Plastic or Glass, Which Do You Use?

Plastic or Glass which do you use? When I first started out making beer I used the white plastic fermenter. It was the only thing that I knew to use because I had no clue as to what a carboy was. These white buckets are great. Easy to clean and if you get one with a spigot, easy to fill bottles with. When I started doing wine I would use this as a primary fermenter but I would need something as a secondary.

So enter the plastic 5 gallon bottle. This is a picture of a 5 gallon Better Bottle with a spigot. I have not tried this type, but instead I have been using 5 gallon plastic water bottles, you know the kind that go on top of water machines. The plastic is great for short term storage or used as a secondary fermenter. You can remove the small cap in the middle and put in a small stopper for your airlock. I've been using this method for about 2 years now. Primary reason--->the bottles are lighter. A filled 5 gallon carboy weighs a ton.

The glass carboy, the original fermenter, and the one preferred by many. Sure glass will make a better storage container than plastic, but personally I don't understand all the hype by others who insist that glass is the only thing to use. Maybe it is part tradition, part stubbornness, or part brainwashing. Heck, I don't know. For me, these are always a real pain to clean, so I usually use my glass fermenters for aging my wine. I usually transfer my wine from the plastic bottles to the glass bottles after about 2 or 3 months. I age my wine for about 6 - 9 months in the glass before finally bottling it.

Glass or plastic, which do you use. I guess it is just a matter of personal preference. I would suggest that if you are just starting out, that you use the plastic bottles. Whole lot easier to use and will cut down on any frustation levels.