I'm switching to Better Bottles GRAPHIC

iambeer said:

This resonates with me and I have to add to it. I am a little bit offended at this whole thread.

Glass can break and it's sharp. We get it. It's a good reminder, almost as good as: brewing involves handling dangerous equipment... so don't drink while brewing, just like you don't drink while driving.

Many people have glass carboys and like them. Someone (and maybe 20 registered others) dropped their carboy and really hurt themselves in a way that is barely imaginable. So.... should every one say "sucker" to glass carboy owners until they stop using them. Or can we move on?

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certainly not my intention to offend you.

My question was, and is, genuine. Better bottles haven't been around forever and same with nylon straps. I am new to brewing, but prefer to use glass. If I am using glass, what have people found to be good ways to move their bottles? It's been done for years, there has to be some good ideas.

I appreciate the suggestions, such as milk crates...that's good idea, I can use that. That is the type of advice I look for on this board. This is a good place to learn from others, sometimes from their mistakes (ie do not pour from full carboy) and sometimes from their success (use a milk crate).

CBXBob said:

I still have two glass carboys, your post (with gory pictures) will make me be way more careful handling them. I've already ditched those carry handles for the carboy hauler straps. Sorry for your accident, Get well soon, and chill with a homebrew.

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I only use my glass carboy at a last resort and I have an old milk crate that I use to haul it around in...

Lol... people get their undies in a twist for no good reason.

Yes, I hurt myself. Yes, I was being a *******. Yes, I should have been more careful. Is it likely to happen to me again? Probably not as I'll be far more careful but I'm not willing to take that chance. Is plastic a cure-all that is without its own risks? Absolutely not. Am I prepared to handle those risks? I believe so.

BrewKnurd (Nathan) brings up a good point. If you don't like the thread, don't read it. I didn't make you come check this out, it just got popular and is about a serious topic. That and people generally have a sadistic nature and like to see the bloody pics.

jaytizzle said:

That and people generally have a sadistic nature and like to see the bloody pics.

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I came for the pics...and stayed for some tips!

First off, JTizz, glad you're ok and it wasn't worse man, that sucks. But I have to ask, why were you pouring a full carboy? No siphon? I use glass carboys fairly often and whenever I have a full one, whether it's beer, sanitizer or rinse water, I only move it with a brew hauler and never, ever lift it to try to pour. Takes a few minutes longer, but siphoning whatever's in it out is way safer that trying to pour. Also, I would never try to move an even slightly full glass vessel without something like a brew hauler or milk crate, it's just too dangerous. Again, sorry for your injury, but this is one of many many threads where operator error and not the evil glass carboy is to blame for the injuries caused.

Glad it was not worse for you.

Many years ago I was making home made wine. At the time I had easy access to almost free glass carboys and picked up 3 of them. After I finished my urge to make wine I just stuck em in the corner of the basement. Once setting up to do all plastic beer homebrewing I thought there might be a way I mite want to incorporate those glass carboys. Back in my winemaking days, short as they were I never saw a warning about the possible results of dropping one of them (pretty obvious except for the damage to the body that they can/do do) and never a mention of them shattering for little or no reason. Since that time I have seen numerous mentions of incidents like yours. Way too many for me to think that they were isolated. I choose to avoid the possibility altogether by avoiding the glass carboys. Better safe than sorry.

Good luck in your recovery.

Nordeast - good question. I shouldn't have been pouring from a carboy. I was emptying it into a bucket. As I started I even thought to myself that I should be siphoning. Not once have I blamed the glass. I know fully this was my fault. As I've said quite a few times, I was being a *******. And there's a chance that I'd do something stupid again. It's a whole lot cheaper for me to swap to plastic and throw one out every now and again than it is to visit the ER again.

jaytizzle said:

Nordeast - good question. I shouldn't have been pouring from a carboy. I was emptying it into a bucket. As I started I even thought to myself that I should be siphoning. Not once have I blamed the glass. I know fully this was my fault. As I've said quite a few times, I was being a *******. And there's a chance that iddo something stupid again. It's a whole lot cheaper for me to swap to plastic and throw one out every now and again than it is to visit the ER again.

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I hear ya. And I know you said it was operator error in the OP. It's just that these threads always attract the 'glass carboys will kill you' crowd (obviously, that's not you), and just like in your case, it's most always the brewer's and not the carboy's fault.
Wicked gashes though man, I can't say I blame you for switching to plastic after going through that. Glad you're ok.

I dropped my glass 6.5 this weekend while I was dumping the sanitizer out of it. I'd been half-balancing it on my knee while I crouched, and the outside was wet and slippery. I had taken the BrewHauler off to clean it. Not my smartest moment. It dropped about 2-2.5 feet onto my deck, but somehow didn't break. As it was falling toward my foot (I was wearing flip-flops, of course), this thread flashed through my mind. I'm still amazed that it didn't break and send me to the hospital.

So, siphon out the sanitizer, you say?

beertroll said:

So, siphon out the sanitizer, you say?

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Yes, like Chuck Norris it'll kill two stones with one bird. You'll be safe from gashing up your flip-flopped feet and you'll be sanitizing your auto siphon.

I should add, that because I use glass a lot, I'm well aware of the risks involved. My carboys never leave the floor without a brew hauler, they're always emptied by siphon and full carboys are seldom moved far; ~10 feet to and from swamp cooler. I'm not saying I'll never have a moment and end up seriously cut, but I'm very careful to avoid it.

I also only take the Brew Hauler off when I am washing the carboy but I only do this on the lawn. Not only is it far less likely to break if it slips but I get to water my grass at the same time. That last part might not be significant to you if you don't live in Central California.

bleme said:

That last part might not be significant to you if you don't live in Central California.

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Nah, this summer it is, pretty much the whole country is experiencing a bad draught. That's a really good idea though, using the lawn as a place to clean. Not to mention another way to kill two stones with one bird! :rockin:

This thread made my 4 year old girl cry LOL. She was sitting here next to me playing with play-doh and saw the carnage. Nice!

mikeysab said:

Call it "Funny beer", so when people ask you "why do you call it funny beer", you can say "that $hit left me in stitches"

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Hahaahahhaahahhahaahhahhahahaahhaha

Ahh, aaaaah, wooow.

Is the beer fortified with iron now?

bleme said:

I also only take the Brew Hauler off when I am washing the carboy but I only do this on the lawn. Not only is it far less likely to break if it slips but I get to water my grass at the same time. That last part might not be significant to you if you don't live in Central California.

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Where in central Cali?

spacecowboy13 said:

Where in central Cali?

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I'm in Visalia. You must be on your phone also!

I wash my car and rinse my bottles on the lawn too. Farmer's whole crops are dying to protect a minnow. I can't stand seeing perfectly fine water go down the gutter.

Oh ok, I'm in Lompoc. It's dry here too!