getting a stopper out from inside carboy

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akula169

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Boise, ID
I'm sure someone here has extracted a stopper that has fallen inside a carboy.

It really didn't want go in, but it was at the point of no return, so it sent it to the werty deep (assuming that it wouldn't affect the flavor all that much). I'm about to transfer to a secondary and was thinking about possible retrieval techniques.

Anyone have any successful stories?
 
Well, hopefully it floats so you could fill the carboy to full with water once the beery goodness has been transfered and try to pull it out with a pair of tongs. Otherwise, have someone else hold it upside down (it'll be easier if its empty :cross: ) and use the tongs to try and pull it out.
 
To previous poster, it sinks.

And its a #7, which had no business being in a 6 gallon in the first place (alas, it was all I had).

I'll go for the coat hanger... could be an exercise in frustration! But what a victory it will be!

I'll report back with results :)
 
Yeah, really. In homebrewing, when I screw up once, that is the last time I make that mistake.

Retrieval was a breeze: since I had just cleaned out the carboy after its duty as a primary, it was filled with bleachy water. I just used a racking tube to flip the stopper narrow side up and lightly stuck the end of the tube in the hole. I raised the stopper to the top and transfered it onto a coat hanger with a very narrow 3" U-shaped bend in it so I could get a grip on it.

Tugged a little bit, and Presto! Stopper removed.

Thanks for the advice :)
 
akula169 said:
Yeah, really. In homebrewing, when I screw up once, that is the last time I make that mistake.

Retrieval was a breeze: since I had just cleaned out the carboy after its duty as a primary, it was filled with bleachy water. I just used a racking tube to flip the stopper narrow side up and lightly stuck the end of the tube in the hole. I raised the stopper to the top and transfered it onto a coat hanger with a very narrow 3" U-shaped bend in it so I could get a grip on it.

Tugged a little bit, and Presto! Stopper removed.

Thanks for the advice :)

You are welcome. :D
 
coat hanger trick would not work for me, so i used some 10# insulated wire i had layin around, just wet the neck of the carboy before you give it that last yank, it'll keep ya from havin to pull so hard ya bop yourself in the face with the stopper ;)
 

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