I apologize for asking this question if it has been answered previously. I used the search function but didn’t find much. I goggled the pros and cons of better bottles vs glass and found mostly comments around safety. But my question is…what about the actual differences between the two in regards to fermentation and the final product/beer. Any big reasons to go with one over the other?
Thanks a lot.
Other than unbreakabiltiy, I think it’s a toss up. Yeah, I know you didn’t ask, but I prefer buckets. Easier to use and clean because of the larger opening and they take less room to store since you can stack them.
I’ve been using Better Bottles for years and detect no differences between the beers I have fermented in glass.
With a recent broken carboy, I’m liking them even more.
The downside, as Denny notes, is cleaning. You need to take care so as not to scratch them, but I’ve got one that’s lasted +/- 10 years so, treated right, they can be as long lasting as glass.
Better bottle vote here, mostly for the safety factor. I soak mine in Oxiclean solution to clean or run it on the keg washer I just put together. I have 3 6 gallons and 2 5 gallons ( currently aging a mead and a cider ).
For primary fermentation, I use the orange carboy caps and 1/2" ID vinyl tubing for a blow off tube and can easily get 5.5 gallons in them with just the 1/2 gallon headspace without it blowing all over the place. Sometimes I will use a foam inhibitor ( Fermcap-S) if it is a really big beer with a healthy starter.
Better Bottles for me too. The older I get the lighter I need things to be and they are considerably lighter than glass. I use the super grunge cleaner to help with cleaning and I love the spigot! No more siphoning!
Great. Thanks for all the great feedback and opinions. I appreciate it.
plug for buckets
;D
I use better bottles for secondary fermenters but I have glass for primaries. No reason other than what I happen to own.
I have heard that if you are going age your beer for long periods (like months) it is better to use glass because glass has almost no oxygen permeability. For any typical lagering or secondary time frames Better Bottles work great and I leave my heavy 5 gal. glass carboys on the shelf.
YMMV
Paul
Better bottles here. I’ve aged beers in them for up to a year with no oxidation problems.
Made the switch from glass to Better Bottles a few years ago. Have found absolutely no reason to go back to glass.
Anyone have any problems cleaning better bottles. My concern is that since one cannot brush them clean, we are dependent on chemicals. Anyone have problems with bacteria growth?
Thanks for all the good info.
I’ve never had anything grow in my BB ( had a mouse fall in once ). An extended soak with Oxiclean/PBW and they are clean. Even the dried on krausen comes right off after the soak.
What concentration of Oxyclean do you use?(tablespoons/gallon)
Once mine are visually clean, I put a small terry towel (the kind you find in auto parts stores) or washcloth with 1/2 gallon of the spent cleaning liquid and shake and swirl everything around for a minute.
Option 2: My LHBS has brushes that claim to be safe for plastic fermenters. That has not been tested!
I use about 1.5 scoops in a six gallon better bottle filled with hot tap water and let it soak for at least several hours up to overnight.
Some in a bunch of water ;D I know, not very scientific. If I had to guess, maybe 2 scoops in the 6 gallons and fill it right to the top.
The soak typically does it, but if not I put a rag around a bottle brush, secured with rubber bands, and just use that. Gently and carefully.
I do have one BB that I scratched up before I learned this trick and I’ve yet to get an infection or nasty stuff in it.
I also am not scientific on my measurements for cleaning, but I dump in some cascade and/or oxy clean and let it soak awhile. Works like a charm.
I ran glass carboys for 6 years, and have recently switched back to buckets for primary. Easier to clean, easier to lift into the fermenteezer, easier to store (although when are they ever empty) and cheaper. You can use them for sanitizing bottles too. I still use the glass for extended bulk conditioning if I’m out of kegs.