Carboy accessories

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razyrsharpe

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i need to get a stopper for my carboy. it is the first time i have used one and i found out there are different sizes of stoppers. how do i measure mine so i can get the correct size? do i measure the inside diameter of the opening?
 
Any LHBS can give you the right size, provided you know the size of your carboy (the 6.5 gal ones are different).

But instead of getting a stopper, you should spend the extra buck or two and get a carboy cap:
carboy-caps.jpg
 
I second the carboy cap, if you are stuck on the stopper idea you should go for a universal stopper then you don't have to worry about what carboy it goes in it should work in all of them.

Cheers
 
malkore said:
and if you don't already have one, get a carboy handle too.

You can't lift a full carboy by that handle. They do work well when cleaning it but thats about it.
Get one but also get a brew haller. The strap kind that wraps around the carboy.
 
FlyGuy said:
Any LHBS can give you the right size, provided you know the size of your carboy (the 6.5 gal ones are different).

But instead of getting a stopper, you should spend the extra buck or two and get a carboy cap:
carboy-caps.jpg

I use both. I like the universal stoppers for putting an airlock on a carboy: I think they seal better.

I use the rubber caps for siphoning: I just sanitize it with the racking cane already inserted--that way, I harldy have to touch any of it at all once it comes out of the iodophor solution.
 
Speaking of stoppers, has anyone had a problem with their stoppers coming out when sanitizing with Starsan? I spray everything down during transfer to the carboy and the Starsan seems to make the stoppers fairly slippery.
 
Dave N said:
Speaking of stoppers, has anyone had a problem with their stoppers coming out when sanitizing with Starsan? I spray everything down during transfer to the carboy and the Starsan seems to make the stoppers fairly slippery.
yes I have. I just keep pushing it back in for the next few hours until it stays. I have now gone to using the caps because of this.
 
Bike N Brew said:
You can. I do. Whether you should or not is a different question ;)
Yeah, I have too. A lot actually, but it's not something I recommend as a safe practice. If you think it's safe, go ahead.
 
I use my carboy handle all the time to lift the carboy and I've never had a problem. Have you guys actually had one fall off or something? I tested mine when I got it by filling the carboy full of water and then picking it up be the handle and shaking it violently or at least as violently as you can shake 5+ gallons of water with one hand. Nothing budged and obviously I'm never that rough with it when there's actually beer in it.

As far as capping the carboy goes I just switched from the plastic carboy caps to size 7 stoppers. I have 5 of the carboy caps and all are a year old or less, only been brewing a year. On 3 of them the the small white cap that fits over the longer neck came loose and now it won't fit snugly. I've tried heating the cap and then crash cooling to get it to shrink but no luck. I sanitize my carboys with bleach and the stoppers in one-step and I've never had an issue getting the stopper to stay in place in the carboy.
 
Dave N said:
Speaking of stoppers, has anyone had a problem with their stoppers coming out when sanitizing with Starsan? I spray everything down during transfer to the carboy and the Starsan seems to make the stoppers fairly slippery.

Yes, they get very slick. I wipe mine off with a paper towel after spraying.
 
Roterdrache said:
I use my carboy handle all the time to lift the carboy and I've never had a problem. Have you guys actually had one fall off or something? I tested mine when I got it by filling the carboy full of water and then picking it up be the handle and shaking it violently or at least as violently as you can shake 5+ gallons of water with one hand. Nothing budged and obviously I'm never that rough with it when there's actually beer in it.

As far as capping the carboy goes I just switched from the plastic carboy caps to size 7 stoppers. I have 5 of the carboy caps and all are a year old or less, only been brewing a year. On 3 of them the the small white cap that fits over the longer neck came loose and now it won't fit snugly. I've tried heating the cap and then crash cooling to get it to shrink but no luck. I sanitize my carboys with bleach and the stoppers in one-step and I've never had an issue getting the stopper to stay in place in the carboy.
I used the handle in this manner myself at first until I read a few posts here that you actually stress the neck doing that when it's full and glass shards can actually be produced sloughing off into your beer. I don't chance it anymore...

The brew hauler is something like 12 bucks.

As for the stoppers, don't trust your LHBS to give you the right one, make sure it fits before you buy. Mine came with my kit and it fits flush in the opening and is a major PITA to get out when I need to sample or transfer...
 
We sell a "universal" stopper, that I personally use on ALL of my personal carboys. Works just fine! It is made out of harder rubber, (or whatever composite they use) and does fit all the carboys.

Oh, 3, 5, and 6 gallon carboys are all the same throat size. the 6.5 gallon carboy is a LITTLE bit different. Mostly, the threads on the OUTSIDE of the top area. It will still use the same carboy bung.

Yes, that handle "will" lift a full carboy. Barely! Sometimes, all you have attached to that handle, is the neck of the carboy. I'm not going to risk it!

steve
 
D*Bo said:
No problems with the handle or stoppers using idopher.

Last time I went to the LHBS, they were out of Iodopher which is why I went with the Starsan. Works well but the problem with the stoppers is really annoying.
 
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