Carboy vs Bucket Fermentation

[Svenhook]

Hey guys, first time brewer here. Finishing up my first batch (bottle conditioning, atm) and I was wondering if there is any significant difference between fermenting in a plastic bucket vs a glass carboy.

For my primary I used the plastic and the glass was used for the secondary but is either better for either step?

Thanks!

 

[unionrdr]

They're both just as good,but the ale pales have more ease of use. Larger opening for cleaning,hop sacks,strainers. Basically easier getting things in & out vs a narrow opening carboy. But your call.

 

[beergolf]

No difference really. Just personal preference. Everyone has their opinion.

I have both but seem to prefer buckets. I often reuse yeast and when I rack to the bottling bucket I just grab a couple of scoops of yeast for the next batch. Much easier with a bucket.

 

[cheezydemon3]

99% of children are killed by plastic buckets, 43% of the time.

 

[Svenhook]

Thanks for info. Good to know. I figured it probably didn't matter but seems like something a lot of people might have opinions on

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

Thanks for info. Good to know. I figured it probably didn't matter but seems like something a lot of people might have opinions on

I use carboys ONLY because I got a heck of a deal on em. IMO buckets are easier all the way around.

 

[cheezydemon3]

My first bucket just DIED.....after 7 years.

I filled it with hot water and sanitizer in the tub, lifted it to dump it, and the bottom stayed put.......*sniff sniff*. So 7 years?? I'll take it. Definitely don't mind buying a new one...(although it did kill 93% of my children)

 

[h22lude]

You will find the pros and cons are about even for each...personal preference.

I like buckets because the opening is bigger and easier to clean. My buckets I use have a ton of head space so blow off isn't as likely.

 

[Svenhook]

How effective are carboy blasters for cleaning? If they work seems like it may almost be as easy to clean as a bucket. True or False?

 

[Cyclometh]

I have two batches going (my first two, in fact), one in a carboy, one in a bucket. They both seem happy enough.

I like the carboy because I can watch what's going on.

 

[Big_Belgian]

I use glass because it looks cooler.

 

[stolpsTDI]

I have never, ever, dropped a bucket from a height of 4 feet and had it explode into a million razor sharp shards which I pulled out of my feet for weeks, even after cleaning the bathroom twice. I swear that carboy detonated when it hit the tile.

 

[daksin]

How effective are carboy blasters for cleaning? If they work seems like it may almost be as easy to clean as a bucket. True or False?

Don't know, but a good soak with PBW or oxyclean is all they need. Just let it sit overnight with some hot oxy solution and you'll never have to scrub a carboy as long as you live.

 

[cheezydemon3]

The "It looks cool" thing goes away pretty quick.

The offset of light exposure quickly diminishes the benefit of COOL looking fermentation.

 

[badonkadundkel]

I like buckets because they're easy to clean and they stack neatly in my brew closet. I still use carboys as secondary for high gravity beers and for lagering.

I've never had a problem with light on either. I cover both with heavy duty black lawn bags with a small hole cut in the top for the airlock + store them in a closet or fridge.

If you make a dolly out of small casters and 12x12" piece of plywood, both are a whole lot safer and easier to move around.

 

[paraordnance]

I never owned a bucket and I brew for a year just fine in carboys. Meads, wines, ciders, beer you name it.

 

[kappclark]

I have two batches going (my first two, in fact), one in a carboy, one in a bucket. They both seem happy enough.

I like the carboy because I can watch what's going on.

I like the better bottles bec I can see what is up .. they are not hard to clean with an overnight soak in OxiClean, and they don't sever veins

 

[Arkador]

Primary = 7gal bucket for 5gal batches
Primary = Sanke keg for 10gal batches
Primary = 6gal batter bottle for Wine ONLY
Secondary = Better Bottle
Secondary = Corny Keg

I have had a LARGE amount of blowoff using an 7gal bucket, so I want as much head space as I can get.

I gave all my glass when after a someone I know went to the hospital for 23 stitches when his glass carboy broke. He didn't even drop it, the bottom just fell out of it while he was carrying it.

I often secondary in the corny keg I plan to serve from, with 10psi attached to it at 40deg for a month, to bulk age and carbonate. or use a lid that I put a airlock in, to bulk age at room temp.

 

[danielofthedale]

I am using the bucket to ferment my first homebrew which I hope to bottle this weekend. But I have heard that plastic lets more o2 seep in then glass, which is not a big deal for most beers but if you are going to let it age a while it might make a difference.

 

[Golddiggie]

For ~6 gallon batches (into fermenter) I use 25L sanke kegs (6.6 gallon capacity). I have two of this size.
For ~6.5-7 gallon batches (also into fermenter) I use the tall pony kegs I have (7.75 gallon capacity). I have two tall and one short pony kegs right now. Hope to score another tall pony shortly.
When I start making 10 gallon batches, I have a 50L keg (13.3 gallon capacity) that should do the trick. Or I'll just split it into two of the other kegs I have.
For aging batches, I have four 1/6 bbl kegs (5.16 gallon capacity) plus one 5 gallon corny keg.

I started off with the typical double bucket kit, and quickly grew to hate the bucket fermenter. I started using the Better Bottle carboys but only until I started getting sanke kegs. Now I use sanke kegs to ferment all my beers, big and small. I will use the glass carboys for mead and/or hard ciders and such, but I make those infrequently at best. I'm also rarely moving them more than about 8-10 feet at a time, so breaking them isn't a concern (same floor).

I really like using sanke kegs since there's absolutely zero light, or air, penetration into them. You cannot get that with either buckets, or carboys, without either covering them or putting them into a light tight room/closet. Not an option for me.

IMO, if you have the chance to grab a sanke keg that's a size that would work as a fermenter for you, do it. The spear/valve isn't that difficult to remove, and a soak with PBW/oxyfree will get pretty much anything out (couple with a keg/carboy cleaner on a drill and you're golden). You can use either the large orange carboy caps on the keg, get the sanke fermenter kit (machined SS) or even cram a large universal bung into it (not the one for the better bottles, the other one).

Besides, I've never heard of anyone dropping a sanke keg and having it break. Sure, it can dent, but that's about it. When it's not under pressure (such as for dispensing beer) there's zero chance of having it break. You also don't need to worry about a hot sanitizer soak doing anything to it. Hell, you can even boil the things if you ever get an infected batch.

 

[jmadway]

Dropped my 6.5 gallon carboy while cleaning it last weekend. Luckily I was outside, so the mess was a bit more manageable, but it was a depressing moment. Bucket would have bounced. Score one for the bucket.

 

[lgilmore]

Yea the idea of carrying around a big slick glass container is eventually asking for troubles. I use buckets and 5 gal water jugs for secondaries. Works fine and everything has a handle on it, so the risk of slipping out of my hands is minimal.

 

[emjay]

Yea the idea of carrying around a big slick glass container is eventually asking for troubles. I use buckets and 5 gal water jugs for secondaries. Works fine and everything has a handle on it, so the risk of slipping out of my hands is minimal.

That's why I have a Brewhauler. With it, there's even less risk of a carboy slipping than the already "minimal" risk of a bucket or water jug slipping. Virtually no risk, really... even if you spill oil all over it somehow (let alone water or beer), the handles are fabric (as is the rest of the thing), so they won't get slick. And since there are 2 handles, it can be carried easily with 2 hands.

But really, I don't use it because it's less likely to slip than a bucket. I use it because it's much less likely to slip than a carboy on its own, and I use carboys because I like the benefits of using a non-porous material such as glass for my beers that take a long time to ferment and condition, but don't want to spend money on SS conicals.

 

[dantheman13]

The only downfall to plastic buckets is that they are a little permeable to oxygen. During active fermentation, this isn't a problem. However, if you are lazy like me and never secondary, and sometimes keep your brew in the fermenter a few weeks longer, you can have oxidation issues. That's why I am switching to Better Bottles!

 

[el_caro]

The only downfall to plastic buckets is that they are a little permeable to oxygen. During active fermentation, this isn't a problem. However, if you are lazy like me and never secondary, and sometimes keep your brew in the fermenter a few weeks longer, you can have oxidation issues. That's why I am switching to Better Bottles!

I never secondary and often leave my brew in the fermenter for over 4 weeks and never less than 2-3 weeks.
After 30+ years of using plastic fermenters and having done hundreds of brews in them , I can assure you they are the way to go.

Never broke one yet and still using one that is 25 years old for bulk priming.

Certainly never had any oxidation issues.

I just clean them with non scented Nappy wash(soak for an hour) and never use anything abrasive to clean them - just a soft cloth is all I use. Rinse em out and sanitize with Starsan when ready to brew.

 

[emjay]

I never secondary and often leave my brew in the fermenter for over 4 weeks and never less than 2-3 weeks.
After 30+ years of using plastic fermenters and having done hundreds of brews in them , I can assure you they are the way to go.

Never broke one yet and still using one that is 25 years old for bulk priming.

Certainly never had any oxidation issues.

I just clean them with non scented Nappy wash(soak for an hour) and never use anything abrasive to clean them - just a soft cloth is all I use. Rinse em out and sanitize with Starsan when ready to brew.

4 weeks is fine. That's not a long time.

I have a tropical stout in the primary since June and a Berliner Weiss since February, not to mention a Lambic that's 6 months into a 3-year fermentation.

When you leave beers for that long in an HDPE bucket... then yeah, oxygen permeation becomes a concern.

 

[MaxOut]

Pros and Cons-

Bucket-
Pro- Easy to clean
Pro- Lots of headroom
Pro- Easy to scoop yeast
Pro- Cheap
Pro- Hard To Drop
Pro- last A Long Time
Pro- No UV Penetration
Pro- No special items needed to cover it clean it or carry it
Pro- Easier to store and are stackable

Con- More Porous
Con- May Stain or Harbor Odor

Glass Carboy-

Pro- Can Watch Fermentation (not sure it’s a real pro but cool)
Pro- Less Chance of Oxygen Permeation
Pro- Non Porous
Pro- Do Not Stain Or Harbor Odor

Con- Slippery When Wet
Con- Expensive (need expensive items to clean, carry and cover)
Con- Harder To Clean
Con- UV Penetration
Con- Dangerous if dropped and could cost you a batch of beer.


Keep this going if you have something to add? But to me it seems clear that the bucket has more advantages to the carboy hands down. Even if a good soak will clean the carboy I prefer to wipe the surface with a clean cloth over any chemicals and it’s just not as easy with a carboy. I think it’s nostalgia that keeps the carboys as popular as they are and also the ability for the first time brewers to see the fermentation. There are better options than either out there but the bucket is hard to beat for the price.

 

[emjay]

"Easy to clean" really depends on what you consider to be a satisfactory level of clean. Because it's porous (not to mention easily scratched, but either way...), it's impossible to get it to the same level of "clean" as glass. And when we're talking about brewing, where sanitation is so important, I want it to be clean even on a microscopic level.

There's a reason buckets can stain. There's a reason buckets can retain flavors (just ask anybody who made the previous disgustingly over-spiced version of the NB Christmas beer kit!) There's a reason people recommend throwing out any plastic that's come in contact with an infection. Glass and stainless steel are both valued because they are actually possible to clean WELL.

With that being said, I still mostly use buckets. But I use carboys as well (and no, I don't really secondary.) Buckets are cheaper and in many cases easier, yes. But there are times when a glass carboy is a more suitable choice. Not everything has to be so black-and-white... declaring one type of tool "best", and then limiting yourself to that type regardless of the specific circumstances, is never a good way to approach things, and will inevitably, to *some* degree, have a negative effect on what you're doing, be it brewing or anything else.

 

[el_caro]

Interestingly nobody and I mean virtually nobody in Australia uses glass for brewing beer.

 

[Arkador]

if you are going to use glass... Put those bad boys in Milk Crates!

 

[EdWort]

I'm a fan of buckets and now I use solid lids that simply rest on top. No airlocks anymore and I now don't worry about blowoff disasters.

I use two different sizes. 6 gallon for regular brews and 7.9 gallon for brews that have rigorous fermentations like my Robust Porter and Hefe.

I also use spigots on my buckets which make racking to a keg a snap.

 

[cheezydemon3]

My buckets have scratches, I have NEVER used any sanitizer but no rinse, no infections.

 

[BamaRooster]

I prefer the buckets for ease of use, one point is to NEVER scrub them with an abrasive pad or anything that will scratch the plastic surface. Scratches will harbor bacteria that can be difficult to sanitize. The buckets are more cost effective, so I can have multiple batches fermenting.

 

[Svenhook]

I'm a fan of buckets and now I use solid lids that simply rest on top. No airlocks anymore and I now don't worry about blowoff disasters.

I use two different sizes. 6 gallon for regular brews and 7.9 gallon for brews that have rigorous fermentations like my Robust Porter and Hefe.

I also use spigots on my buckets which make racking to a keg a snap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJmchDK46mY

How are they turning out? Any aeration flavor or any molds ever spawning? Never seen this technique before (though I'm a pretty big noob)

 

[Cyclometh]

+1 on the Brewhauler. I love that damn thing and for a little over $10, it was worth it.

 

[dantheman13]

Interestingly nobody and I mean virtually nobody in Australia uses glass for brewing beer.

Better Bottles are popular in AusLand though, aren't they?

 

[unionrdr]

Many down under use the Cooper's fermenters. They also use these buckets from the store that have blue lids. Water buckets or something that are real cheap.

 

[bomberman]

Many down under use the Cooper's fermenters. They also use these buckets from the store that have blue lids. Water buckets or something that are real cheap.

+1 for Cooper's. I have their microbrew FV with the resting lid (like EdWort mentioned) and the thing is awesome. Even has a good sturdy spigot so bottling day is a breeze. I don't plan on brewing any long aging beers so I'm not too concerned about oxidation.

 

[unionrdr]

I have the micro brew FV myself. That lid can take a heck of a lot of pressure. It handles 6G batches better than our BB ale pale. But the ale pale has the barrel tap on it that'll take a 5/8" tube. Talk about swirl in the bottling bucket.

 

[dantheman13]

+1 for Cooper's. I have their microbrew FV with the resting lid (like EdWort mentioned) and the thing is awesome. Even has a good sturdy spigot so bottling day is a breeze. I don't plan on brewing any long aging beers so I'm not too concerned about oxidation.

The one that Craig uses here?