Glass Bubble Fix For Carboy

I just received a new 5 gallon big mouth bubbler from Northern Brewer and as I was looking it over I noticed it has a few air bubbles in the glass. Most of them are harmless but one of those suckers is broken on the inside. So, I cracked all the little pieces out and cleaned it up but it still has some very rough edges on the inside. NB is replacing it free of charge but they told me to just keep this one. Well, it would be a shame to just toss it but I have a couple concerns in trying to use it.

1. Will the rough sharp edges in there be a breeding group for bacteria or should it be fine if I sanitize it properly?

2. Is there any product out there that I could use to repair it?

3. Will that repair affect the taste of the beer in any way?

I've seen some windshield repair kits that looked interesting but wasn't really sure. Maybe it doesn't need to be repaired and will work just fine but I thought I'd run it by you guys since you all know a lot more about it than me. Thanks in advance for any helps/suggestions!

They're a good company to work with. I'd bet if you talk to them, they'd send a new one and tell you to toss that one in the trash.

Well I think I said it above but they are sending a new one. My question is should I just scrap this one or can it be salvaged?

I'd fill it with Silicone and call it good. now is the vessel weaker because of the bubble, probably but you're not going to be fermenting under pressure so i'd be careful moving it with beer in it for fear of it breaking

-=Jason=-

Would silicone impact the taste at all? That's my biggest concern.

Personally I would toss it. Why take the chance of it breaking after you've filled it with that great beer? Wouldn't that just break your heart?

I'd give it a shot. Just make sure it's sanitized very well and maybe do a simple cheap smash brew to test it out?

Breaking it isn't the issue. The integrity of the glass is still pretty good as it was a very thin layer on the inside that made up the bubble. The biggest issue is bacteria getting in it if I don't cover it up because of the rough edges or if I do cover it si something, the flavor being impacted.

I definitely would not use an obviously flawed carboy, period.
And especially one that cost me nothing...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

I definitely would not use an obviously flawed carboy, period.
And especially one that cost me nothing...

Cheers!

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I think you're saying exactly what my subconscious is thinking but I was just thinking I could make this bad boy work. Oh well, shame, it's nice!

eidling said:

Breaking it isn't the issue.

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Toss it. No brainer. I hate to use shock value, but have a look at the following thread then decide.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium-376523/

passedpawn said:

Toss it. No brainer. I hate to use shock value, but have a look at the following thread then decide.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium-376523/

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Yup. If he had squawked, I'd have hit him with that thread
The goriest corner of HBT...

Cheers!

I wonder if there's some kind of epoxy that would work.
I know that those products are pretty brutal when wet, but after it's long since finished curing I wonder about. (I truly don't know.)
Else use it for storage - spare change, brewing equipment, anything that might look good in a big glass jug.

Yeah, you could just store grain in there. That would look cool and would keep the grain dry and sealed away from bugs and whatever else.

Repurpose it!


It could make a fantastic terrarium.

How about a ship in the bottle?

Repurposing it is a good idea. I would not use it as a fermenter. Maybe a planter.

Silicone used for aquariums shouldn't leave any odors.

'da Kid

The10mmKid said:

Silicone used for aquariums shouldn't leave any odors.



'da Kid

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That's true, it's pretty much inert after it drys, but the hard part would be making the top perfectly smooth, otherwise there's still a place for bacteria to hide.

I'd toss it too. It's not worth the risk of personal injury. After looking at all the horror stories from glass carboys I switched to buckets after 3 years of using glass.

Fill it with water, some red food coloring and then shoot it with a 30-06 or other large caliber while filming it. I want to see the video.

nvm