carb in 1 gallon jugs

[richm20]

Sorry for all the questions, I hope (I will) i can offer back my assistance as my addiction grows.
I would like to carbonate my first batch in a few 1 gallon jugs as well as growlers and bottles. How much head space do I leave in a growler and a 1 gallon jug. They will be glass so I would like to minimize the "boob" chances.

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

Sorry for all the questions, I hope (I will) i can offer back my assistance as my addiction grows.
I would like to carbonate my first batch in a few 1 gallon jugs as well as growlers and bottles. How much head space do I leave in a growler and a 1 gallon jug. They will be glass so I would like to minimize the "boob" chances.

Thanks

Don't do it! Unless you are bottling in something like a 2L soda bottle, a glass jug is NOT designed to hold pressure and will blow up on you. You can use plastic soda bottles, but definitely NO growlers or jugs.

Glass jugs are not designed to hold pressure, and will give during the pressure caused by bottle carbonation.

 

[goovaerl92]

It's not a good idea to carb in growlers because the glass is not designed to handle that much pressure. Sealing the container would not be possible either....they dont make bottle caps that big! If you are concerned about having too many bottles to handle on your first brew, I would recommend 22s. If you still want to go bigger, see if you can get your hands on some 1 liter grolsch-style bottles at your LHBS. Hope that helps!

Cheers!

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Don't do it! Unless you are bottling in something like a 2L soda bottle, a glass jug is NOT designed to hold pressure and will blow up on you. You can use plastic soda bottles, but definitely NO growlers or jugs.

Glass jugs are not designed to hold pressure, and will give during the pressure caused by bottle carbonation.

this. my granny and grandpa had a bunch go off in their basement in the '60s. they ran out of beer bottles and tried carbonating in cider jugs. just don't do it.

 

[AlCophile]

Glass eyes LOOK like the real things, but they don't SEE like them.

 

[z-bob]

It could work if you're making a barely-carbonated style like an English bitter, carbonate it in a cool place (increases solubility of CO2 and reduces the pressure), and drink it within a couple of days. Sounds like a lot of trouble to me, and still kind of risky.

OTOH, 1L and 2L plastic pop bottles with twist caps are incredibly strong and you can probably get hundreds of them free for the asking on Freecycle or at a recycling center. (pop bottles, not water bottles) You can carbonate champagne in those. And no capper necessary.

 

[jrgtr42]

I've bottled into growlers off and on since I've been brewing, and only had one ever go on me - and I thought at the time that it was a bit lightweight. Sure enough, a half gallon of hefeweizen spread itself across my kitchen floor in the middle of the night (it was being stored under the sink)
I didn't do anything differently from bottles, but I left an inch or 2 of headspace, and my LHBS had some caps that were different from the standard thin metal - these are plastic and have a positive seal thing inside.
I never had any issues with losing pressure or oxidation, even after holding for extended times in there.
I don't know that I would bottle into a 1-gallon "carboy" jug like those I have. THe glass does seem thinner, plus the clear glass isn't good for the beer.

 

[richm20]

Enough said! Game over.
Thanks