Brewing Master

Question:

You need to be careful when handling full glass carboys, and if they do break it’s pretty bad, but I think it’s also a very rare occurance. Not that it means much, but I’ve been brewing in glass carboys for about 10 years and have never had a problem with them.

Hmm, okay, I’ll consider this option more.   If you still prefer to secondary in plastic, why not use another plastic bucket?  The extra head space probably won’t be an issue as long as you rack to the secondary while there is still a little fermentation activity going on.  The yeast will create a blanket of CO2 that will fill up the head space.

Yah, this is my likely fallback.  But, I was thinking that it is nice to be able to check the clarity of the beer when deciding when to bottle.  I can do this with the buckets, but only after prying off the lid. Thanks, -Brett.

Response:

You will still have a yeast cake at the bottom of your bottles.  The yeast grow and create CO2 when you bottle condition.  To avoid the yeast cake you will need to filter or force carbonate.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. Currently, I do my primary in 6.5 gal plastic buckets as the stories I have read about the consequences of breaking a glass carboy keeps me away from this route.  So, from what I have been able to learn, a plastic carboy may be the best solution for a secondary. So, some questions about plastic carboys: Anyone know of a US seller?  It seems all the ones I google are in CA. How transparent are they?  From the pictures I have seen they are all translucent. Can you see enough to tell when the beer clears? I read in a few places that the plastic of clear, bluish bottled water carboys don’t stand up to the alcohol.  Can someone confirm? Any other ideas for a safe (and cheap!) but useful secondary? Thanks, -Brett.

Response:

I don’t think SNPA is bottle ‘carbonated’ if that’s what you mean. They have a web site if some one really wanted to research.

IIRC it used to be at least – been a while since I’ve had it but it used to throw a thin film of sediment.   — Mike Harris Austin, TX

Response:

Some of their stuff is / was bottle conditioned, but I have forgotten which. — Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at www.listermann.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t think SNPA is bottle ‘carbonated’ if that’s what you mean. They have a web site if some one really wanted to research. Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. -Brett. … What you can do to avoid sediment in the bottle is give up bottling and move onto kegs and if you would like to still bottle get a bottle filler Yes secondarying will help with some clarity but if your Naturally carbonating beer you can’t get rid of bottle sediment SNPA is bottle conditioned, right?  That doesn’t have a lot of yeast.  I wouldn’t call it a cake, more of a pellet or something. — Joseph M. Bay                                Lamont Sanford Junior University            Putting the "harm" in molecular pharmacology since 1998              t3H quIc/< 6roWn Ph0×0r jUmP3D ovER T3h 14zY do9 Do you like         http://www.stanford.edu/~jmbay          gladiator movies?

Response:

I don’t think SNPA is bottle ‘carbonated’ if that’s what you mean. They have a web site if some one really wanted to research. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. -Brett. … What you can do to avoid sediment in the bottle is give up bottling and move onto kegs and if you would like to still bottle get a bottle filler Yes secondarying will help with some clarity but if your Naturally carbonating beer you can’t get rid of bottle sediment SNPA is bottle conditioned, right?  That doesn’t have a lot of yeast.  I wouldn’t call it a cake, more of a pellet or something. — Joseph M. Bay                                Lamont Sanford Junior University            Putting the "harm" in molecular pharmacology since 1998              t3H quIc/< 6roWn Ph0×0r jUmP3D ovER T3h 14zY do9 Do you like         http://www.stanford.edu/~jmbay          gladiator

movies?

Response:

Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. -Brett.

… What you can do to avoid sediment in the bottle is give up bottling and move onto kegs and if you would like to still bottle get a bottle filler Yes secondarying will help with some clarity but if your Naturally carbonating beer you can’t get rid of bottle sediment

SNPA is bottle conditioned, right?  That doesn’t have a lot of yeast.  I wouldn’t call it a cake, more of a pellet or something. — Joseph M. Bay                                Lamont Sanford Junior University            Putting the "harm" in molecular pharmacology since 1998              t3H quIc/< 6roWn Ph0×0r jUmP3D ovER T3h 14zY do9 Do you like         http://www.stanford.edu/~jmbay          gladiator movies?

Response:

Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. -Brett.

Brett there are several ways to avoid sediment in the beer bottles. add no yeast to the primary and serve it  flat and sweet or Secondary the beer and filter the beer and serve it flat. The sediment you see is from the Yeast after it has finished carbonating the beer in the Bottle. To get carbonation in bottles you must add more fermentables to the beer so it will produce CO2. What you can do to avoid sediment in the bottle is give up bottling and move onto kegs and if you would like to still bottle get a bottle filler Yes secondarying will help with some clarity but if your Naturally carbonating beer you can’t get rid of bottle sediment

Response:

I read in a few places that the plastic of clear, bluish bottled water carboys don’t stand up to the alcohol.  Can someone confirm?

They do fine for usual secondary fermentation times.  I had a bunch and need to get more for grain hoppers at least.  I never noticed any problems with them. — Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at www.listermann.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. Currently, I do my primary in 6.5 gal plastic buckets as the stories I have read about the consequences of breaking a glass carboy keeps me away from this route.  So, from what I have been able to learn, a plastic carboy may be the best solution for a secondary. So, some questions about plastic carboys: Anyone know of a US seller?  It seems all the ones I google are in CA. How transparent are they?  From the pictures I have seen they are all translucent. Can you see enough to tell when the beer clears? Any other ideas for a safe (and cheap!) but useful secondary? Thanks, -Brett.

Response:

Currently, I do my primary in 6.5 gal plastic buckets as the stories I have read about the consequences of breaking a glass carboy keeps me away from this route.  So, from what I have been able to learn, a plastic carboy may be the best solution for a secondary.

You need to be careful when handling full glass carboys, and if they do break it’s pretty bad, but I think it’s also a very rare occurance. Not that it means much, but I’ve been brewing in glass carboys for about 10 years and have never had a problem with them. If you still prefer to secondary in plastic, why not use another plastic bucket?  The extra head space probably won’t be an issue as long as you rack to the secondary while there is still a little fermentation activity going on.  The yeast will create a blanket of CO2 that will fill up the head space. John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***            *** Head Administrator, Monty Python’s Flying Talker ***

Response:

Hi, I have never done a secondary fermentation which means I always have a yeast cake at the bottom of each bottle.  This isn’t such a big deal as it just means pouring carefully, but it does put a damper when I give away my beer and have to warn the recipient not to take the last drop unless they like chewy beer.  So, I want to start secondary-ing my beer. Currently, I do my primary in 6.5 gal plastic buckets as the stories I have read about the consequences of breaking a glass carboy keeps me away from this route.  So, from what I have been able to learn, a plastic carboy may be the best solution for a secondary. So, some questions about plastic carboys: Anyone know of a US seller?  It seems all the ones I google are in CA. How transparent are they?  From the pictures I have seen they are all translucent. Can you see enough to tell when the beer clears? I read in a few places that the plastic of clear, bluish bottled water carboys don’t stand up to the alcohol.  Can someone confirm? Any other ideas for a safe (and cheap!) but useful secondary? Thanks, -Brett.

Response:

(Randy Rogers) says:
I have been considering subscribing to a water service that delivers the plastic carboys with good quality water right to your door.  Here in Phoenix we have almost the worst water in the nation. I would just use the spring water to brew with, then ferment in the carboy, return it dirty, and get a new one

 full of good water and start again…
I wouldn’t trust those plast
ic carboys. Here in Illinois, our bottled water suppliers have plastic
 and glass carboys available. Most people just choose the plastic for the lighter weight and add safety.
Mail sent with Portico for Excalibur

Response:

This is 100% correct, however if you don’t have glass and want and don’t have the $$$ for a glass carboy the plastic will still produce clearer beer thanb just a primary fermentation.  I’ve used plastic and as long as you siphon the beer slowly into the kegs/bottles you should be fine with very little sediment.

i actually prefer plastic to glass….i always have a hard time siphoning from glass carboys into the secondary container or bottles. i waste too much beer. jonathan

Response:

In this age of politically correct speech, shouldn’t we refer to them as carpersons?

Response:

In this age of politically correct speech, shouldn’t we refer to them as carpersons?

Yeah, sure, but on a more serious note…  If anybody’s interested in getting 5 gallon lexan carboys, check out McMaster-Carr supply.  They have them for around $14.  Lexan’s supposed to be wonderful stuff, and should be more durable than plain plastic (whatever grade it is) carboys. Kevin "I should probably be doing something else, but…."

Response:

(Randy Rogers) says: I have been considering subscribing to a water service that delivers the plastic carboys with good quality water right to your door.  Here in Phoenix we have almost the worst water in the nation. I would just use the spring water to brew with, then ferment in the carboy, return it dirty, and get a new one full of good water and start again…

Don’t forget the plastic carboys have ribs molded in the sides.  These tend to trap the sediment (about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way down the carboy) rather than it all settling on the bottom.  If you want clearer beer, use glass.

Response:

Is there any reason Why one shouldn’t use a plastic carboy (the hard blue ones used for bottled water) as a primary fermenter.    As opposed to a plastic bucket. I don’t think they are oxygen permeable.  I was considering using it once then returning it as to not worry  about cleaning it enough to use again.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (Randy   Rogers) says: I have been considering subscribing to a water service that delivers the plastic carboys with good quality water right to your door.  Here in Phoenix   we have almost the worst water in the nation. I would just use the spring water to brew with, then ferment in the carboy, return it dirty, and get a   new one full of good water and start again… Don’t forget the plastic carboys have ribs molded in the sides.  These tend to   trap the sediment (about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way down the carboy) rather than it   all settling on the bottom.  If you want clearer beer, use glass.

This is 100% correct, however if you don’t have glass and want and don’t have the $$$ for a glass carboy the plastic will still produce clearer beer thanb just a primary fermentation.  I’ve used plastic and as long as you siphon the beer slowly into the kegs/bottles you should be fine with very little sediment. — ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()() I never knew I wanted to be a firefighter ’til I grew up. ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Response:

I have been considering subscribing to a water service that delivers the   plastic carboys with good quality water right to your door.  Here in Phoenix we   have almost the worst water in the nation. I would just use the spring water to   brew with, then ferment in the carboy, return it dirty, and get a new one full   of good water and start again…

– This is the method that I use in the winter, when I hae limited access to my camp inthe Adirondacks.  At the camp I fill sanitized 5 gal. plastic carboys to transport the good stuff home for brewing.  The water service costs me about $5.00/5gal. and I happen to have a cooler/hot dispenser.  I suggest that if you drinking water tastes that bad maybe investing in the coller also.  A ice cold glass of water or iced tea in the summer is almost as good as a ice cold homebrew ) Enjoy the delivery service. George ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()() I never knew I wanted to be a firefighter ’til I grew up. ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Response:

I have been considering subscribing to a water service that delivers the plastic carboys with good quality water right to your door.  Here in Phoenix we have almost the worst water in the nation. I would just use the spring water to brew with, then ferment in the carboy, return it dirty, and get a new one full of good water and start again…

Response: