If I buy a BB carboy, what else do I need to buy?

[indeedproceed]

So I wanted to buy the 6 gallon bb carboy, as I have had a 6.5 gal glass carboy for the past 2 months, and now I cannot envision life without it. Well I can envision life without it, because I live in perpetual fear of dropping it.

So I am going to get a BB...but I already have a standard racking cane, which worked with my glass carboy..I need to get a stopper, sure but do I need to get all the accessories they sell too?

Or, to put it another way...

I'm gettting this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/better-bottle-plain-6-gallon.html

Do I need these too?

1) http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...niversal-bung-medium-fits-better-bottles.html

2) http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...ff-tubing/better-bottle-blowoff-assembly.html

3) http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/better-bottle-racking-outlet-install-rod.html

4) http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/better-bottle-racking-adapter.html

DO I need all that stuff, or can I just use my existing setup?

 

[ChshreCat]

All you really need is a drilled stopper that will fit (or a carboy cap) and an airlock. The racking stuff is nice but not really worth the price they charge for it and you can set up a blowoff tube just as easy for a lot less money.

 

[dorklord]

The 'universal bung' is your drilled stopper. The blowoff assembly is the universal bung with a length of tubing.

That other stuff you linked is for using a better bottle with a hole in the side. basically, is a spigot that you install in the side of the bottle, that lets you drain stuff out instead of siphoning. (So in this case, replacing a racking cane.) The black thing you linked to is a tool meant to hold the inside part of that assembly while you tighten the outside part on (since you can't stick your hand in there to hold it...). Then there's another part, this thing that acts as your valve.

In short, the bung/stopper thing is what you need if you want to use a better bottle. That will allow you to attach either an airlock, or your proper size of tubing. One of those carboy caps would also work. Your existing racking cane should work just fine.

 

[DocBrown]

As the others said, the universal bung is the only thing you really need. Or, alternatively, you could get a carboy cap:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/6-5-gallon-carboy-cap-burgundy.html
(This one fits the Better Bottles.)
Your airlock will fit into the center spout, and you can pull off the airlock and just put a 1/2" diameter hose over the center spout to use as a blowoff tube (I've been doing that for a while now with great success).

The racking adapter is up to you. If you're happy just using a racking cane, you don't need the adapter. If you've got extra cash and want the spigot, go for it. I've got them on both of my BBs, and I've been pleased with them. They're handing for pulling hydrometer samples and for racking either to secondaries or to your bottling bucket (I've also bottled out of one of my BBs when my bottling bucket was unavailable - long story). If you do use the spigot both for pulling hydrometer samples and for racking, be aware that it's a great way to introduce infections. Also, as with any bucket that has a spigot, you'll want to disassemble it every so often to give it a good cleaning. Mine usually get cleaned pretty well without taking them out, but I'm paranoid and will usually pull the spigots and adapters off about every 3 batches just to make sure nothing crawled inside and got stuck.

 

[octo]

the 6 gal BBs take the orange carboy cap

 

[SweetSounds]

I just bought a solid #10 rubber stopper, drilled a 3/8" hole in it, and stuck a piece of vinyl tubing in the hole. Total cost about $3.00
Stick the other end in a pitcher 1/2 full of sanitizer, and you're done.

I almost bought the racking adapter, bung, airlock, and all that jazz... Then I decided I can hold a racking cane for 5 minutes while the BB drains and save $50 (LHBS)

I would, however, highly recommend an auto-siphon
Best thing since sliced bread IMO

 

[DocBrown]

the 6 gal BBs take the orange carboy cap

I've been using the brown one on my 6 gal BBs.

 

[smokinghole]

I have a 5 gallon and 6 gallon both have the older non high flow racking adapters. I love them though. I don't have to fool with siphon not that it's difficult but popping the little elbow piece in with a hose is a piece of cake. I clean my BBs real well after use and run a bit of sanitizer through the adapter for cleaning. I do the same thing before use and have had no reason to take it apart. I'm not saying you shouldn't but I don't because I'm a bit lazy.

I picked up all my BB stuff besides the bottles themselves at a discounted price I found out. I was cool with that. With the new racking adapters and such I'm not sure if I'd pay the $$ for the feature.