Primary fermentation - Bucket or Carboy?

[stuknkrvl]

Serious noob question...

I'm just getting started and a friend of mine gave me several carboys but I don't have a plastic fermentation bucket.

Is there any reason I can't ferment in a glass carboy right away? Or should I get a bucket?

Thanks,
Shane

 

[Lbm]

What size? If you're doing a 5 gallon batch and you have a 6 or 6.5 gal Carboy that's fine. If they're 5's you'll risk a mess during fermentation.

Carboys are cool because you can see what's going on. Buckets are easier to clean but you can't see the ferment.

 

[Lbm]

Also with the carboys you need a stopper with a hole for your airlock. With a bucket you generally just need the airlock.

 

[DatsyukianDeke]

Also with the carboys you need a stopper with a hole for your airlock. With a bucket you generally just need the airlock.

My bucket takes a smaller rubber stopper with a hole to seal properly.

 

[titansvol]

either will work fine.

 

[shortyz]

bucket all the way, carboys are a ***** to clean.

 

[BrewsterFish]

I use a bucket for primary, and carboys for secondary.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I started out all about the carboys, now I go all buckets, and only use carboys for long term aging.

 

[nzeman20]

You can truthfully use either. As long as you have good sanitization, they both work great. Some people poo-poo buckets but I recently brewed a IIPA that I had it primary bucket for 3 weeks and I scored a 36.

 

[BigFloyd]

If you're going to move a full carboy around, please be sure to use a strong carrier strap (like a Brewhauler). There have been some folks who've been seriously injured from the glass shards created when the carboy gets dropped.

Buckets for me. I don't normally secondary anything.

 

[CJ-3]

If you can't get a brewhauler, you can also use a milk crate for moving the carboy.

 

[stuknkrvl]

I have a couple five gallon carboys. I built all my recipes for five gallon batches. Either gonna have to scale back the recipes or buy a bigger carboy.

 

[MattyIce]

Buckets. Secondary is now done with kegs. Way safer to carry, you can purge them with co2, and no worries about light.