Labeling Carboys

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Gregg Meyer

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I have written on a piece of masking tape the 5 gal and 5.5gal mark and them covered it with clear shipping tape. works ok does anyone have a better way to label the glass?
 
cheap ball-chain (dog-tag chain) with alligator clips attached to an index card. (You know, the chains that hold the little napkin around your neck when you go to the dentist)

I've never done this, but I've seen it, and it looked pretty good. You can write name of the beer, date brewed/racked, etc. all on the index card.
 
Biermann said:
cheap ball-chain (dog-tag chain) with alligator clips attached to an index card. (You know, the chains that hold the little napkin around your neck when you go to the dentist)

I've never done this, but I've seen it, and it looked pretty good. You can write name of the beer, date brewed/racked, etc. all on the index card.
Excellent idea! Considering my brewery name, I should do dog tags.
 
I just use the blue masking tape that's about 2.5 inches wide and a sharpie. Works on my carboys, buckets, & kegs and peels off without any hassles.
 
I thought he was asking about labeling the water level... I have seen people use a dremel and a sanding drum to etch the glass at each gallon level... I'm about to do this to my fermenters since the tap keeps coming off...

Jester
 
Jester said:
I thought he was asking about labeling the water level... I have seen people use a dremel and a sanding drum to etch the glass at each gallon level... I'm about to do this to my fermenters since the tap keeps coming off...

Jester

I would HIGHLY suggest that you DO NOT do that. You'll create weak points in the glass. You'll eventually develop cracks or it might just break.
 
Jester said:
I thought he was asking about labeling the water level... I have seen people use a dremel and a sanding drum to etch the glass at each gallon level... I'm about to do this to my fermenters since the tap keeps coming off...

Jester
NO NO NO NO NO, Don't do that. You'll create points that are ripe for stress fractures and thermal cracks.

edit: - rdwj types faster than me.
 
orfy said:
I know my carboys. After all that effort brewing, I know the sound and smell of my young brews. It helps if we get separated.

What if you get separated from your brews early in their life?? Do they imprint on the first person they see??? :cross:
 
Biermann said:
What if you get separated from your brews early in their life?? Do they imprint on the first person they see??? :cross:
Of course they do.

Imprint.jpg
 
at the lhbs here they sell carboy tags; they're like plasticy-paper tags that fit around the neck of a carboy (sort of like hotel door hangers). they have space to write the beer name, recipe, OG, expected FG, racking times, and all sorts of other stuff.

it's not like you couldn't just use a piece of paper but at least with those things it's a little organized.
 
I used fingernail polish once I had determined exactly where all my levels were.

With an empty carboy, I added one gallon at a time, marking each as I went up.

I used SWMBOs blue fingernail polish (dont ask) and it has worked excellent.

Cheers,

knewshound
 
knewshound said:
I used fingernail polish once I had determined exactly where all my levels were.

With an empty carboy, I added one gallon at a time, marking each as I went up.

I used SWMBOs blue fingernail polish (dont ask) and it has worked excellent.

Cheers,

knewshound

Nailpolish, huh? That sounds like a good idea! I'll have to give that a try. I think SWMBO has some black from her Halloween costume - that should work
 
rdwj said:
Nailpolish, huh? That sounds like a good idea! I'll have to give that a try. I think SWMBO has some black from her Halloween costume - that should work

Sure, we know that's YOUR nail polish, and that it's candy-apple red... :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for the input, yes i am using the marks on the tape to register the 5 and 5 1/2 gal marks on the side of the carboy. i have been using a secondary and so i add enough water to make up for the loss when i rack the beer from fermenter to secondary to keg. i like the blue painters tape idea. Does it come off too easily. If it comes off I then have to remeasure the side of the carboy, I don't really want to do that.
 
The sharpie idea is great and the nail polish to great too. i work with glas and the dremel tool on the side of the carboy is not too great especially if you cause sparks, that is a sign of micro cracks you just inflicted into I say IN TO the glass and can fracture at that now weak point. If you have access to a sandblaster, you could etch marks into the sides of the carboy. This does not cause sparks and no micro cracks. I think if you get the outside of the carboy wet the etched marks would kind of disappear. i like the marking idea but may not be too ledgable.
 
I use black electrical tape and have for years and it's still there. I have 5, 5.5, and 6 gallons marked as seen in this picture:




Er...that's my Pumpkin Ale, not an extra chunky brown...

;)
 
Looks like your beer was in on the game!


...and it looks about 5.632467 to me...

:drunk:
 
I just use automotive pinstriping. Pretty cheap from Pep-Boys and stays on through washings. I went all the way around my carboys so that I don't have to face it one certain way to read it.
 
I second SWMBO's nail polish (or yours if you are SWMBO, or you're a SWMBO in hiding) I made marks on my carboy 2 years ago and it looks like I applied it yesterday.
 
beer4breakfast said:
I use electrical tape too. The top of each tape is 1 gallon. I just eyeball interpolate intermediate quantities. That's 5.5 gallons in the carboy there.

View attachment 698

What kind of beer is that, b4b? It looks very interesting.

I understand the krauesen, and maybe that's a whole lot of trub, but there's some crazy layering going on there! What's going on?
 
Yeah,

Electrical tape lasts a year or so,
and two pieces 4-5-6" long gives you the chance
to replace one if the other falls off.
But I like the fingernail polish idea... permanant!

Are we getting living down or what?

J. Knife
 
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