PSA: Don't put hot wort into a Better Bottle (pic)

No, these aren't the 3 gallon version of Better Bottles. This is what happens when your hop sack develops a leak, dumps them into the boil pot, and your chiller gets clogged. Then, while common sense was taking a leak in the side lot, you just go ahead and pump into the fermentors.

Not mine (seriously). My friend's.

Oh Gheebus!

Well I guess now they DO have 3 gallon BBs...

I think they would make lovely garden fountains. Sorry...a Martha Stewart moment.
Susie

Just put them into the oven for a few minutes and then blow them back up to size.

Wow! Probably just glad it wasn't glass he decided to dump it into?

worksnorth said:

Wow! Probably just glad it wasn't glass he decided to dump it into?

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i've never melted a glass fermentor.

amandabab said:

i've never melted a glass fermentor.

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Boil with an arc welder.

amandabab said:

i've never melted a glass fermentor.

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Glass breaks. I've done that one.

gestyr said:

Boil with an arc welder.

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don't give me electric brewing ideas, its dangerous.
now I'm trying to think how to brew with an old Lincoln generator/arc welder.

passedpawn said:

Glass breaks. I've done that one.

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Thank you

Just more reasons I'm glad I don't use glass or plastic to ferment my beers [anymore]. I could put boiling hot wort into my fermenters without any issue at all. Well, other than they would be almost boiling hot at that point too.

That's why I love my IC. 55 degree tap water (in the summer) and 50ft of copper coil cools my wort down in no time at all.

Apparently you are a slow learner. Two times?

What was the temp of the wort ?

Last winter I was brewing when my waterhose was frozen, so I couldn't cool the wort. I had only one option: put the wort in the fermenter. After that I put the fermenter outstide in the snow (it was -10 celcius that moment). Hadn't ahad any problems with the plastic.

Koffie said:

What was the temp of the wort ?

Last winter I was brewing when my waterhose was frozen, so I couldn't cool the wort. I had only one option: put the wort in the fermenter. After that I put the fermenter outstide in the snow (it was -10 celcius that moment). Hadn't ahad any problems with the plastic.

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Really, it wasn't me so I'm not sure. He says it happened within a few minutes of adding the hot wort. I'm guessing it was REALLY hot.

That's some serious shrinkage....

IF I recall properly, the maximum 'safe' temperature for Better Bottles is 140F. So, if he didn't chill at least to that level, you see the results... I believe that glass carboys can handle a little higher temp (maybe up to 160F if I recall properly) but it's not a good idea either. IMO, it's never a good idea to send wort, that's more than warm, into a plastic, or glass, fermenter. Luckily, I don't have to worry about that. Besides what I ferment in, I have a solid plate chiller on the job.

I've been using a hop spider of my own design/build which I inspect the nylon bag before each batch. I'm probably going to get one of the stainless spiders before my next batch too. Then I'll never need to worry about any bag breakage happening.

I did that once. Got to learn the hard way.

Also, don't put an empty better bottle right next to your burner.