Fermenting in buckets sucks!

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I have several 4L glass carboys that used to be Carlo Rossi wine jugs. They are easy to use and clean, but then again they are very small.

Otherwise, the only carboy I have is a 6gal BB that I am using for a lambic solera, so I don't anticipate having to empty and clean it for years.

 

[BendBrewer]

Hmm... I just bought my first bucket after 3 years of carboy only action. I got tired of cleaning and don't care to see whats going on inside.
My only concern was aeration of the wort after pouring it inside. The glass carboy seems much easier to rock back and forth. I have this probably irrational fear that shaking it up will leave wort on the bottom of the lid where it will mold or get infected or something (since its apart from the yeast).

Get a separate lid to use while you shake it, open, pitch and use your clean lid to ferment. Heck a Homer lid would probably work for that.

Or get O2.

 

[Flywheel]

B is for the Beer that gets made
U is for the Units of international bitterness
C is for the Crisp refreshing taste
K is for the Kiln that makes the barley great
E is for the East Kent Goldings in my bitter
T is for the Top-fermenting yeast I can't see in my bucket, but that's okay with me

 

[dfc]

I don't even understand why people use better bottles and carboys for primary fermentation (other than to watch the yeasties swim). I personally do not care what my beer looks like for the first 2 weeks. I just want it to be good when its poured in a glass.

I do understand (somewhat) the need for a carboy as a secondary (less oxygen permeability and headroom), but other than that give me my 10-12 dollar plastic fermentors anyday.

Filling, handling, draining, and cleaning a carboy SUCKS!

I completely agree.

 

[dfc]

Hmm... I just bought my first bucket after 3 years of carboy only action. I got tired of cleaning and don't care to see whats going on inside.
My only concern was aeration of the wort after pouring it inside. The glass carboy seems much easier to rock back and forth. I have this probably irrational fear that shaking it up will leave wort on the bottom of the lid where it will mold or get infected or something (since its apart from the yeast).

Do you have a bottling bucket?

 

[remilard]

I don't even understand why people use better bottles and carboys for primary fermentation

A couple of reasons I do.

1. I like to raise fermentation temperature once the krausen begins to drop. It helps if I can see that.

2. I can do a closed transfer via co2 pressure.

3. If I need to open up the fermentor to take a sample, the exposed surface area is much smaller.

 

[BoxofRain]

For a secondary fermentation using miscellaneous ingredients such as oak chips, cocoa nibs, dry hops, etc., I find it easier than carboys. If no special ingredients, I prefer carboys.

Where are you finding a 5 gallon-food grade bucket?

 

[RMitch]

where are you finding a 5 gallon-food grade bucket?

lhbs?

 

[Whut]

I H-A-T-E cleaning carboys after primary fermentation...

Cleaning a carboy has never been easier:



Obviouslly I wasn't the first to come up with this but I did steal shamelessly from others here on HBT. Here's my thread about it.

I can also clean a bucket:



And a corny keg too:

 

[BoxofRain]

lhbs?

Mine on has 6+ and I'm not convinced a Homer Bucket will muster for this kind of work.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've hated the bucket fermenter since the first time I used it... Which is why I've only used it twice so far... After the second time, I picked up another carboy.

I am migrating over from carboys to kegs for fermenting and aging in though. I have one 5 gallon corny keg primary/aging vessel as well as four 5.16 gallon (1/6 size) Sanke kegs to use for aging/fermenting... Once you remove the spear from the Sanke, a large universal bung fits perfectly in the opening. I am hunting for some tall 1/4 size Sanke kegs, so that I won't even need to use fermcap in future batches. I want the tall ones so that they take up less floor space.

I see kegs as a much better option than either carboys or buckets for beer. For one thing, zero light can penetrate the kegs. No oxygen will enter from the sides either. The opening is small, depending on which keg you get, close to a carboy, or just a little larger. They're easy to clean with a simple tool (keg cleaner on a drill does wonders, with a little PBW/oxyclean soak). Don't need to worry about scratching them either, when cleaning...

I've almost gotten past the need/desire to look at what I have fermenting. I have a honey cream ale that went into the corny keg on 2/26 and I haven't looked inside it once. After the yeast was pitched in, and the airlock went on, I've left it alone... That brew is slated for bottles this week.

I'll still make my mead in carboy's though. I do plan on aging the mead in kegs, once the batches are ready that is.

 

[rycov]

i use both. areate in the bucket by splashing in. shake the piss out of the car boy. its not that heavy. if its wet then it can be slippery, so you have to be careful, but not a huge deal. got one of those bottle jet washers so cleaning a car boy is just as easy for me. the carboy you can see through, which is cool, but it also lets light in which isn't cool. but i ferment in a dark room so its cool. (cool.) the bucket i cant see through, but the top is wider and usually just pitch and forget for three weeks or so anyway. buckets are cheaper, but i am glad i have one carboy. it just looks cool, and should last longer if i take good care of it. so i really have to say that both have their place. if you don't have one or the other, do yourself a favor and get whatever you don't have.

cheers!

 

[weirdboy]

I love buckets. I am doing a double dry hopped iiipa using pellets. I cannot imagine the huge mess I'd already have if I were trying to do that with carboys. With buckets, I just pull off the top and swap out a hops bag.

 

[Palefire]

Buckets. I'm clumsy. Especially when drinking. Don't want to lose an arm. Or some beer.

 

[two_hearted]

Just came home with another bucket today. Way easier to move around, clean, dry hop, etc. I am way over gazing into my carboy.

 

[Wheezer]

I get the buckets from my lhbs. I think they just buy them from a wholesale brewers supply store.