Primary-plastic or glass?

[hophead81]

Just wanted to get some opinions on using glass carboy's or plastic buckets for primary fermentation. Positives, negatives, past experiences, etc.

 

[nebben]

This comes up every week or so, fyi.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/glass-vs-plastic-lets-hear-truth-193856/

 

[Revvy]

It's also covered in here...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/

It doesn't matter whether it's a bucket and glass carboy, better bottle or water jug these days. They ALL ferment beer...The whole glass vs plastic debate is idiocy and so 20th century...Now Mega breweries bottle their precious beer in plastic bottles, (and have for over a decade) so do you think truly they would risk their good name and multi billions of dollars if they had issues with modern plastics these days? Especially since the BPE banning a couple years back, modern plastics are just as good as glass these days. And prolly were even back in "the day" but the glass carboy manufactures, facing loss of sales to MUCH cheaper buckets and plastic carboys decided to say otherwise and we decided to buy into it....Heck look at the "aquatainers" that no chill brewers use these days...plastic jerry cans.

You have co2 protecting your beer, so there's really no worries.

Use what works for you!!

 

[wyzazz]

+1, I use the Aquatainers from WalMart and SS Sanke kegs as fermenters. I only own 1 glass carboy and use it only when all my other fermenters are filled up.

 

[knightbeer39]

I'm a glass man myself. I use 15 gallon demijohns and 6 and 5 gallon carboys.

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I went a completely different direction and start using SS stockpots as my fermenters. I Have 7 & 8 gallon primaries & and 6 gallon I use as a Secondary. But like Revvy says, do whatever works for you, there's really no wrong way(As long as you use food grade stuff)

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Glass both in primary and secondary. I once had an Imperial Stout in plastic for a few months and it went bad, so I haven't touched plastic since.

 

[Mermaid]

Plastic for me, because I've already got enough problems lugging 40 lbs. of wort around.

However, if I were going to get into brewing lambics or anything else that was going to sit in a secondary for longer than 6 months to a year or longer, I might consider investing in a glass carboy to use for that purpose.

I agree with Revvy tho, the new plastics are safe, light, and less likely to cause serious physical harm to you if you drop them.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I use stainless mainly. I don't like the idea of working with big glass containers all the time and I have had plastic fermentors become infected. Read the links above. It's a common debate and one that is pointless unless you personally have a preference.

 

[bovineblitz]

FYI I just noticed that my local grocery store has started stocking these for $6:

It's #1 plastic so it's suitable for fermentation... solid source of good 5gal fermenters

 

[dummkauf]

Neither, October is coming, use a pumpkin

 

[bob1852]

I primary in clay; then I don't have to deal with the plastic v. glass debates

 

[Revvy]

I primary in clay; then I don't have to deal with the plastic v. glass debates

Ahem..

China vs Firelclay?
Glazed vs unglazed?
Raku vs Whatever other kind of artsy fartsy pottery thing there is.

 

[bob1852]

Ahem..

China vs Firelclay?
Glazed vs unglazed?
Raku vs Whatever other kind of artsy fartsy pottery thing there is.

Come on Rev, everyone knows glazed increases the risk of HSA, and china causes autolysis.