Glass Vs. Plastic, let's hear the truth

[thrstyunderwater]

I've read posts about fermenting in plastic vs glass. I just got 6 carboys at a really good deal. I'm debating keeping them or selling them and buying 6 gallon plastic buckets.

I'm mainly interested in hearing about people that have used buckets and had a problem. I know the work but I want to hear real problems/complaints. Any opinion would be nice though.

 

[cino101]

double/triple check the pre marked gallon markers on your bucket before you assume they are correct. Also some cheaper buckets have terrible lid designs that are like trying to open that dreaded plastic packaging stuff. Other than that, buckets are my go to for primary ferm

 

[bmsteele]

Plastic stains and retains beer odor (not a problem and doesn't affect brews, just may be an annoyance for some) and buckets with spigots can be troublesome/leaky. One of the last things you want to see after pouring wort into a bucket is to see a tiny dribble of liquid goodness escaping (even after checking 5 times for leaks...). PITA.

That being said, I'm a plastic bucketer

 

[WillPall]

I'm a Better Bottle guy, but if I had a bunch of glass carboys I'd be extremely happy with them. If I were in your position and really wanted to trade something, I would sell one or two and grab a bucket or Better Bottle for some experimentation.

 

[djt17]

I fermented in a bucket once; (after breaking a glass carboy), it drove me crazy not being able to see what the fermentation was doing. I know watching doesn't make better beer, but it makes the brewer happy. I now use a Better Bottle.

 

[akthor]

For me it's Bucket with lid and airlock = $15 Carboy = $35

For me it's a lot easier to dump stuff in a bucket as opposed to funneling into a carboy as well.

 

[snipper_cr]

I don't know, maybe its my cleaning wand, but I HATE cleaning carboys (I have better bottles)... I can never clean them properly and I always feel I missed a spot.

Buckets I can easily get down into them and rub all along the insides to make sure I got into the nooks and cranies.

I do dislike not being able to see whats going on inside the bucket, especially after I did my first fermentation in a carboy. It was so cool to see all the motion and activity in the beer and the formation of the krausen.

With that, I am thinking of engineering the top of my bucket with a plexiglass window. I want to cut a sizeable hole and then seat a piece of plexiglass in its place. That way I can atleast look down into it!

 

[WCrane]

For me 5 gallon Platic Bucket from Lowe's ($4.00), stove limits me to sub-5 gallon batches. I checked with the manufacuturer and they are vigrin plastic (non recycled), HDPE #2, food grade. Plus the same company (Encore Plastics) makes a 3.5 gallon that's semi clear with markings for volume and a 2 gallon.

These bucket practically rinse clean and are easy to store and move around., plus cheap enough to replace without a second thought about the $$

Snipper - I like the Plexiglass idea and was thinking of doing the same.

 

[Whippy]

It would be nice if the Better Bottle people would make a clear "Better Bucket"

 

[nanofreak]

Oh no, not this sh*t again.

 

[maxamuus]

It would be nice if the Better Bottle people would make a clear "Better Bucket"

+1

Only ever brewed in a bucket. I agree they are a lot easier to clean and move around.

I have a glass carboy and some of the folks on here have made me gunshy of it. Always expecting the thing to break and behead me.

 

[eibbor]

These bucket practically rinse clean and are easy to store and move around., plus cheap enough to replace without a second thought about the $$

As Wcrane says here, buckets are easy to store. When empty (but do we really want empty fermenters? ) they nest inside of each other for easy storage. One thing though do not store a full bucket of sanitizer solution in the top bucket of your nested ones. Forty pounds of weight will really make separating the empties hard when it is time to do that. When I nest them together now, I drape a clean dish rag over the top/edge as I put the next one in, that makes getting them apart easier.

 

[SteveM]

I like my bucket, which I've used for maybe seven or eight years and over a hundred batches with no problems. I used to have glass carboys that I used for second stages, but I got rid of them because I kept having visions of one of them dropping onto my kitchen floor (ceramic tile). If I need a second stage, I will go get a better bottle, but I'm happy with my bucket as primary.

The short version is, use what you are comfortable with. Any will make good beer.

 

[jmkratt]

With that, I am thinking of engineering the top of my bucket with a plexiglass window. I want to cut a sizeable hole and then seat a piece of plexiglass in its place. That way I can atleast look down into it!

Why don't you ditch the lid all together and just use plexiglass?

 

[djt17]

Why don't you ditch the lid all together and just use plexiglass?

Would you need the air lock then? Or would just placing the plexiglass on top be sufficient?

 

[IrregularPulse]

I wanted glass when I started so I could see. Now I only use my 1 glass carboy if my buckets are full. They're just a PITA, Heavy, slippery deathtrap (IMO ). Buckets are cheaper and I think they're just easier. Now you might argue the price by stating the life cycle of each, and eventually yes, the carboy would pay for itself after having to replace a few buckets. But whats an occasional $15? I have a 5G Glass carboy I plan on keeping for Apfelwein and similar brews and for long term aging of big beers if my kegs are all full, but am looking to sell the ~7G glass one I have.

 

[glockentalk]

As long as we're making a Better Bottle wish-list, how about a conical?

 

[bovineblitz]

Better bottles for me... the last thing in the world I need it to sever an artery with shards of glass. I have an illogical dislike of buckets so BBs are my choice.

I do however have a 5gal pyrex carboy I happened across at work and was allowed to take. Now that thing is STURDY.

 

[JonK331]

I've used glass for over three years now and have only had to get stitches once from being an idiot and trying to use a 13 gallon carboy. 6's or 6.5s are really pretty durable but you do have to be careful

 

[Malticulous]

I have a 6.5 gallon glass carboy. I used it once.

 

[carl_g]

I use buckets and better bottles for secondary.

 

[beerrepository]

I use buckets and better bottles. I just got a 6 gallon Better Bottle and appreciate being able to see the fermentation process, especially as a brand new brewer, versus using the bucket. The cost of a Better Bottle is always very enticing. LHBS wants $45 for a 6G glass carboy, with a Better Bottle costing about half that.

 

[Ludovico]

Glass carboys for primary, plastic pails for secondary. Easier to dryhop/steep any other ingredient and cheaper.

 

[xoltri]

I started vacuum racking so I like my glass carboys. And with vacuum racking I don't have to lift them off of the floor.

 

[EuBrew]

I am a glass guy. I am probably jinxing myself by saying this but I treat the glass like I treat my 9mm and my tablesaw, scared just enough everytime I touch them to not have any accidents. I couldn't stand buckets, can't see what's going on! I have a 1/2 barrel I use on occasion so I don't have to worry about blowoff but I've since picked up a second 6.5 gal glass carboy so I can see what's going on, it's fun watching the yeasties do their thing.

 

[passedpawn]

Please see the similar threads at the bottom of your screen. Lots (heh) of similar threads. Lots of very very similar threads with lots of very good discussion, very very similar to this one. Lots of very good advice and discussion. Great resources there, although it will all seem a but redundant if you've already read this thread.

 

[GRHunter]

I love my big, dangerous glass carboys. I enjoy peeking in on my beer several times a day. Plus, they are very easy to sanitize so I don't have to worry so much about infections. But the bottom line for me is that glass is just cooler than plastic. But to be honest, I carry an 1891 pocket watch to tell time, it's just cooler than a high tech wrist watch. Not necessarily better, just cooler.

 

[Shooter]

Terrible news, plastic bucket fermenters can lead to strabismus and glass carboys are a leading cause of rickets. You'd be better off fermenting in a lead pot that has been cleaned with a mercury and cadmium based cleanser if you ask me!

 

[glockentalk]

I'd like to see a Better Bottle conical.

 

[Bob]

Why don't you ditch the lid all together and just use plexiglass?

Word. That's what I did years ago.

I prefer buckets for primary fermentation. If I'm going to store the beer in bulk for any length of time (read: more than a few days after the krauesen falls), I transfer to carboys or Better Bottles.

DO NOT NEST YOUR BUCKETS.

Let me say that again, so I've not only got your attention but ensure you really let it sink in:

DO NOT NEST YOUR BUCKETS.

You WILL scratch the interior of the buckets you nest into. Scratches breed infection. Store them perfectly dry and separate, with the lids loosely resting on top.

Which fermenter type you choose should be dictated by what style you're putting into it. I brew lagers in carboys, because I want them as sealed away from the outside as I can keep them. I brew ales in buckets, because I'm usually racking into a carboy after 7-10 days of primary. Experience has shown that's not strictly necessary, but it works for me.

Cheers,

Bob