How many carboys do you have?

[3rdto1st]

Ok, so I am wondering what is an appropriate amount of carboys to have. A little background first. I am practically BIAB, and in primary I get a lot of trub and of course the yeast cake. So I like to throw my brews in to secondary for at least a week to drop the rest out. I currently have a setup to brew 5gal batches, have 2 carboys, and 3 kegs. Roommate and I are in our 20s, we like our beer, and as such, a corny doesnt last more than 2 weeks in our house. My thought is grabbing 2 more carboys, having 3 staggered brews, and then I always have an empty to rack in to secondary.

Anyway, what are your setups like? Ratio of carboys to kegs to brews? Just wondering how my thought process compares.

[bwarbiany]

I have zero... I go straight from primary to keg, and don't have any problems with clarity (I use gelatin, and I'm always pouring clear after 2-3 pints).

When you think about it, a keg is basically a really big secondary. Beer will drop clear in there, and after the first few pints, you've pushed all the sediment out. Or, you can do what BrewMasterBrad does, and keep a keg with the dip tube shortened. You can use that as your secondary, and then transfer under CO2 pressure from that keg into the serving keg, which likely reduces the risk of oxidation compared to racking.

But when it comes to bulk storage (secondary) vessels, a keg pretty much beats a carboy hands-down. Easier to clean, not going to break and send you to the hospital, impervious to light, and can be sealed with pressure to be impervious to oxygen uptake.

To me, your money would be better spent buying more kegs (it's VERY hard to have *too many* kegs), and maybe another primary fermenter so you can have multiple batches going at once.

[3rdto1st]

Hmmmm. I see your point, but if no carboys, what do you use as your primary fermentation vessel?

Maybe I should save the money for a kegerator? Right now I'm just clearing out space in the fridge, and we can only really fit one keg if we want any grocery space.

[DrDually]

I have 3 6.5 gallon glass carboys and cringe eveytime I lift one. Considering moving to the Snake keg fermentor setup Derrin sells. All stainless, no glass, 15.5 gallons, no skunking due to light...seems like all positive with no chance of breakage
Now I just need a forklift to move it

[BrewMasterBrad]

When I was using carboys, I had two 6.5 gallon carboys and two 5 gallon carboys. I would primary in the 6.5's and secondary in the 5's. After a while, I realized that transfering was a waste of time and resources and I also realized that I was more concerned with quality rather than quantity. I never went beyond two primary fermentation vessels because that was what I had room for in my various temperature controlled environments.

Like DrDually and bwarbiany mention, many of us now use the Sanke fermentation kits from brewershardware.com. I have one kegerator in my home office and a chest freezer in my garage with Ranco temp controllers so I can have 20 gallons in primary at any given time.

[3rdto1st]

Those seem like an expensive and space consuming option. $80 for each? And you need one for everything you're fermenting, right? I dont know if I could pull the trigger on those, I would probably have to see how they actually work.

[lexuschris]

I've been brewing in a 6-gal plastic bucket (food grade) for 20 years. Never had a carboy, but have been considering a plastic better bottle for mead secondaries which can sit for a long while.

Lately, I've been use primary for 2 weeks, cold crash for a few days, transfer to corny keg with gelatin. I pour clear after about a half glass.

Gotta agree that you cannot have too many kegs. Plus you can find those used for ~$30 from time to time.
--LexusChris

[BrewMasterBrad]

Alex, I think as you start to learn more and talk to several home brewers, you will be able to take bits and pieces of knowledge and techniques from various people and adapt them to your circumstances (budget, space, time). That's one of the things I enjoy so much about this hobby; there is always something new to learn and there are many, many different ways to make great beer.

[dhempy]

Lots of great advice here ... not too much to add .. I've pretty much done all of the above except for the Sanke kegs and have had good beers from every method ... so you can get good beer with whichever method you choose (it is all about your methods and cleanliness!). I ferment in a conical now but if I need space, I'll either rack to a carboy or a keg depending on where the beer is. I think that BMB's advice is particularly good ... take the experience of others and adapt you your circumstances. You might even be able to borrow a piece or two (corny, carboy etc.) and take it for a test drive before committing dollars to one solution or another.

Dan

[maltbarley]

Since I haven't brewed in way too long, I might be up to lending a piece or two. Talk to me at the meeting on Tuesday.

[3rdto1st]

Oh man, yea, there has been a ton of great advice. I think right now my aspirations are outstripping my possibilities. I'm restricted by money, and brewing stovetop in an apartment. But I cant wait to talk to all of you and get a good idea of what will work for me. And maltbarley, I will definitely be there, and that would be great to talk about and maybe test run.

[bwarbiany]

Those seem like an expensive and space consuming option. $80 for each? And you need one for everything you're fermenting, right? I dont know if I could pull the trigger on those, I would probably have to see how they actually work.

The Sanke kits are nice (it's what I use as well), but I'm not sure if it makes sense if you're only doing 5 gallon batches...

If you want to check it out at some point, I live about 2 miles from the office, and you can swing by some day after work...

[3rdto1st]

Those seem like an expensive and space consuming option. $80 for each? And you need one for everything you're fermenting, right? I dont know if I could pull the trigger on those, I would probably have to see how they actually work.

The Sanke kits are nice (it's what I use as well), but I'm not sure if it makes sense if you're only doing 5 gallon batches...

If you want to check it out at some point, I live about 2 miles from the office, and you can swing by some day after work...

Hey, that would be awesome. I am free any day this week after work.

As a side comment, you guys are great. I've never seen such supportive people.

[Brewfoo]

I am still a beginner partial masher doing 5 gallon batches with extract. I started with a kit from Steinfillers using the 6.5 glass carboy and have been steadily building a carboy farm in my living room. I have three 6.5 gal, one 6 gallon, five 5 gallon, and recently broke one 6.5 gallon glass carboy full of PBW in my dining room. (another story for another time)

I started kegging recently and have 6 cornys and a kegarator. I personally enjoy viewing the progress of my beer, braggot, mead, and cider through glass. Glass has many benefits to plactic but the pontenial for major surgery weighs heavy on my mind when I carry those suckers around. I make beer. I drink beer.
I also enjoy living dangerously.

[nico soze]

I have 2 primary 6.5 glass carboys And 3 5 gal glass secondaries. Oh and 3 fermenting buckets and 6 1 gal glass jugs for fun little expiriments. I really only have use for the 2 primaries and 2 of the secondaries so I can brew a beer while one is in process. The rest were either gifts or I got them for a special project. I'm leery of using plastic over and over again, because the littlest invisible scratch and you're infected. It is a good idea to brew a beer the day you transfer or bottle another batch because it'll be ready as the last one is running low. Plus all your cleaning stuff is out anyway. Its also good to stagger your batches a little too because its easier to leave that RIS to age all the way when you got a pale ale in the fridge. So I'd say you should get a used fridge, or a burner right after you get 2 more carboys.