Does anyone use 5 gallon buckets as primaries?

[Pickngrin]

Does anyone use 5 gallon buckets as primary fermenters (with Fermcap or some sort of foam control, of course)?
Other than the starter kit I bought many years ago, I can't seem to bring myself to spend money on an Ale Pale or similar commercial bucket. I have been able to acquire various food-grade buckets, including some 5 gallon, for free. It just seems like most people recommend using them only for secondaries (which I no longer do). I just brewed on Saturday and have a batch in a 5 gallon bucket now (again, with Fermcap-S). I *think* there are 5 gallons in there. There's a large head of krausen now and none of it is blowing into the airlock.
I recently used a 5 gallon corny as a primary fermenter a couple of times, but I find it a PITA to clean out the deposits afterward.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[llazy_llama]

If you use some Fermcap, and a blowoff tube for the first few days or so, there's no reason not to. I probably wouldn't brew anything notoriously foamy (Hefes, for instance), but they'll still work fine.

 

[BigJay13]

I don't see why you couldn't rig up a large blow-off tube onto the cap instead of using Fermcap. 1 3/4" hose should be sufficient.

 

[Pickngrin]

Though I will lose more volume with the blow-off tube instead of the Fermcap, no?

 

[BigJay13]

Though I will lose more volume with the blow-off tube instead of the Fermcap, no?

That is true. You will also lose the Krausen which according to Greg Noonan's book can cause off flavors. I have made fine beer when letting the Krausen fall back into the beer or letting it blow off.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

why not just spend $15 on a ale pale? It’s well worth the $$ not having to mess with a blow off IMO. I have brewed a few times in 5 gallon buckets but I lost what I would consider a lot in the blow off even using anti foam agents that made me not want to anymore.

 

[Pickngrin]

why not just spend $15 on a ale pale? It’s well worth the $$ not having to mess with a blow off IMO. I have brewed a few times in 5 gallon buckets but I lost what I would consider a lot in the blow off even using anti foam agents that made me not want to anymore.

1 word -- frugality.

 

[boogyman]

1 word -- frugality.

www.usplastics.com has 7 gallon buckets that are FDA approved (and high temp rated) for ~$8.

 

[Mirage]

You will probably lose more money in the long run with beer coming out of the blowoff than you will spend on the bucket. I don't know how much fermcaps run either.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Not to mention the time spent setting up and cleaning out the blow off tube. Especially a crusty one!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Bucket $8.49
Lid $1.36
shipping $6.23
US Plastics Total $16.08,
Might as well go buy the Ale Pail at your LHBS for $15 that includes lid.