop for a week plus minus, just my opinion, some might wish to go longer FWIW.

W/ a bucket I would just go single stage, no transfer reqd.

 

[beergolf]

No need to even secondary. Just throw the hops in the primary after it is done fermenting, and let then sit for 5-7 days.

 

[boscobeans]

You can also dry hop in the primary.


bosco

 

[strambo]

Yup, after 10-14 days when primary is finished, just toss the hops in the same bucket for 5-7 days.

 

[Cicada]

Great, thanks so much for responses folks. That's indeed what I'll do.

 

[Frogmanx82]

The reason people like carboys for secondary is the less head space and so less oxygen. I like to dry hop in my primary bucket the second week. There is usually still some CO2 production so the head space shouldn't have much oxygen for long after you put the hops in. I like to use a hop bag weighted with glass beads. To help keep the oxygen out, try to make it a quick add and not keep the lid off any longer than necessary.