BeerBorg

I just realized that I can't ferment 5 gallons in my Home Depot 5 gallon bucket. Duh!
Can I get away with 4 gallons or should I keep it to 3.00-3.5 gallons into fermenter ?

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Ferment in 2 buckets. Split the load. Waste not want not.

I bet I could out idiot you if I had time and space to tell you more about me.
But, have any LBKs laying around?

Boy, if I had a dime for every time I've said that.

It depends on what your brewing, OG, yeast, and so on. I've filled a bucket to within 2 inches of the lid. Put on a blow off tube and hoped for the best. But I'd say at least 3 inches of head space for the norm.

Not about Paul, I see he posted too. I mean me........though, Paul.........well.......

Beer-lord wrote:I bet I could out idiot you if I had time and space to tell you more about me.
But, have any LBKs laying around?

I've got a free LBK. I should split off a couple of gallons into the LBK.
I'll have to go back to the frozen water bottles for that batch.

What Inkleg said is right. It all depends on what you got fermenting. 5 in a 5 can do just fine or it can have a big blow-out. I do all my 5 gal brews in a 6.5, I like headspace.

one word FERMCAP you could do 4.5 gal easy in that bucket

Assuming you keep using the 5 - pay attention when yeasts are described as "true top cropping strain". Be very conservative with those. 4 gallons with those is still pushing your luck. In the right conditions those yeast could blow off a good bit with as little as 3 1/2 gallons of wort in a true 5 gallon container.

I'm using Wyeast 1272. I'll use two fermenters. It looks like if I brew 3.5 in the future gallon batches I'll be in the safe zone for almost every brew.

I frequently use 2 five gallon buckets and split the batch evenly. I measure out half the wort into each, then add cool water to bring each to 2.5 gallons. ive got lids with gaskets that I drilled a hole in the tops to accommodate a gromet and an a plastic elbow with a lock nut. I run a hose from the elbow to a blow off bottle and put both buckets in my chiller box.

I like doing the 5 gallon batches this way because 20 lbs of beer is easier to lift than 40 lbs. I have multiple hernia repairs so I have to be super careful. doing it like this also allows me to experiment with yeasts. I can have identical wort and use a different yeast in each to see how it impacts things. note to self though..must remember that buckets are not airtight and absence of airlock activity is not a cause for alarm....

zorak1066 wrote:...........must remember that buckets are not airtight and absence of airlock activity is not a cause for alarm.............

me too!!

Can you buy those grommets in a hardware store or are they only at brew stores?

hardware a lot cheaper too