FrizzleFry
Member
I recently decided to ditch buckets and use only carboys. As to why, might have had something to do with having problems with bucket lids, having one that was hard to get off, then the raised plastic lip on the bucket that you pull down on to get the lid off snapping, cutting my hand, etc.
Anyway I just brewed a hefeweizen and put it in a 5 gallon PET carboy as a primary. Probably a mistake, should have used a 6.. or, maybe foam was going to come out no matter what with a hefe. I initially had a blowout tube connected to the bottom piece of an airlock, but it kept popping out the stopper, so I then just stuck the tube directly in the stopper and that seems to have helped. I guess airlocks are just too restrictive for foam.
Anyway, my question is this: I see recipes all the time with 5.5 or 6.5 gallon batch sizes. Is this extra half gallon because you are expected to leave some in the bottom of your kettle with the cold break proteins, or are people finding they can get the extra half gallon into the carboy without headspace issues, or maybe to reduce oxidation?
What batch size do those of you who use carboys for primary fermenters shoot for?
Anyway I just brewed a hefeweizen and put it in a 5 gallon PET carboy as a primary. Probably a mistake, should have used a 6.. or, maybe foam was going to come out no matter what with a hefe. I initially had a blowout tube connected to the bottom piece of an airlock, but it kept popping out the stopper, so I then just stuck the tube directly in the stopper and that seems to have helped. I guess airlocks are just too restrictive for foam.
Anyway, my question is this: I see recipes all the time with 5.5 or 6.5 gallon batch sizes. Is this extra half gallon because you are expected to leave some in the bottom of your kettle with the cold break proteins, or are people finding they can get the extra half gallon into the carboy without headspace issues, or maybe to reduce oxidation?
What batch size do those of you who use carboys for primary fermenters shoot for?