pyrex fermenter

have a buddy that was interested in the hobby a year or so ago, so i told him i would show him how to do it....i told him what he needed (carboy etc). He comes up with a pyrex 5 gallon fermentator.....I have no idea how much this is worth (he had it salvaged from a lab that went out of business) I dont beleive he appreciated the time investment for the beer and hasnt made beer since. I suppose i could get the carboy from him--likely for free. Any suggestions on if i should directly heat this thing????

New, it is probably worth $250-300. It would certainly handle a heat belt without any worries.

When he brought it to the brew session it was still in the box, with the packing materials included. It has an odd flange on the top, probably .75 inches wide and the neck is non-standard, I dont remember the size bung we ended up using, I believe the nominal diameter we measured was like 2.5 inches or so (its been awhile since I saw the thing.)

I think Im gonna have to have me a chat with me friend

I wanna see a picture of this baaad boy...working at a medical, I might be passing something like this by on a daily basis, and might be able to lay my hands on one, like I did my stirplate and beakers, when the upgrade them.

Revvy said:

I wanna see a picture of this baaad boy...working at a medical, I might be passing something like this by on a daily basis, and might be able to lay my hands on one, like I did my stirplate and beakers, when the upgrade them.

Click to expand...

I dont have a picture handy, but it looks very similiar to standard carboy, except instead of the mouth of the neck being threaded or bottle like, it has a flange around the top, from 3/4 to 1 inch wide (i assume to allow for clamp type fittings to allow for sealed connections.....) On the side in big red letters is Pyrex, same font as the grocery store measuring cup thingys. I don't recall any measuring index markings, although they may have been there...

Was a bit heavier than a carboy, i would estimate around 20% (I believe the glass was thicker than a carboy)

Look a little something like this? It is $284!

big t said:

Look a little something like this? It is $284!

Click to expand...

almost just like it, except carboy sized....

The pic I posted is a 5 gallon pyrex carboy, its just a small pic.

i dont remember the neck being so conical in shape, but perhaps it was. Like i said it was over a year ago, approaching two. I need to get down to his house and have a chat with him......

the gold mine i worked at had that carboy in their lab, stored cyanide and acid in them, they gave me two when they closed down and after i cleaned the hell out of them i've been useing them for years. they work very good for fermenters but they are hard to move around, they weigh about twice the regular carboy.
gary

shineman said:

the gold mine i worked at had that carboy in their lab, stored cyanide and acid in them, they gave me two when they closed down and after i cleaned the hell out of them i've been useing them for years. they work very good for fermenters but they are hard to move around, they weigh about twice the regular carboy.
gary

Click to expand...

Im glad this one was brand new, nothing like a little poison with your brew.....

Glass is easy to clean, especially when dealing with substances as soluble as acids and cyanide salts. A simple acid and base regimen after a good rinsing will clean it of just about anything likely to have been in such a large container.

I have the same type of carboy I gave a whopping $15 for at an antique/flea market place. Nothing like having a carboy you can put over a bunsen burner if you're feeling adventurous. They're a bit thick for any kind of drastic thermal shock, but you don't have to be nearly as concerned as with a cheap soda glass carboy. I wouldn't hesitate to fill a room temp (Pyrex) carboy with boiling hot wort, for instance. The thermal shock rating for Pyrex 7740 (standard labware type 1 borosilicate) is 160C.

I found this site through looking for this item as a friend of my son has just walked in and give me one he used it to keep spare change in but it was to big for obvious reasons mine has a short neck with a mouth about 2 1/4 inch with a taper i love it even more looking at estimated value but the top is missing any ideas? (What to use as a top not what to do with it I am planning 4 gallon of wine to start) i recon it will be ok with cling film over to start but i would like a top to make an airlock fit.
Oh mine has a drain off on the bottom also with a fat bung in demijohn size
PS good site

sorry to drag up an old thread but I just had a guy offer me three of these for 225 total. Is it worth it? Not sure the advantages to better bottles.

molson said:

sorry to drag up an old thread but I just had a guy offer me three of these for 225 total. Is it worth it? Not sure the advantages to better bottles.

Click to expand...

Probably! BUT, they are heavy and glass. Three Better Bottles will cost you about $90 or so, I think, and they are plastic and lightweight. I'd probably NOT get the glass ones for $225. You can buy new glass ones (not the nice Pyrex but still glass carboys) for under $100 for three.

molson said:

sorry to drag up an old thread but I just had a guy offer me three of these for 225 total. Is it worth it? Not sure the advantages to better bottles.

Click to expand...

I picked one up on craigslist for $30. If you look, you can find them cheap. As you noted there really isn't any great advantage of a pyrex carboy. I like that it has a big lip around the neck, which makes it easy to hold. However, the stopper doesn't fit in as wall as a glass or BB carboy.

I wouldn't pay more than $100 for the three of them, assuming you are in the market for three carboys.

I picked up this 5 gallon Pyrex solution bottle FREE today!

My neighbor works in a research lab and mentioned my hobby to his boss in passing. The boss said he had something lying around the lab that I'd be interested in. This thing was collecting dust in some corner of the lab.

I have another 6 gallon one I got in a similar fashion. I'm going to use this for Apfelwein like I do my other one because there's no kreusen. It takes a size 12 stopper, FYI.