What is the purpose of...

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str8upbrad

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I have a 5gl pail for my primary and that's it.. I've done 2 brews and going to add equipment. What is the purpose of a secondary and a bottling bucket?. And are they both just pails, or carboys, as well. Thanks
 
The secondary vessels are to separate the beer from trub. And you can use the carboys for extended aging. A bottling bucket has a spigot on it and you attach a piece of tubing and a bottle filler to the spigot. And yes it's a bucket
 
For most beers, people around here say you won't need a secondary. I think a secondary is more useful if you've got something that's going to need a while to clear up after primary fermentation is over with. Also useful for dry hopping (adding more hops after primary is done, for the more bitter flavor).

I am also considering making a half batch to put into a 5-gallon plastic carboy, especially if it's something that I'm not a huge fan of, and just want to give as gifts.
 
The bottling bucket helps in filling bottles, mixing in the sugar for carbonating in bottles, and it gets the beer off some of the trub when it is racked from the fermentor into the bottling bucket, keeping some stuff out of the bottles.
I just got a better bottle to try, I like the carboys because, for me, they are easier to seal airtight than a bucket, and I like to see what the beer is doing. I have a few glass ones that I use now, and I do meads and wines, so I rack and age more compared to beer. Also I have a hard time trusting buckets, just a personal thing.
As far as adding equipment, another bucket or carboy or better bottle, and a spout to make a bottling bucket would
be my suggestion. Maybe a hydrometer.
 
Def get a bottling bucket. you'll need that to mix the priming solution into the beer without stirring up trub as you would in the primary. You can just leave it in primary to clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty after FG is reached. Many of us even dry hop in primary after it clears up. Secondary generally isn't used much by many,save for oaking or adding fruit or the like.
 
It is possible to use just one bucket with a spigot for fermentation, dry hopping and bottling if necessary. It won't be as convenient as having separate vessels though.
 
Not unless you're gunna use something like Cooper's carb drops that you put in the bottles & then use the bottling wand on the spigot to fill the bottles. You can only go so cheap before you go bust.
 
You don't need drops. You can calculate the amount of sugar water you need per bottle and use a syringe with a ml scale. It certainly is less convenient than using a separate bottling bucket, but it is possible.
 
Bottling bucket and wand are more than worth the cost. Check out Revvy's Bottling sticky to see why.
 
When I bottle I add straight granulated sugar in specific amounts for the size bottle. Never had a contaminated brew. But, it is tedious. I think I am going to get a bottling bucket with a spigot. I can liquify the sugar in sterile water and transfer directly onto that. It will mix pretty well with the currents created but can also be mixed in with gentle stiriring with a sterlile or sanitized wand or something or other. The spigot will aid in filling the bottles too. The little bottle filling wand is handy but messy.

As to secondaries, well, you can if you want to. It does help to clear it up if that is an issue, but I get'em pretty clear directly off the trub if I'm carefull. Also a secondary can be used if you are adding fruit or some other such thing as that.
 
I'm a total noob, but my plan is to transfer to the smaller secondary carboy to free up my six gallon so I can start another batch...

I guess if I had done my homework I wouldn't have bought a beginners kit with a secondary carboy.
 
You can upgrade to the spring loaded bottling wand if you are issues with it not stopping the flow fast enough, also I use my galvanized oil change tray under my setup to catch the beer
 
I'm a total noob, but my plan is to transfer to the smaller secondary carboy to free up my six gallon so I can start another batch...

I guess if I had done my homework I wouldn't have bought a beginners kit with a secondary carboy.

Don't worry about that. You bought some basic equipment and you are brewing.
Pretty much whatever you bought to start with, you would be wanting more stuff.
You would probably be surprised how many people have a pretty nice setup and they are shopping all the time.

Not a day goes by that I don't cruise the pages of Craigslist looking for brewing gold at a wasn't planning on buying anything but I gotta have it price.
 
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