I am gonna try to purchase a 5 gallon plastic empty water jug tomorrow. I'm probably gonna need a plug for the new carboy, that works with my current tubing and airlock. I will also need a deeper racking cane. I am gonna reinforce my shelf and maybe buy a 5 gallon cooking pot, or maybe two 2.5 gallon pots. I'm just wondering if anybody has a link to the most accurate plug for the jug, and deeper racking cane. either amazon or ebay preferred. if anybody can direct me or suggest anything other that I may need I'd appreciate it. cheers
moving to 5 a gallon carboy
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What are you going to use it for? If to ferment 5 gallon batches, you would need a 6 or 6.5 gallon one, at minimum, leaving enough headspace for the foam and such.
What does the jug look like? Where are you getting it, a homebrew store?
Is it #1 or #2 plastic?
What kind of "shelf" and what is it going to be used for?
For brewing on your kitchen stove?
How big are the batches going to be?
What kind of stove is it, gas, electric, induction?
A 5 gallon batch would need at least a 6 gallon kettle, but 8 gallons would be much better, giving you more room to prevent boil overs.
Now most kitchen stoves will have trouble heating that large a volume. If you get two 4 gallon kettles/pots you can boil them side by side on your stove, using 2 burners. Or use one 4-5 gallon kettle on the large burner, and brew twice. Or stick to 2.5 gallon batches for now. You can easily split 5 gallon kits in half.
Let me add, if you think about going all grain at some time in the near future, there are other options to consider.
thank you, I guess I didn't think it through enough. I will try smaller brew pots. I was gonna use a plastic generic 5 gallon water jug, the ones you see at office water coolers. it's for my beer wort, as I wanna brew bigger batches. I was gonna use it as my carboy but for the time being and am willing to waste some ingredients to simply get one going. I don't know what type plastic it is atm, haven't purchased it to see it's it mark. I may have to rethink this whole idea untill I can atleast finish reinforcing my shelf. but in the meantime I was just wondering what plug to use on a basic 5 gallon water jug. thank you for the help and cheers
Here's a thread on the kinds of plastics to avoid for fermenters:
www.homebrewtalk.com
Crazy enough the often bluish tinted water bottles typically used in water dispensers appear to be made of #7 plastic.
It may be OK for plain water use, but definitely NOT when the beverage contains alcohol.
#1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) plastics are commonly accepted to be safe when used as fermenters.
Most clear, highly transparent, plastic fermenters, such as "plastic" carboys (Better Bottle knock-offs) Fermonster, Big Mouth Bubbler, All-Rounder, Fermzilla, etc. are #1 PET.
Most opaque white containers such as 3.5 or 6.5 gallon Brew Buckets, 3-4 gallon buckets your local bakery gets their icing in, etc. are stamped #2, being HDPE, and safe to use as fermenters.
Avoid such vessels with color (such as orange Homer buckets). Colored #2 lids are probably fine, as they're not touching the alcohol containing beverages such as beer, cider, wine, etc.
If you don't have a well fitting (rubber) bung, use a piece of sanitized plastic or small-bubble wrap, wrapped several times around the airlock stem to make a "plug" for the opening. Then, for good measure, wrap a piece of sanitized plastic wrap around the neck and "bubble wrap plug" to "seal it off," to keep nasties out.
Once you know you're serious about homebrewing, get a copy of John Palmer's How to Brew, 4th Edition.
And read/search HomebrewTalk and ask questions to get the nitty gritty, and different opinions.
Using a platics water bottle #7
i know this topic has been exhausted throughout the brewing forums, but I haven't hear much advice/talk about #7 plastic. My wife bought some cheap three gallon water bottles from target for four bucks a bottle. The bottom says for water use only. My thought is....although most people say to...
www.homebrewtalk.com
Crazy enough the often bluish tinted water bottles typically used in water dispensers appear to be made of #7 plastic.
It may be OK for plain water use, but definitely NOT when the beverage contains alcohol.
#1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) plastics are commonly accepted to be safe when used as fermenters.
Most clear, highly transparent, plastic fermenters, such as "plastic" carboys (Better Bottle knock-offs) Fermonster, Big Mouth Bubbler, All-Rounder, Fermzilla, etc. are #1 PET.
Most opaque white containers such as 3.5 or 6.5 gallon Brew Buckets, 3-4 gallon buckets your local bakery gets their icing in, etc. are stamped #2, being HDPE, and safe to use as fermenters.
Avoid such vessels with color (such as orange Homer buckets). Colored #2 lids are probably fine, as they're not touching the alcohol containing beverages such as beer, cider, wine, etc.
If you don't have a well fitting (rubber) bung, use a piece of sanitized plastic or small-bubble wrap, wrapped several times around the airlock stem to make a "plug" for the opening. Then, for good measure, wrap a piece of sanitized plastic wrap around the neck and "bubble wrap plug" to "seal it off," to keep nasties out.
Once you know you're serious about homebrewing, get a copy of John Palmer's How to Brew, 4th Edition.
And read/search HomebrewTalk and ask questions to get the nitty gritty, and different opinions.
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Get yourself a 6.5 gallon fermenter bucket with lid and airlock. There are much better places in brewing to save money than buying a plastic carboy. With some care, that bucket can last you for years of brewing.
Also try to get a new one, not a used one thats all beat up and scratched. Anything plastic can get scratched and then it makes it hard to sanitize properly.
For my money, especially if I didn’t have any fermenters already, the fermonster is one of the best options on the market. I like the wider mouth opening that makes it easy to clean or add oak, dry hops, etc. Better than glass and really not all that expensive.
For my money, especially if I didn’t have any fermenters already, the fermonster is one of the best options on the market. I like the wider mouth opening that makes it easy to clean or add oak, dry hops, etc. Better than glass and really not all that expensive.
I use Speidel fermenters. Nice multipurpose that store easy 'cuz they're not glass. Doing 5gal cooks, I use a 30liter for primary & a 20liter for secondary. Never had a problem.. so far.
Shop for best prices. With plastics, always but new. (I once bought a glass carboy cheap, found out that it was used in a chem lab. Ended up being a table lamp that the rug-rats couldn't top over.)
Shop for best prices. With plastics, always but new. (I once bought a glass carboy cheap, found out that it was used in a chem lab. Ended up being a table lamp that the rug-rats couldn't top over.)
Love the look of those but $$$
I use 6.5 gallon buckets to ferment, but I'm getting tired of not being able to watch all the fun. I also have some 5 gallon plastic carboys that I use for bulk aging and such, but they're not big enough to ferment five gallon batches, so I'm thinking about getting a 7 gallon fermonster. Everybody's got a budget of course, but none of these are going to break the bank.
I first used the 'standard' food-grade buckets. I did that long enough, that I figured I "saved up" by doing so and replaced the buckets with Speidels over 4-5 years. But now I know I won't out live them.
Its actually not all that exciting. Some of us have more fun sniffing the airlock.
Yes, I am also a lock-sniffer.
Nawwww. These chemicals were, shall we say, not consumable by living, breathing entities.Maltose and maltotriose are chemicals. Esters are chemicals. Ethanol is a chemical.
I still have my Northern Brewer bucket that came with my starter kit when I started back in 2012. It's now my grain bucket for milling.....
Totally agree with @bwible about the Fermonsters. They are hard to beat for the price.
thank you all for the wealth of information, I'm definitely gonna get a brew bucket instead. just need some decent pots and maybe grab a longer racking cane. btw the shelf is a closet shelf that's where I've done my brewing and I'm gonna find a decent way to reinforce the shelf through the wall studs. cheers all
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
I've been using plastic carboys for years, started with the Better Bottle brand, now use whatever they have for sale that's made for brewing.
I would avoid using the plastic water jugs. 6 gallon PET carboys are available.
I only use a bucket when making mead and have a large fruit bag in there and for the initial stage of red wine when you have to punch down the grapes.
Everyone has their own preferences, I just like the simplicity of having a stopper in the carboy and being able to see what is going on.
If you are stovetop brewing, having 2 pots is a real plus. You can get a 16 quart pot pretty cheap and you can brew a 5 gallon batch with those.
The ones from Walmart for less than $20 are fine. You can store you brewing stuff in the pots when not in use if you are short on space. Sometimes I'll use my smaller brewing pots for apple sauce and other cooking projects where a larger pot is needed.
I have large brew kettles but the smaller pots are easier to clean and handle, like in winter I'll set the hot wort outside to chill overnight and that's easier with the smaller pots.
I would avoid using the plastic water jugs. 6 gallon PET carboys are available.
I only use a bucket when making mead and have a large fruit bag in there and for the initial stage of red wine when you have to punch down the grapes.
Everyone has their own preferences, I just like the simplicity of having a stopper in the carboy and being able to see what is going on.
If you are stovetop brewing, having 2 pots is a real plus. You can get a 16 quart pot pretty cheap and you can brew a 5 gallon batch with those.
The ones from Walmart for less than $20 are fine. You can store you brewing stuff in the pots when not in use if you are short on space. Sometimes I'll use my smaller brewing pots for apple sauce and other cooking projects where a larger pot is needed.
I have large brew kettles but the smaller pots are easier to clean and handle, like in winter I'll set the hot wort outside to chill overnight and that's easier with the smaller pots.
Wow, so you set a metal pot full of the hot wort (post-boil) outside to chill overnight, with just a metal lid to protect it from contamination? I have read so many places where they recommend a chiller or ice bath to bring the temperature down as quickly as possible to reduce risk of contamination before pitching the yeast. Is this another example of where blogs and forums are making me overly cautious/paranoid about ruining my batch?
Not necessarily, but if you search this site for "no chill" you will find that there are people who do this without issue.
You can always do partial boils if you're not doing that already. Back in my extract days, I'd boil 3-3.5 gallons of wert in my 5 gallon kettle, then top off my fermenter to 5 gallons.
So many ways to skin the homebrewing cat in this hobby.
Investing in a decent kettle is worth it. If you’ll stick with 5 gallon batches get a kettle large enough for the 6-7 gallons plus the grains. 10 gallon size works well for me, but the occasional high gravity beer needs some planning. I’m okay with that, but if I were to brew 5 gallons of those big beers frequently I would want a 15 gallon vessel. BTW, from what I’ve seen Amazon sellers don’t always have the best prices. If you can, patronize one of the few local Homebrew shops left in NY, I urge you to do so for at least some of your needs. If shipping costs have you concerned there are some flat rate and free shipping vendors if you purchase enough at one time. Such as More Beer and the Northern Brewer “shops”.
can't afford a decent kettle right now, I bought two cheap 12 quart pots, and a 6.5 gallon brew bucket. I will look into a decent kettle once I get my tax return, cheers
This is a good idea if you have the ability to boil the wort in that large of a kettle. Not everyone has that big burner. Using 2 smaller pots on the kitchen range can work. It isn't as efficient but it can be much cheaper.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
I've been doing it for years when its cold outside. In Warm weather, I use the immersion chiller. I'm a lazy brewer, and once it gets cold outside, I put the garden hose away and don't get it back out 'till spring, also then don't have to clean immersion chiller.
If you're using you kitchen stove as a heat source, smaller pots are the way to go. A large kettle takes much longer to get up to temperature and then to boiling, there's nothing wrong with using two pots and then combining everything. If you really want a larger kettle, the 8 gallon size works fine.
Everybody does what they need to do and that’s fine. I used a granite ware canning pot for BIAB for years because that’s what I already had, eventually investing in a 10 gallon kettle and I’m glad I did. The dimensions cause a lower boil off rate, easier to see if it’s clean… cheers
NSMikeD
Well-Known Member
On a budget I highly recommend a plastic fermentor with a spigot at the bottom. - and forgo the racking cane. It will make your bottling day much easier. Just for example, the FerMonster 6gal is $40 - it has a wide mouth (which makes life easier, especially when you dry hop) and can easily be converted for pressure fermenting and pressure/no O2 pressure transfer.
On the other hand, you can add a spigot to your brew bucket if it does not already have one to do your bottling and not need a new racking cane.
However I am not sure why you think you need a carboy in the first place, You mentioned doing bigger batches but it wasn't clear that you brew bucket is your limiting factor.
On the other hand, you can add a spigot to your brew bucket if it does not already have one to do your bottling and not need a new racking cane.
However I am not sure why you think you need a carboy in the first place, You mentioned doing bigger batches but it wasn't clear that you brew bucket is your limiting factor.
I do brew in my kitchen and I don’t have a high tech range, but one burner is bigger. Before I invested in the 10 gallon I did a 5 gallon wee heavy, after replacing the canning pot I was using (because it chipped) with a 5 gallon SS cheapo. As I recall, that brew took most of the day to finish and it was good enough to be a winner in a local comp.
cheers
NSMikeD
Well-Known Member
you know as a 2.5 gal brewer I can't help myself and suggest not being locked into a 5 gal mentality - and brew 2.5 gal batches. Scaling recipes is very easy, my brew pot fit right on the stove, I didn't break my back lifting the bag and did everything I my apartment kitchen. Plus I got to brew more often, thus was able to tweak a recipe or brew a new style more often.
I eventually upgraded my cheap stainless steel pot and mashing in the warm oven for a 6.5 Anvil Foundry which I can put on my kitchen counter and plug it in.
Sometimes, less is more.
I eventually upgraded my cheap stainless steel pot and mashing in the warm oven for a 6.5 Anvil Foundry which I can put on my kitchen counter and plug it in.
Sometimes, less is more.
Where are you coming from? Have you done 1 gallon brews? Two gallons? Five gallons seems to be a standard size for recipes, but the only thing magic about it is water used to come in 5 gallon glass carboys. Well, and I guess kits are designed around 5 gallon recipes.
What is the largest size cooking pot you already have? A 22 quart canner makes a great kettle for 3 or 4 gallon batches. That's what I started with. It's [possible to do 5 gallons in it but it would be a lot of work (you'd have to keep topping it up with water, or brew a concentrated wort and dilute it with water in the fermenter) and you'd risk boiling over on your stove.
Your stove also might have trouble boiling a large kettle of wort. You need to find that out before you get too far in.
I've settled on 4 gallon batches. I could do 5 gallons (I have an 8 gallon kettle) but 4 suits me and I have lots of 4 gallon plastic carboys.
A 5 gallon bucket is too small for 5 gallons of beer. (it works just fine for 3 or 4 gallons) BSG sells 6.5 gallon white brew buckets and they work great. But I can buy 6 gallon white buckets at Fleet Farm for less than half the price; I have a couple and they work just as well. Mostly I use white 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot because my batch size is smaller.
None of this is meant to discourage you, just do some homework before you start buying stuff. Are you going to do extract beers or all-grain, or a little of both?
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