What's the best way to add things to secondary in carboys?

[mtnagel]

I'm making a coffee stout with oak chips. I added coffee beans and oak chips in secondary. I put them in sanitized muslin bags but they were difficult to squeeze them through the neck of the carboy (and I'm sure they will be even harder to get out). So what's the best way to add them in the future?

 

[jordinio]

The other alternative would be to just put the coffee and oak chips directly in the carboy without the bag and just use the racking cane to transfer to the bottling bucket or prekeg bucket. Its messier but easier. Or do what i do and use thr bags and a plastic bucket for secondary. Way easier for additions

 

[mtnagel]

I've heard you want to minimize headspace in secondary, but is that only for extended secondaries? Like months? This batch would be in primary for at most 5-6 weeks.

But that's what I do for all dry hopping now. Not sure why I don't for other additions. Guess I'm trying to justify the better bottles I have

 

[jordinio]

Well if you want to use glass you can stuff the bag into the carboy and keep the top of the bag out of the carboy and fill it.. you would just have to break the bag to get it out after racking from secondary. You do want to minimize headspace but Ive mostly just used buckets since I brew once a week and they are cheaper hah, and I've never had a problem with headspace ( i fill them up about the same as the carboy anyways so there is the same headspace for the most part)