TroubleBrewing
Active Member
Speaking personally, I'm using plastic (cause it's almost impossible to get glass bottles over here), and these days I'm damn happy that I do. I have no opinion either way about the durability of glass compared to plastic, and I'm quite happy to concede that many people have used many glass carboys for many years without a problem.
But if a glass carboy ruptures while you're moving/holding/near it, due to accident or due to bad quality glass, there's potential for life threatening or otherwise quite serious injuries. If a plastic bucket ruptures, due to accident or to bad quality glass, the only way you'll get hurt is if it was full of uncooled wort, or you slip in it.
I'm not saying don't use glass, to each their own, but I personally have not, and after hearing some of the horror stories, will not. I'd rather a slight plasticky taste (which I've never had) or an infection (which I'm pretty sure I've never had) then shards of glass embedded in me.
But if a glass carboy ruptures while you're moving/holding/near it, due to accident or due to bad quality glass, there's potential for life threatening or otherwise quite serious injuries. If a plastic bucket ruptures, due to accident or to bad quality glass, the only way you'll get hurt is if it was full of uncooled wort, or you slip in it.
I'm not saying don't use glass, to each their own, but I personally have not, and after hearing some of the horror stories, will not. I'd rather a slight plasticky taste (which I've never had) or an infection (which I'm pretty sure I've never had) then shards of glass embedded in me.