What carboy to get?

[Blindguardian]

Should I get the 6.5 glass or the 6 gal better bottle?

I should say that I do 5 gal and 5.5 gal batches only.

 

[Fingers]

You didn't mention price, so that's clearly not on the table. Go with the plastic.

 

[Pappers_]

For what it's worth, I use a 6 gallon Better Bottle for primary and a glass carboy for secondary, dry-hopping and aging.

 

[JVD_X]

6 gallon better bottle... 5 gallon glass.

 

[michael.berta]

6 gallon better bottles; don't waste your time with a secondary. Go better bottle straight to keg!!

 

[Dog House Brew]

I would buy some type of plastic container that is easy to clean and larger than the 6 gallons. I would then have glass for dry hop and age applications. I bought some plastic drums from US Plastics and love them. I like them better than buckets. Plastic primary, Glass Secondary

 

[ajf]

I got by glass carboys before Better Bottles existed, and I'm very happy with them.
I find that a 6g carboy isn't big enough for a primary fermentation, unless you use a blow off tube. The extra 0.5g makes all the difference.

-a.

 

[kappclark]

+1 on BB carboy

 

[SavageSteve]

6 gallon Better Bottle with racking adapter and spigot.

I just finished a complete fermentation cycle with mine, and it blows away using glass carboys.

As an unrelated aside-- *ahem*-- I now have some used glass carboys for sale.

-Steve

 

[beerocd]

There should be a top ten controversies list.
glass vs plastic
stainless vs aluminum
starsan vs iodophor
propane vs electric
herms vs rims
pils vs porter
AG vs extract
secondary vs no-secondary
light vs dark
AHS vs BMW

-OCD

PS - I voted glass, own both. (probably just mental)

 

[Sean]

Buckets for primary - very easy to clean and handle. 5 gal glass for secondary, when you want to clarify or dry hop.

 

[The Pol]

I know it wasnt an option...

But Id say a 6 gallon HDPE Winpak container.

*Light
*Indestructible
*Food grade
*Can handle boiling temps
*Built in folding handle
*$15

 

[EdWort]

Buckets for primary, 5 Gallon better Bottles for Apfelwein and secondary (when I do it).

 

[RockfordWhite]

I like glass cause getting rid of odors is just so damn easy

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I like the glass because it's inert and easy to sanitize, but when I broke my carboy, I decide that glass isn't a good choice. If you have the money, get a stainless steel conical fermentor.

 

[Blindguardian]

thanks for all the replies .... looks like I will be getting the 6 gal Better bottle

 

[Catt22]

I use 6.5 gallon buckets for primaries and 6.5 gallon glass carboys for the secondaries.

 

[ChshreCat]

Buckets for primary, 5 Gallon better Bottles for Apfelwein and secondary (when I do it).

What Ed said.

 

[ramz7887]

I started with glass. Its a pain to work with because of the breaking hazard and its kinda expensive. I starting bottling and after 12 that was enough for me and I switched to kegging. Once i started kegging I wish I would have just used corney kegs as a fermenter too. Since its easy to transfer, and clean. Now I use empty sanke kegs for all stages of fermentation, and then they go into the keggerator.

I'd say start with buckets because they are cheap. Then if you really like brewing step it up to a corney kegs and start kegging since bottles are a pain and take a long time to work with.

Of course I'm kinda obsessed with brewing, and I have about 40 gals of beer going in my sanke fermenters and another 20 gals of wines most of the time.

 

[ramz7887]

As with the sanke kegs I have a nice small pressure washer for easy cleaning

 

[Amiaji]

There should be a top ten controversies list.
glass vs plastic
stainless vs aluminum
starsan vs iodophor
propane vs electric
herms vs rims
pils vs porter
AG vs extract
secondary vs no-secondary
light vs dark
AHS vs BMW

-OCD

PS - I voted glass, own both. (probably just mental)

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



I personally like glass carboys. Mainly because I like watching the fermentation progress and I trust glass more than plastic. There is a bit of risk using them but it is a risk I am willing to take.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I never handle a full glass carboy unless it is in a milk crate. I've been using mine...even the ones from Dollar General...have not broken in 15 years...