I hate carboys.

[Marsdude]

Thanks for the link!

 

[flipfloptan]

What size drill bit do you guys use to drill lid. Do you add a grommet or just insert airlock into the hole you drilled.

Thanks

 

[wood7588]

I have drilled my lids to accept a standard carboy bung instead of a grommet. There is less chance I will lose a bung than a little grommet. Just one less thing to have to worry about.

 

[buzzkill]

I love my glass carboy, but it has sat in a dark corner of the closet empty for the longest time. sankys/cornys all the way! :rockin:

 

[COLObrewer]

Buckets, carboys, barrels, drums, cornies, sankes, whiskey jugs, Orange juice jars, growlers, mason jars, they all work and all have their place, I've used them all and will continue to use whatever I have to in order to ferment my favorite beverages. In other words, I don't think it matters.

 

[doctorRobert]

I have drilled my lids to accept a standard carboy bung instead of a grommet. There is less chance I will lose a bung than a little grommet. Just one less thing to have to worry about.

thats an awesome tip - you can probably peek in and see whats going on too

 

[northernlad]

What size drill bit do you guys use to drill lid. Do you add a grommet or just insert airlock into the hole you drilled.

Thanks

Drill your hole the size of the airlock stem. No bung, no grommet, tight fit.

 

[randomsample]

I just like having carboys. I like opening up my chest freezer and seeing four beautiful glass giants doing their thing. Cleaning them is not that hard, but to each his own.

I also love stainless steel, but conical s are a bit out of my price range... I've been thinking about a sankey...

 

[KayaBrew]

I hate the Cowboys, too...I'm a Bills fan.

Wait you said carboys, didn't you? My bad.

 

[Whut]

I have drilled my lids to accept a standard carboy bung instead of a grommet. There is less chance I will lose a bung than a little grommet. Just one less thing to have to worry about.

Damn good tip right there (IMHO). This, boys and girls, is why I read the HBT forums.

Thanks Wood!

 

[Yambor44]

I don't understand why you need to siphon yeast from a carboy or any other vessel? Just save enough wort to swish around knocking the yeast loose and pour into a sanitized mason jar.

 

[Hannable1975]

I have never had a batch come close to making it to the lid of the bucket let alone out the airlock. If it is a concern of yours you can get an even bigger bucket for nearly the same price.

Neither had I in my limited experience - until this morning!

I brewed the AHS Promo Stormcastle - and MAN did it work of huge!

Good thing I had some spare airlocks ( hey, they are cheap ) I tossed the fouled one, cleaned up the mess and installed another - I cringe to think what would have happened if I had used my carboy I just bought - like maybe beer all over the ceiling, carpet, walls.........

I'm stick to my buckets I think, and save that big ole pretty carboy for some of this Apelwien I keep reading about.....

 

[Hannable1975]

I have drilled my lids to accept a standard carboy bung instead of a grommet. There is less chance I will lose a bung than a little grommet. Just one less thing to have to worry about.

Yeah, I had to 'Thumbs Up" that - probably the best tip I have read in a while. All of mine will be modified in the manner as soon as they are freed up from duty.

 

[AugustDerleth]

I don't understand why you need to siphon yeast from a carboy or any other vessel? Just save enough wort to swish around knocking the yeast loose and pour into a sanitized mason jar.

I've found that without washing it you end up with a lot of trub/unviable yeast/hop particulates left in the jars that you're then pitching into your new wort. There's a great guide to washing posted in this very thread.

 

[BlackHillsBrewing]

I love carboys! Easy to clean; w/jet washer! I believe they are funner to watch yeastie activity! Plus, I ony use the 6.5 with handles and always sit down on carpet. I use them for everything.. !

 

[Special Hops]

I use 2 1/4bbl sankes.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I've found that without washing it you end up with a lot of trub/unviable yeast/hop particulates left in the jars that you're then pitching into your new wort. There's a great guide to washing posted in this very thread.

Right but you can let the trub settle out and then decant to different jars and then you will have clean washed yeast. No siphoning involved.

 

[r2eng]

I don't understand why you need to siphon yeast from a carboy or any other vessel? Just save enough wort to swish around knocking the yeast loose and pour into a sanitized mason jar.

What he said!

Why does this same argument always crop up? "I only like this", "I only use that": Glad it works for you. Keep it up. Why argue something that is purely personal preference?

 

[AugustDerleth]

Yeah. whatever works. I guess with having an auto-syphon I don't see what the big deal is about syphoning. You put one end in the bucket, the other in the jar and pump twice. OH MAH GAWDS

r2eng: I didn't see anyone actually "arguing." I'm not trying to convince him to syphon, honestly I could care less. I was answering a question that he asked. And if people aren't allowed/supposed to post about their personal preference, there would be about 7 threads on this forum.

 

[r2eng]

Yeah, Mr. Crankypants posted for me this morning.

I just didn't see the reason for the original post... hit me wrong. I use carboys and love them. I do not like buckets. My opinion.

I just don't see the point of the original post... is it asking for input? Different strokes for different folks!

BTW: Crankypants left my house just a little bit ago...

 

[AugustDerleth]

I just didn't see the reason for the original post... hit me wrong. I use carboys and love them. I do not like buckets. My opinion.

I just don't see the point of the original post... is it asking for input? Different strokes for different folks!

Hey, Crankypants visits everyone now and again.
Also, I can agree with you about the original thread. I suppose I thought you were referring to the (admittedly Off-Topic) posts about yeast washing, to syphon or not to syphon in which I was just responding to a question. Misunderstandings/miscommunication abound! :cross:

I don't necessarily understand why people have gone back and forth so much on PET vs. Glass, as stated; nowadays the plastics are almost as good as glass so it truly is just preference. I agree with ya, we're all different and all tend to like different things! I use buckets in primary, but mostly because they're way cheap and easy to clean. I secondary strictly in glass. Things have worked well for me, as I assume they've worked well for you, so everyone should just keep doin' what they're doin! Heh.
Hope you offered Mr. CP a homebrew before he left!

 

[Yambor44]

Also, I wasn't trying to start anything. Just asking a question. Regarding the yeast washing link, he's using a carboy and washing his yeast...just sayin.

Also, on a side note. Why is it people say that plastic is just as good but want to drink their beer from glass, not plastic?

I use buckets to primary and smaller 5 gallon glass carboys to secondary (when I do). I don't think there is much difference, but I still think glass is cleaner...when it's clean. And I do think that plastic is way more permeable especially when it comes to heat. I know I don't put any plastic measuring cups in the microwave to heat water anymore...

As far as yeast washing goes. Here is one I swirled from the bucket and dumped in a sanitized mason jar back in July.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Why is it people say that plastic is just as good but want to drink their beer from glass, not plastic?

ELEGANCE, my good man. Elegance! :rockin:

 

[Yambor44]

ELEGANCE, my good man. Elegance! :rockin:

 

[malc]

Revvy originally posted this picture and I thought it was easier looking at this rather then trying to type out an explanation. I hope this helps.

why use the airlock? Why not just stick the hose in the hole on the lid?

 

[D0ug]

why use the airlock? Why not just stick the hose in the hole on the lid?

I did just that recently, it was ok. The airlock might allow for a slightly larger ID tube to be used, which would come in handy for very active ferments.

Another note on that image, unless you have a temp controlled environment, there is a good chance of suck back/siphoning blow off water into the fermenter if the temperature should drop.

If you don't have good temp control you want that blow off jar on the floor.

I think from the pics I've seen him post, revvy usually keeps his below the top of his fermenter. I'm assuming this one is up there for illustration purposes only.

 

[tjp68]

I switched over to 7.9 gallon plastic pails for 5 gal batches a couple of years ago, and I love them. They don't break, are easy to clean and have enough headspace that I don't have to use blow off tubes. If I do a high gravity brew, I secondary in a better bottle, otherwise I don't secondary.

I miss seeing active fermentation in the carboy, but the ease of use and transport make up for it.

 

[iijakii]

I have two better bottles and a few buckets. I really enjoy the ease of the buckets, but even after a solid 20 batches there's just something magical about looking into my better bottle and seeing Krausen and beer.

 

[TheGeek]

I just started using Better Bottles and I have to say, they are really great. I won't be purchasing anymore glass carboys.

 

[SkylerChaBro]

Better Bottles ftw. Great products at a reasonable price, transparent, won't explode into a million pieces if dropped, light, doesn't stain easy, ect.