which equipment kit should i get
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which equipment kit should i get
i am interested in getting into homebrewing and was wondering which kit i should get the one with the carboy or the two buckets. can you guys give me pros and cons of each so i can make a better disicion (sp?).
thanks
Pat
thanks
Pat
- yoyokid82005
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:14 am
Plastic fermenters
Pros
-Lighter
-More space for krausen
-easier to dryhop
-easier to clean
-cheaper
Cons
-use soft sponge for cleaning, if you scratch the surface you run the risk of infections.
-oxygen permeable
-only use for short term fermentation
Glass Carboy
Pros
-You can see fermentation activity
-Easier to sanitize
-Not oxygen permeable, great for long term fermentation (barley wine, Imperial stouts etc.)
Cons
-heavy
-may need to use a blow off hose
-harder to clean inside
-harder to dryhop
-can break, this is not pretty.
-more expensive
That been said I started with plastic fermenters and moved on to glass carboys once I knew this was something I was going to be doing long term. I'm now moving over to Better bottles, best of both world since I made my automatic keg/carboy washer.
My advice, get the kit with buckets, you can always expand later on by adding a carboy. I used to primary in plastic then secondary in carboy.

Pros
-Lighter
-More space for krausen
-easier to dryhop
-easier to clean
-cheaper
Cons
-use soft sponge for cleaning, if you scratch the surface you run the risk of infections.
-oxygen permeable
-only use for short term fermentation
Glass Carboy
Pros
-You can see fermentation activity
-Easier to sanitize
-Not oxygen permeable, great for long term fermentation (barley wine, Imperial stouts etc.)
Cons
-heavy
-may need to use a blow off hose
-harder to clean inside
-harder to dryhop
-can break, this is not pretty.
-more expensive
That been said I started with plastic fermenters and moved on to glass carboys once I knew this was something I was going to be doing long term. I'm now moving over to Better bottles, best of both world since I made my automatic keg/carboy washer.
My advice, get the kit with buckets, you can always expand later on by adding a carboy. I used to primary in plastic then secondary in carboy.

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jawbox - Imperial Stout
- Posts: 530
- Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:43 pm
- Location: W. Dundee
I only use glass for beers i'm planning on fermenting for more than a month. The problem with buckets though, is you will most likely have to replace them more often than glass. It seems like no matter how good I clean mine, they always still smell like beer. This concerns me, but I've never had an infection or bad beer from them. Until I do, I won't change my brewing practices.
Start with plastic...move onto glass if you feel you need to. Just my opinion.
Start with plastic...move onto glass if you feel you need to. Just my opinion.
Primary - Belgian Dubbel, Belgian IPA
Secondary - Cherry Lambic
Bottled - Bourbon Barrel Coffee Porter, Double Chocolate Raspberry Stout, Imperial Nut Brown, Apfelwein, American Amber Ale w/Homegrown Hops, Breakfast Stout
Kegged - Bass Clone, ESB
Secondary - Cherry Lambic
Bottled - Bourbon Barrel Coffee Porter, Double Chocolate Raspberry Stout, Imperial Nut Brown, Apfelwein, American Amber Ale w/Homegrown Hops, Breakfast Stout
Kegged - Bass Clone, ESB
-
Suthrncomfrt1884 - Double IPA
- Posts: 223
- Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:39 am
- Location: Rockford, Illinois
i can get my hands on a plastic 6 liter (one of the big ones.) water cooler bottle would that be good for a secondary or do i need to get a glass carboy. im still trying to get a feeling of what i can get and use.
thanks
Patric
thanks
Patric
- yoyokid82005
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:14 am
water cooler bottle are oxygen permeable, or are you referring to a Better Bottle? They look the same but they are made from a different material.
You would be better sticking with the buckets initially. You can leave most beers in a primary for a couple of weeks and then bottle or keg. There a lot of beer styles out there that don't need to be transfered to a secondary.
Jaw
You would be better sticking with the buckets initially. You can leave most beers in a primary for a couple of weeks and then bottle or keg. There a lot of beer styles out there that don't need to be transfered to a secondary.
Jaw
iMac 27", 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB Ram, Mac OSX 10.12.6
iPhone 7+
iPad Pro 10.5
I like macs
iPhone 7+
iPad Pro 10.5
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jawbox - Imperial Stout
- Posts: 530
- Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:43 pm
- Location: W. Dundee
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