Brewing again after 7 year hiatus

After taking too long off from brewing, I'm finally getting back to it. I'm thinking about switching from using glass carboys to the plastic "better bottle" carboys. I can see many benefits to using plastic (weight, shatterproof, etc.) but was wondering what people's biggest complaints are. Also, can my 5 gal. glass acrboy handles be used on the better bottle design or will I need new handles? Thanks in advance.

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Welsome back to the hobby!

The biggest problem people have with better bottles is heat. They cannot handle much over 150F.

david_42 said:

The biggest problem people have with better bottles is heat. They cannot handle much over 150F.

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Use only your hot tap water and you will be fine with them.

Welcome back.

I have a BB and rarely use it. It is a joy to carry empty but it flexes like hell when full, even when in one of those nylon harnesses. Sucking sanitizer back through a 3pc or air back through a bubbler airlock probably isn't going to kill my beer but I find it annoying. I am also paranoid about cleaning it after fermentation; haven't scratched it yet but I am worried I will.

But BB will likely be the choice for many people going forward; while you were away [one of the ] main glass carboy makers quit making them, so supplies are down and prices are up.

I am slowly replacing my glass with BB's. Carrying heavy, large glass jugs filled with gallons of liquid after a few homebrews just doesn't seem to be the safest thing to me.

They are lighter, and safer, and with the current carboy supplies, cheaper in some cases.

BTW, welcome back to brewing, your yeasties missed you