carboy

[smithnick0]

Lets say i go by just using a primary for my beer and not use a secondary. Since my kit came with a bucket and a plastic carboy, i could techniqually do 2 batches at one time?

 

[Kaz]

Yes, although, the bucket is usually 6+ gallons and the carboy is probably 5 gallons. Not a problem, just either brew a slightly smaller batch or use a blowoff and be prepared for some loss to it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Home Brew Talk

 

[Golddiggie]

Yes... Depending on the size of the carboy, you might want to get a blow-off tube setup so that you're ready if fermentation goes ape-nuts... OR get some fermcap (about $2) and add that post boil to keep the krausen down... Either option will work, and the fermcap can also be used to keep boil-overs to a minimum (even if you have very little head space in your brew pot)...

I've only used the bucket primary that came in my kit for two batches. Everything else has been in either my 6 gallon carboy, 5 gallon carboys, or my 5 gallon keg(s)...

As long as you compensate for the reduced head-space in the primary, you'll be fine... I would just not use a really top cropping yeast in a 5 gallon primary (for 5 gallon batches, 4 gallons of wort should be fine though)...

I'm shifting over to using kegs for primaries now... I have one 5 gallon corny and four 5.16 gallon Sanke's... I plan to use 2-3 of the Sanke's as primaries, and the other(s) for aging bigger brews...

 

[ACbrewer]

You could, the difficult part is priming you brew. Most people rack to a bottling bucket where they've put a priming solution in.

The other option is to prime each bottle with solution (or just sugar, I've done that and it works - the sugar will disolve and the yeast carbonate) But I find that a pain as there are a lot of bottles.

the only other caution is the size of the carboy, you genearlly want 25% head space when you start fermenting, so if it is a 5 gallon carboy, you will want to put only about 4 gallons in it - others might just say put in 5 gal with a blowoff tube...

 

[RM-MN]

For less than $20 you could buy another plastic bucket primary and not have to worry about smaller batches or blowoff tubes and losing the beer. If you were careful with your shopping, you could probably get 2 more fermenter buckets for under $30 and really set yourself up for making beer. If you did it that way, your carboy would be available to make a batch of cider too.

 

[ACbrewer]

Yeah I second that - use craigslist...

 

[Kaz]

You could, the difficult part is priming you brew. Most people rack to a bottling bucket where they've put a priming solution in.
.

I fail to see what fermenting in a 5 carboy has to do with priming or racking the beer to anything?

 

[ThePearsonFam]

I think his assumption was that the bucket from the kit was his bottling bucket... Not that that would prevent him from priming but it does make it a bit more challenging.

 

[smithnick0]

i have a primary bucket, a plastic carboy, and a bottling bucket

 

[ThePearsonFam]

okay... I only use a primary unless I'm doing something odd (like a fruit beer). Just let it sit in the primary for a bit longer. The choice is yours, but you can use the carboy and bucket as fermenters.