Please help!!! Fermentation purchasing and size help!!!!

[JUSTINTIMEBREWING]

Okay so I'm a new all grain brewer and I'm going to be brewing 5 gal batches. I just purchased a 6.5 gal glass carboy and was planning on using this for my secondary fermentation. Is this to big for my secondary? Okay, so if it is... can I use the 6.5 for my primary fermentation and get a smaller glass carboy for my secondary fermentation. so basically what size should my primary fermentation (glass carboy) and my secondary (glass carboy) be if i'm brewing 5 gal batches? Or ive also heard use plastic for your primary and glass carboy for your secondary is there meaning behind this???... help please ahh im lost and confused....

 

[f1oored]

The extra head space is more desired during primary fermentation. The yeast is active enough to push the oxygen out of the container quickly. The extra head space is not wanted during secondary because there is more chance of the O2 affecting the beer. I use a 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary (when I do a secondary) and a 7 gallon bucket for primary. I would use the carboy you have for primary and not even worry about secondary for now. Many people don't think the secondary is worth doing at all.

 

[JUSTINTIMEBREWING]

hmmm okay... but from what ive read secondary is a good thing...

 

[Stuntman]

I use secondary ( 5 gallon glass carboy). I don't like the idea of plastic. F1oored is correct, there is no need for secondary. If you leave it for the three weeks in the primary it will be great. The secondary is for a little more clarity, and mostly when you want to add fruits or the like.

As long as you don't open your primary to the air, you can use what you have and have dang good brews.

My equipment is 6 gallon glass primary 5 gallon glass secondary. Two of each ten gallon batches. One other note about secondaries....it frees up the primaries for more brew days!!!!

 

[JUSTINTIMEBREWING]

So basically secondary makes the beer look better and that's it?

 

[Stuntman]

I did add some to previous post. When adding fruit you don't want to throw it in opening your primary to atmosphere then not topping off the carboy to get the CO2 levels back to keeping nasties from growing in your fermenter. The trub that is stirred up is not good either, in both fermenters. It also frees up the primaries for another batch, clearer beer just a touch, other than that, yes.

 

[JUSTINTIMEBREWING]

and my 6.5 gal glass carboy will be suitable for my fermentation, without the need for secondary fermentation?...

 

[JUSTINTIMEBREWING]

I wont be using fruit.

 

[Stuntman]

you will be making great beer.

 

[chriswilkes33]

and my 6.5 gal glass carboy will be suitable for my fermentation, without the need for secondary fermentation?...

In most cases it will be. If you are going to be dry hopping befor bottling then you may want use a secondary fermenter to dry hop in. If your doing a typical gravity 1.045 to 1.058 or so beer then a single 6.5 gallon carboy should be fine for the whole process, when fermentation is complete, give the yeast a couple days to clean up after itself and clear a little, crash cooling helps if you can and then transfer to bottling bucket and bottle away.