fermenters and carboys

[BjornBee]

I bought a kit to start my meadmaking. It came with a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket fermenter and two glass 5 gallon carboys.

So wanting to keep it the same, I bought a few more 6.5 fermenters and a few more carboys. And I need more.

I have a unlimited supply of plastic food grade buckets. (5 gallon) I bought the airlock little gasket rings to use after drilling a hole in the bucket lids so I can adjust my recipes and use 5 gallon batches.

Must carboys be glass? Can I just use buckets for the racks from the fermenter? I see the advantage when racking from a glass carboy and seeing the clarity and where the bottom is, etc.

But from a quality standpoint, is there any disadvantages to using all buckets? It sure would save from buying additional glass carboys.

Thank you.

[Ben Brewcat]

Two main complaints with plastic: over time they pick up small (sometimes not visible) scratches that make effective sanitation virtually impossible, though careful attention to cleaning with non-abrasive methods like soapy washcloth, not touching the inside with implements, etc. can help, and 2) plastic is permeable to oxygen, whereas glass is not, so extended aging is best done in glass (carboy or bottle).

[spunky]

Two main complaints with plastic: over time they pick up small (sometimes not visible) scratches that make effective sanitation virtually impossible, though careful attention to cleaning with non-abrasive methods like soapy washcloth, not touching the inside with implements, etc. can help, and 2) plastic is permeable to oxygen, whereas glass is not, so extended aging is best done in glass (carboy or bottle).

Ditto; my plastic bucket is on year 15 and still going strong
. I finish everything ,including beer, in glass

[MapMan]

As previously stated, glass is best. If you need more space, get some 6.5 gallon carboys, or move on up to a 15 gallon demi-john. Just don't plan on moving it very often, or for long distances.

MM