What do you use for a primary

[Izzie1701]

I used to make beer but quite making it and I'm slowly getting back into it (as the wife allows). My question is when I used to make beer my primary always had an air lock. Everyone said you had to have it or it would go bad. Now everyone is saying you can just use a primary bucket with a loose fitting lid. I currently have an apple pie cyser in the primary. Bucket with a loose fitting lid and 10lbs of honey on top just to keep it a little tight. What does everyone else use?

 

[noggins]

$30 plastic better bottle, $1 bung, $1 airlock. Why go to all that trouble and ruin a batch to save $2?

 

[Frognostic]

I use a (food safe) plastic bucket and cover it with two sanitised tea-towels secured by rubber bands.

 

[kombat]

I use 6.5 gallon glass carboys with a #6 stopper and thermowell, with a 3-piece airlock.

 

[Maylar]

Depends on the batch size, for me. 1 gallon glass jug with airlock, 3 gallon better bottle with airlock, 6 gallon plastic pail no airlock. But I'll put an airlock on it after the first few days of primary.

 

[Izzie1701]

Sorry I should have mentioned to it wasn't me trying to save a few dollars I was told that with an airlock the must would not receive any oxygen as it is sealed tight which made sense. I was told because of the higher OG with mead the yeast needed this extra O2 to stay healthy and prevent a stuck fermentation. I wasn't sure how a loose fitting lid would change this as its all positive pressure still but it sounded like it made sense. Also as I am degassing daily figured the loose fitting lid wouldn't allow anymore contaminates in then degassing would.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

When I use a food grade bucket I use an airlock. I am by no means a seasoned mead maker however, it is my understanding that the need for oxygen was in the beginning of fermentation, which is why one would shake a must before pitching yeast. Of course, in the old days fermatation was more wild, and I'll bet they didn't always drink good wines either.

 

[fuelish]

Depends on what I'm making .....if a straight up "traditional" mead (honey, water, yeast, yeast nutrient, possibly oaked later), I use a carboy with an airlock. If making a mead involving added ingredients (mainly fruit, but whatever) I use 6.5 gallon plastic brew buckets with an airlock, just makes cleanup of debris easier. For the ultra rare batch of beer, I use a carboy with blowoff tube for several days (although obviously this counts as an airlock, just on a larger scale)....no reason I couldn't use a bucket with airlock, but, this is how I've always made beer - and I LOVE watching the more "violent" ferment of the beer through the glass...watching mead ferment is relatively boring, so buckets work for me for primary there

 

[slym2none]

*redacted*

All apologies.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Bucket fermenter.

 

[On-target]

I use a bucket with the lid just resting on top for the first week or so.

 

[madk]

I used to use glass exclusively but now that I'm brewing much more frequently I'm switched to buckets. Just easier to clean and cheaper.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

I am gearing up to start (have never brewed anything). why do carboys have the small spigot neck? Is glass better for small batches? are Big mouth bubblers or better bottles awsome or is it just marketing? I am having trouble knowing what to buy! I want to do several small batches at a time of mead? sorry for the tourist questions!

 

[Izzie1701]

I would assume the carboys are shaped the way they are for 2 reasons. Most of them are glass so having an open too much like a primary bucket would greatly decease there strength. I am also assuming they are shaped this way to reduced the exposed surface are when the airlock is not in. Lessening the chance of oxidization or bad element getting into the must. Not sure what you are referring to with big mouth bubblers. I would get a primary bucket and a few small carboys. Make a traditional in the primary and you can experiment with flavorings when you split it into the small carboys. You will need a hydrometer, primary, siphon hose, spoon, thermometer and probably a large bucket to just warm your honey enough that it can stir into the water and mix nicely. Also get some good sterilizer. This is the most important. Sterilize everything. I keep a bottle of premixed star San around so I can spray my spoon down everytime I degas. Saves me mixing a new batch of sterilizer almost daily.

 

[kombat]

Also get some good sterilizer. This is the most important. Sterilize everything. I keep a bottle of premixed star San around so I can spray my spoon down everytime I degas. Saves me mixing a new batch of sterilizer almost daily.

Forgive the nit-pick: StarSan is a sanitizer, not a sterilizer.