How much fermentor head space is too much?

[guldalian]

So I'm about to do my 1st official parti-gyle. I've kinda done it before, but only used the thin runnings from a barleywine for freezing for starters. This time I'm actually making 2 beers: an imperial stout with the 1st runnings and an American/dry stout with the 2nd and 3rd.

The question is this: would there be any problems fermenting 2 gal RIS in a 5 gal carboy and 4 gal of the am/dry in a regular type ale pail?

 

[jrc64]

I may be wrong, but I don't see a problem with either.

 

[guldalian]

Thanks. Anyone else have any experience with this?

 

[anthropod]

I regularly do 5 gallon batches in a 23 gallon fermenter. (Brewhemoth) I think the headspace should be fine. You won't have to worry about a crazy ferment.

 

[FRS]

So I'm about to do my 1st official parti-gyle. I've kinda done it before, but only used the thin runnings from a barleywine for freezing for starters. This time I'm actually making 2 beers: an imperial stout with the 1st runnings and an American/dry stout with the 2nd and 3rd.

The question is this: would there be any problems fermenting 2 gal RIS in a 5 gal carboy and 4 gal of the am/dry in a regular type ale pail?

You may want to add back some more roasted malt for the 2nd and 3rd runnings; I just partigyled an imperial stout and the second runnings were more of a brown ale than a stout!

 

[guldalian]

You may want to add back some more roasted malt for the 2nd and 3rd runnings; I just partigyled an imperial stout and the second runnings were more of a brown ale than a stout!

Good to know! For some reason I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Cyclman]

Primary- head space isn't much of a concern. Secondary it definitely is if you don't float CO2 atop it.

 

[PDX_T]

this is a cool thread!

 

[guldalian]

Primary- head space isn't much of a concern. Secondary it definitely is if you don't float CO2 atop it.

Another good point. The plan was to primary the little one for 2 weeks and bottle, no problem there. But I was gonna primary the imperial for 3 weeks then secondary for a month. I think now ill just primary for a month and bottle, age it in the bottles. Since I have no co2 dispensing capabilities.