Glass Varboy Issue

I recall reading someone saying their dad died from carrying a glass carboy down the stairs. He was holding it against his chest and belly. It shattered and punctured some major blood vessels. Obviously carrying it like he did is about the worst way to move a carboy.

Regardless of whether or not that was true, it sounded true and death from a carboy accident is very rare.

 

I got one of these for xmas and honestly don't trust the thing. If the load were to shift and slide between the giant ass holes between the straps you won't even have a chance to save it. It needs another strap ring at the bottom of the contraption to be safe.

 

I just make sure the straps are evenly spaced. Used it for like 3 years or so without incident.

I'm still careful when I carry it, make sure the carboy doesn't swing around or anything. But since I brew outside and ferment in the basement, I've gone up and down stairs many times.

 

I've been using brewhaulers with 6.5 gallon carboys for years. I couldn't get a carboy to fall through one of those "holes" if I tried. The carboy is (ironically perhaps) too heavy to allow it.

 

I very much want a steel conical fermenter. Not exactly in my budget, though. Glass breaks, I've had glass break, not with beer in it, but, nevertheless, had to replace. all of my lost beer accidents have been due to keg malfunctions. That is a heartbreaker, you go to tap it, and.... it's gone and dripping down the floor drain. We had a fresh hop centennials my father in law had harvested from his neighbor in colorado and shipped overnight express to us, to use in a fresh hop ale. I come home, and ......... there it is dripping down the drain! Un-be-lievable, and of course it's THAT beer.

 

I am sorry to hear about your beer loss. How many times has this happened to you? Are you using your kegs as fermenters?

On the ‘bright side’ you are fortunate to have a drain nearby; I personally do not have a drain in my basement.

Cheers!

 

I was cleaning a 1/2 empty glass carboy a couple of years ago when it slipped and hit the edge of a plastic tub. It was a little unsettling to find myself surrounded by huge glass shards swirling around in slippery cleaning solution.

I have a sour going in my remaining glass carboy, but between wooden barrels and plastic buckets I am not planning to replace it if it should break. I am religiously careful when handling that beast, too.

 

I got a glass one in the kit I got. After reading this I might see if my LHBS will take it for a trade for a plastic one. I haven't used it yet.

 

It is worth a try. The worst that could happen is they say no.

Cheers!

 

Out of interest, how were you trained to hold them?


I have some 2gal ones in glass for bulk aging, but all the "full-size" brews get done in plastic.

 

Grab by the ring, slide off the line, other hand supporting underneath, and held away from the body. Clumsy as hell, looked stupid, but it worked. We had insulated gloves up to the elbow since they were 180 degrees or so. As far as we ever figured out, it was some sort of slow response to the heat. The technique, if you want to call it that, did not keep them from breaking. It did reduce the danger. If the bottle was held out from the body, the hot stuff wouldn't land directly on a person and drench them. I don't miss those days one bit.

Oh...and minimize the air time. Get it onto a flat surface With minimal steps. Without the heat, it isn't as big a risk, but it could happen.

We have plastic containers to put glass jugs in -like acids and such that still come in glass. Like a pail with a real handle and they work great. Shelf strength hydrochloric is no joke either! But I think they make those sleeves in different sizes too. We got them from one of our industrial safety suppliers. Like a big coozie made of hard, thin plastic.

 

After 15 years of fermenting in glass carboys, the potential for breakage finally compelled me to go plastic for my fermenters. I still take 2 5 gallon glass carboys to the local store to buy RO water. They both have Brew Haulers on them and rarely make it inside my house when full of water.

 

In addition to the racking port and valve, I use a Brew Hauler. Even more awesomenessnessness.

 

It need not be that way. Rinse the major blobs of trub out, put a small hand towel/terry cloth in there with about .5 gallon of water & some EZ Clean/PBW. Easy. Rinse with StarSan to negate the alkaline cleaners.

And yeah, the BB system and add-ons are pricey, but add up the glass factors of carboys and I'll gladly shed the $ for that over heavy glass.

 

Did you ever put boiling water in it? I've learned through reading that this can be the cause of many problems for glass.

I've had a glass carboy in use for a few years now and haven't had problems but I do take a great deal of caution when carrying it around and I think I can confidently say, after reading the horror stories that I'll be moving the a plastic carboy with a wide mouth in the future. The stories are scary.

 

I have also been using it for years and have never had an issue. You just have to make sure you spread the straps out. It is always a little scary, but it saves my back.

 

I looked up those carrier gizmos we have - from Fisher Scientific they start at $122...impossible t justify that for home use. Home Depot, paint bucket - done.

 

Figured I would bump this thread vs. starting a new one.

Why would a recipe specifically call for using a glass carboy?

Read this recipe http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...all-mine-so-keep-back-berliner-weisse-recipe/ and it does state all three fermentation in glass.

Just curious why they'd specify.