Clear Carboys

[Weezknight]

Well, now that I'm 5 days into my first batch I can see the benefits of having a clear glass/plastic carboy. I love my plastic fermentor because it is going to provide me with great tasting homebrew...but...as a first-timer I'm constantly wondering what the fermenting brew looks like, and what it is doing.

I guess there is something to be said for having a clear primary fermentor. The best I can do is shine a flashlight against the lid and see the ring that the initial kreuzen left. Oh well at least I'm not worrying, right?

 

[Aleforge]

Its always fun to see whats going on, I think that's kind of wore off for me as time goes by though. Cleaning is the annoying part of carboys, I envy the guys that love buckets.

 

[Brewmasters Warehouse]

I use carboys, buckets, and Better Bottles. I love seeing the fermentation, but hate cleaning the carboys and Better Bottles.

 

[Arkador]

5 minutes with some oxiclean, and my bucket is ready to be sanitized for the next batch!

 

[andre the giant]

I've got three glass carboys (in milk crates), one better bottle, and two buckets. I love glass carboys for secondary, but I'm always worried that I will drop it and shatter the stupid thing while cleaning. I tend to use the better bottle as primary. I'm not a big fan of the buckets anymore. I like seeing the krausen, watching the activity, and being able to tell whats going on in there without removing the lid. But I think it all boils down to preference. As long as the fermenter is santitized and sealed, you can use whatever you want.

 

[Larstram]

I like displaying my batches, thats the main reason I use glass. My bucket is dedicated for measuring only. Be sure to keep your carboy covered to avoid direct light.

 

[chumprock]

I dont have any issues with cleaning glass carboys... what's the gripe with that?

PBW and a carboy brush.....?

 

[llazy_llama]

I dont have any issues with cleaning glass carboys... what's the gripe with that?

PBW and a carboy brush.....?

Buckets are easier. Open lid, remove turkey bag, and I'm ready to rack a new beer in 0.2 seconds.

 

[chumprock]

Ok, yeah... 30 seconds is a bit faster than the 5 mins it takes me to clean out my carboy.

 

[Yambor44]

I dont have any issues with cleaning glass carboys... what's the gripe with that?

PBW and a carboy brush.....?

Same here. I just let mine soak in oxiclean a day or 2. Then I place them in a holder frame thingy upside down and blast them with clean water until they rinse clean.

I understand the bucket pro folks as well though. All I do with the bucket is pop the lid, rinse well, wash with soft rag and oxy and rinse well. All done in 10 minutes. No wating a day or so or stressing about breaking the glass.

 

[simpleton]

If you want an idea of what it looks like, I posted a thread a while back with a pic of me opening my bucket. I recomend against doing this, but I had to take a look.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/yet-another-first-brew-thread-98152/

 

[chumprock]

Phineas Freak I presume...
I tossed my bucket as a fermenter a year ago after contamination issues. Went to carboys and never looked back.

The one thing I learned about this hobby is there's a lot of ways to make beer, do what works for you.

 

[Aleforge]

Ok, yeah... 30 seconds is a bit faster than the 5 mins it takes me to clean out my carboy.

Correction, .2 seconds! lol

But ya I always have to work at the Carboy to get the Krausen ring off. Takes me awhile.

 

[simpleton]

Phineas Freak I presume...

Yeah, I think your the first person to even know who that is.

 

[chumprock]

Yeah, I think your the first person to even know who that is.

I was more of a Freewheelin' Franklin fan...

 

[LandofOZ]

just one question after you put the turkey bag in the caboy how do you get the turkey in