Primary fermenter

[kelsobrewer70]

I am new to home brewing having just done my second batch. My primary fermenter is a plastic bucket and holds about 8 gallons and I do 5 gallon batches. I know from other threads that moving to a secondary isn't needed, but is there a problem leaving it in the primary fermenter with so much extra room in the bucket?

 

[Krane]

Not a problem at all. The CO2 is heavier than the air around it and it forms a "cap" which protects your beer from oxidation. If you move it to a secondary you want to minimize headspace because CO2 production has slowed dramatically/stopped. As long as you leave it in the primary, there is no problem with excess headspace.

 

[Walker]

nope. fermentation will produce a lot of CO2. that extra space in the fermenter will be full of CO2 and all is fine.

 

[GuldTuborg]

My primary fermenter is a plastic bucket

Your plastic bucket can ferment beer? Holy crap!

OK, I'm just giving you grief, fermenter/fermentor, and all that stuff. All joking aside, you're fine, so long as you don't tool with it constantly. Open it up and muck around too much, and you can disperse the CO2 layer the others mentioned. Even then, unless you're keeping this beer in the bucket for a long time (read: months), oxidation shouldn't be a real issue.