i think my LHBS is lying to me {Carboy Prices GoinG Up}

King MF Midas · 08-26-2008, 08:48 PM

i went to my LHBS the other day and for one he had no cornies and two he said they don't make glass carboys anymore, that the factory had closed its doors and the remaining stock of glass carboys went quick. i've never bought any online before but i'm sure shipping isn't cheap.

i have'nt gotten a chance to go up there lately but i have some English ale in my secondary thats been there for lke 6 weeks. it should be ok right?

**the_bird** · 08-26-2008, 08:51 PM

Forrest (AHS) told us a little while back that the Mexican factory that makes carboys stopped manufacturing them, so the only glass carboys coming into the country would be Italian and probably cost about twice what they go for today ($40 - $45).

Better Bottles are a perfectly valid alternative (I'd argue superior, except perhaps for VERY long-term aging, north of six months or so).

dblvsn · 08-26-2008, 08:53 PM

Your LHBS is not lying to you. This has been discussed for awhile now on the forum. Carboy prices to double <--clicky

You might want to look into Better Bottles

SuperiorBrew · 08-26-2008, 08:56 PM

The only North American glass carboy manufacturer has stopped producing

Glass carboys. There is an Italian manufacturer that makes them and I am sure they will be available but with high transportation costs you can expect the price to increase significantly.

Your English Ale should be just fine as long as it was at a decent temp during the 6 weeks.

King MF Midas · 08-26-2008, 09:02 PM

thanks for the quick reply, i took a few looks in some forums for a thread about it already but i guess i didn't look hard enough. so you guys don't recommend better bottles for long term fermentation like a barley wine?

**the_bird** · 08-26-2008, 09:08 PM

Personally, I just have not yet been convinced that the O2 permeablity is close enough to 0 to use it for something that would be aged THAT long. I'm sure some people have done it and it's probably fine; my comfort level for something that's going to be sitting for a year is that it be in glass (or stainless). If I couldn't get a carboy, I'd probably put it in a cornie.

But, this is still an area that's of some controversy.

**johnsma22** · 08-26-2008, 09:21 PM

I don't think that even long term aging in Better-Bottles would be detrimental. The whole "glass has zero oxygen permeability" is a myth. The TOTAL oxygen permeability of a glass carboy, as a system, is not zero when you take into account the rubber stopper in the neck and liquid filled airlock. In typical use, I don't think it would be a stretch to assume that more oxygen diffuses through, or leaks by, stoppers and liquid-filled air locks than diffuses through the walls of Better-Bottle with it's solid PET closure and PET airlock.

SuperiorBrew · 08-26-2008, 09:21 PM

I have an apflwein in a better bottle that I made on superbowl Sunday. I will see if I can taste any differences when I get around to kegging it.
Honestly I am not anticipating any.

**the_bird** · 08-26-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsma22

I don't think that even long term aging in Better-Bottles would be detrimental. The whole "glass has zero oxygen permeability" is a myth. The TOTAL oxygen permeability of a glass carboy, as a system, is not zero when you take into account the rubber stopper in the neck and liquid filled airlock. In typical use, more oxygen diffuses through, or leaks by, stoppers and liquid-filled air locks than diffuses through the walls of Better-Bottle with it's solid PET closure and PET airlock.

This isn't an issue that I'm necessarily convinced I'm right about. I just haven't heard enough people say "Dude, I aged my BW for a year and it was fine!" yet to convince me. In large part, that's just because they're still pretty new to market. It'll be interesting to hear more real-world experienced trickle in regarding this question.

For anything that's to be aged less than six months, I wouldn't hestiate in the least to use a BB.

**bradsul** · 08-26-2008, 09:26 PM

I've had wine in a BB for over a year and I've had a belgian tripel in a BB for almost a year. No problems with any of them. Other people's mileage may vary but I wouldn't worry about it too much.