My worst homebrewing disaster so far (advice, please)

[worlddivides]

So I started fermenting a mead a little over a week ago and I'd been checking the temperature daily, putting ice packs and bottles and so on in there to moderate the temperature. Well, late last night before I went to bed, I opened the cool brewing bag that I keep my fermenter in and noticed some liquid on the bottom of the bag that I thought at first was condensation from the ice packs. I got some paper towels and wiped it up and smelled it. It smelled like alcohol and was a very light yellowish color (noticeable on the paper towel, but not when it was in the cool brewing bag). This worried me since it made me think there might be leak. I felt around the carboy, but there wasn't any cracks anywhere on the side. "Well, what about below it?" I thought and grabbed the carboy by the neck at the top and began lifting it to see it there were any cracks below. The second I pulled up, the bottom broke clean off and 5 gallons of fermenting mead began pouring into the cool brewing bag. I freaked out here, because I knew that if I didn't act quick, that mead would seep through the bag and make the biggest mess imaginable, so I picked up the heavy bag and broken carboy and rushed to the kitchen, and then to the sink. I put the bag in one sink and leaned it over the second to drain it out.

This sucks on multiple levels: I've lost the most expensive batch of anything I had ever made down the drain (honey is WAY more expensive than grain, hops, and adjuncts), only maybe 1 and a half weeks after fermentation started. I also lost my primary fermenter without any clear reasons why. There were no leaks when I put it in there. I never dropped it, never had anything collide with it. It was on the carpet, not on a wood or cement floor. It didn't leak for the first week or so after fermentation started and then just started leaking yesterday. When I lifted it up, the bottom broke clean off. Very cleanly in a circle right around the base.

I do plan on getting a new primary fermenter, but I don't like plastic buckets and I'm paranoid about getting another glass carboy. I've heard nightmare stories about glass fermenters, but they always involved dropping them or something that was the fault of the brewer or someone helping the brewer. This time I have no idea why the carboy broke. If it had broken from me dropping it, I would have no problems buying another glass carboy, but that's not the case. It broke, despite how careful I was -- and I don't have a clue why.

I've heard lots of good things about BetterBottle carboys, though. They might be my best option at the moment.

Can anyone give me advice on what kind of a primary fermenter to get to replace my previous one? I think I'd like to be sold on a BetterBottle carboy, but only if it has what I need... If I lived in a big house with a basement, I might even consider one of the cheaper conicals, but that's not an option now.

 

[Happywanderer]

Spiedel plastic fermenter. Fast Fermentor conical plastic Fermentor. Big Mouth Bubbler plastic.

SS Brew Bucket (it is stainless steel).

I have a 2nd gen glass BMB. Love it. I also have a 1st gen plastic BMB. And a 1st gen glass BMB. And of course plastic buckets.




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[worlddivides]

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked all of your suggestions out. SS Brew Bucket looks great, but is a bit more money than I think I'm willing to pay right now.

Of your suggestions, I think the Speidel 30L looks like the best option. The only thing about it I really don't like is how it's not clear. I always like to watch my beer ferment at least once a day, but the Speidel is opaque. Other than that, though, I think the Speidel is definitely looking like the best option.

I'm going to keep considering my options before I actually buy one, but the Speidel is currently in first place.

 

[M4car223]

I second the plastics suggestion. Being a former EMT and seeing some of the pictures of lacerations from breaking glass carboys.

Dont be bummed about losing the batch, because the amount of money lost on the batch is likely significantly cheaper than the hospital bill if that broke and sliced you open.

I still use my glass one, but it gets transported in a plastic tub with rope handles (like you get from Walmart)....reduces the chance of severe injury and mess if it breaks.

 

[coldbrewnoob]

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked all of your suggestions out. SS Brew Bucket looks great, but is a bit more money than I think I'm willing to pay right now.

Of your suggestions, I think the Speidel 30L looks like the best option. The only thing about it I really don't like is how it's not clear. I always like to watch my beer ferment at least once a day, but the Speidel is opaque. Other than that, though, I think the Speidel is definitely looking like the best option.

I'm going to keep considering my options before I actually buy one, but the Speidel is currently in first place.

There is a possibility if you used really hot water to wash out your glass carboy it cracked it. I had several glass bottles break after i sink washed then in hot water. Full hot on a room temp bottle causes too much temp differential in areas of the bottle and severly weakens them.

I dropped my glass carboy after washing it 4 years ago and never replaced it. Ive only used plastic buckets. However, ..... I dont do batches that require secondary for more than 30 days. If i did i would consider getting a new carboy. If i have my chioce i would gett a ss fermentor, or the spiedel 8 gallon.

 

[worlddivides]

I second the plastics suggestion. Being a former EMT and seeing some of the pictures of lacerations from breaking glass carboys.

Dont be bummed about losing the batch, because the amount of money lost on the batch is likely significantly cheaper than the hospital bill if that broke and sliced you open.

I still use my glass one, but it gets transported in a plastic tub with rope handles (like you get from Walmart)....reduces the chance of severe injury and mess if it breaks.

I'm bummed about losing the batch, but I'm also grateful that I was able to get it to the sink without 5 gallons of sticky half-fermented mead all over my living room floor and, like you said, I'm grateful I didn't get cut and have to go to the hospital.

I do still have my 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation, but I don't use that too often since most of the things I brew don't need a secondary. I think, though, that even if my 5 gallon glass carboy broke, I would buy another one just because plastic (even excellent plastic) doesn't seem like a good idea for a long secondary.

There is a possibility if you used really hot water to wash out your glass carboy it cracked it. I had several glass bottles break after i sink washed then in hot water. Full hot on a room temp bottle causes too much temp differential in areas of the bottle and severly weakens them.

That is a very good point. Whenever my carboy was FILTHY with yeast and so on, I would heat up some water with PBW and put that inside. It was never boiling hot water, but it was occasionally quite hot.

It is possible that the last time I washed the carboy severely weakened the bottom and perhaps the violent action of the fermentation pushed it even further.

I watched a bunch of videos and read a few "Speidel vs. XXXX" threads and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting the 30L plastic Speidel fermenter. It just seems the best plastic option I've seen so far.

 

[November]

At least it only cost you money for ingredients.

My carboy disaster resulted in stitches.

I've since switched to plastic and ss.

 

[worlddivides]

At least it only cost you money for ingredients.

Well, money for ingredients, the cost of the carboy, and the cost of the cool brewing bag.

My carboy disaster resulted in stitches.

I've since switched to plastic and ss.

Sorry to hear about the stitches. I've heard of a lot of stories like that. I was even reading about a carboy that shattered because the brewer's dog's tail was wagging and hit it. I guess that goes with the weakened glass theory.

I just ordered the Speidel 30 liter plastic carboy. Should be here next week. I already have the ingredients for my next beer ready (and the vanilla beans and cocoa nibs soaking in bourbon), so I'll test it out immediately.

 

[Gameface]

The horror stories of broken glass carboys DO NOT always involve dropping or doing anything at all that would lead a person to think that their carboy was at risk. There are MANY stories much like yours about people who've had catastrophic failures of their glass carboys for completely inexplicable reasons.

People like the glass carboys. That's fine. But hopefully they like them for some reason not at all related to the quality of the product that comes out of them compared to the same thing made in a plastic bucket or any other type of fermentation vessel. Because there isn't an inherent difference in quality. Glass carboys do not poop out good beer just because they're glass carboys and plastic buckets do not ruin what would otherwise have been a great beer.

/rant off

I've been using speidel fermenters for a few years now and I absolutely love them. Now, when I bought them they were considerably cheaper than they are now, so I'm not sure I would try one out today if I was looking for a fermenter, but if I needed to expand, or if I needed to replace one of my existing fermenters, I would bite the bullet and pay for a new speidel. These are purpose built fermentation vessels. They are incredibly easy to use, to clean, everything. They are phenomenal.

 

[coldbrewnoob]

People like the glass carboys. That's fine. But hopefully they like them for some reason not at all related to the quality of the product that comes out of them compared to the same thing made in a plastic bucket or any other type of fermentation vessel. Because there isn't an inherent difference in quality. Glass carboys do not poop out good beer just because they're glass carboys and plastic buckets do ruin your beer.

Ive been told that plastic buckets allow air to seep through and oxidize our beer. The reason they dont use plastic to bottle beer, is they oxodize also. A few years back some of the big brewers used plastic bottles with with an oxogen barrier and i have some and i still use them to bottle.

The thing i dont know is how long we can store a bucket before we could actually taste the oxidation of the beer. Ive had wort in a seconary for about 4-5 weeks and was best beer i had made up to that point. However, as i stated, i dont lager my beer more than 2-3 weeks, as i typically dont make that styles.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]There are MANY stories much like yours about people who've had catastrophic failures of their glass carboys for completely inexplicable reasons.[...]

Not really. There's always an "explicable".
Like, partially submerging the carboy in ice water...

Cheers!

 

[Gameface]

Not really. There's always an "explicable".
Like, partially submerging the carboy in ice water...

Cheers!

Haha, sure. But I guess what I'm saying is that people can do a lot of things that at the time they don't realize might compromise their carboy. And, I think, the possibility of manufacturing defects is one thing that they could never know ahead of time.

Long story short, you can have absolutely no reason to believe your carboy is about to shatter and it can still shatter, quickly and unexpectedly. And a shattered carboy can straight up kill you.

 

[Gameface]

Ive been told that plastic buckets allow air to seep through and oxidize our beer. The reason they dont use plastic to bottle beer, is they oxodize also. A few years back some of the big brewers used plastic bottles with with an oxogen barrier and i have some and i still use them to bottle.

The thing i dont know is how long we can store a bucket before we could actually taste the oxidation of the beer. Ive had wort in a seconary for about 4-5 weeks and was best beer i had made up to that point. However, as i stated, i dont lager my beer more than 2-3 weeks, as i typically dont make that styles.

Plastic buckets do not allow O2 to seep through in any amount that should be of concern for 99% of your beers.

If I was going to make a RIS and age it for a year or more fact is I could do it in a plastic bucket and have no noticeable effect, but that's a situation where I might consider moving it to a more airtight container for long term storage. And my A#1 choice for such a container would be a stainless steal keg.

Speidel fermenters are made for fermenting, storing and ageing wine. They are purpose built for the long term storage of fermented beverages. If a standard plastic bucket allows O2 to seep in, which I do not think they do, then that's something else, Speidels are made of stuff designed to age fermented beverages in.

 

[Jsamp]

And yet another reason why I wont use glass fermenters.

 

[rupert130]

One more vote for the plastic Big Mouth Bubblers. I have 2 6.5 gallon size and they work great. Their slim diameter allows me to place both in the chest freezer ferm chamber at the same time. Very easy to move and clean.

 

[Silentdrinker]

I got rid if glass ages ago. After that I started fermenting in SS 1/4 kegs for 5 gallon batches. Then I acquired 9 ten gallon sanke kegs. But I got tired of splitting batches. So I built my own 15.5 gallon pressurized fermenters from kegs by adding a corny lid to the top and the gas/liquid posts on the lid.

 

[MindenMan]

I still use plastic buckets to ferment in. I have never had any problems with them of any kind. It is common for me to primary at least one month and sometimes two without incident.

 

[Yesfan]

One more vote for the plastic Big Mouth Bubblers. I have 2 6.5 gallon size and they work great. Their slim diameter allows me to place both in the chest freezer ferm chamber at the same time. Very easy to move and clean.

I love mine. I use them more than my Better Bottles. The biggest reason they are my favorite is how easy to clean they are.


If they would only make a tall skinny 3 gallon version, I could replace all my Better Bottles.

 

[catdaddy66]

I've used plastic buckets since I began home brewing but have also used a glass carboy for a couple of years. It worked very well and I was always cautious about the temp of the liquids (wort or water) that went into it so it wouldn't be subjected to huge stresses from varying temp gradients. I retired it recently after locating a 2" long crack and replaced it with a plastic version. I hope Santa brings me a Speidel or Big Mouth Bubbler that I've been dreaming about!

 

[powermd]

1. Dropped a 5L glass flask full of starter wort on the tile floor on the main level of my house. Glass shards embedded in sticky wort went far and wide. This happened 5 minutes before SWMBO came home with the kids playing in the next room, thankfully gated in. I have never failed to keep a hand under these flasks since.

2. I let a Conan beer ferment over 71.5F trying to score more attenuation and it went phenolic.. not what I wanted at all.

3. Recent attempt at an apricot/peach ale was too tart. I probably should have inactivated the yeast before adding the Vinter's Harvest purees. I added half a pound of lactose to the keg. That definitely sweetened it up a bit, but it just tasted wrong. Maybe it was the slightly creamy element from the lactose. So I flushed it.

4. On a few occasions adding LME to my BK I noticed the distinct smell of burned sugar and noticed black flecks in the wort. That would be the LME going straight to the kettle bottom and burning instead of mixing well. It didn't seem to affect the taste of the beer though. Probably won't be an issue since I added a low watt density heating coil to my BK.

 

[muels]

1. Dropped a 5L glass flask full of starter wort on the tile floor on the main level of my house. Glass shards embedded in sticky wort went far and wide. This happened 5 minutes before SWMBO came home with the kids playing in the next room, thankfully gated in. I have never failed to keep a hand under these flasks since.



2. I let a Conan beer ferment over 71.5F trying to score more attenuation and it went phenolic.. not what I wanted at all.



3. Recent attempt at an apricot/peach ale was too tart. I probably should have inactivated the yeast before adding the Vinter's Harvest purees. I added half a pound of lactose to the keg. That definitely sweetened it up a bit, but it just tasted wrong. Maybe it was the slightly creamy element from the lactose. So I flushed it.



4. On a few occasions adding LME to my BK I noticed the distinct smell of burned sugar and noticed black flecks in the wort. That would be the LME going straight to the kettle bottom and burning instead of mixing well. It didn't seem to affect the taste of the beer though. Probably won't be an issue since I added a low watt density heating coil to my BK.

"Don't do that"??


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[amcclai7]

I love plastic buckets and use them for everything except super long fermentations. My beer turns out great and I never have to worry about things like this. There are many, many other advantages to plastic buckets as well that I won't belabor here, but suffice it to say that you can make exceptional beer in buckets. Mead on the other hand I would go with the better bottles because of the oxidation risk. Whatever you do, IMO, get rid of the glass.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[worlddivides]

I love plastic buckets and use them for everything except super long fermentations. My beer turns out great and I never have to worry about things like this. There are many, many other advantages to plastic buckets as well that I won't belabor here, but suffice it to say that you can make exceptional beer in buckets. Mead on the other hand I would go with the better bottles because of the oxidation risk. Whatever you do, IMO, get rid of the glass.

Just my 2 cents.

From what I've read, Speidel fermenters actually have lower oxygen permeability than BetterBottle carboys.

Regardless, though, even with meads, the primary fermentation period is too short to really allow any oxidation risk. Besides, my secondary fermenter is still a glass carboy, so there would be zero risk of oxidation there (well, close to zero since "zero risk" is an impossibility). My next mead will probably have the primary fermentation in the Speidel for about 1 month, then in the 5 gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation (however long that'll be).

I ordered my Speidel fermenter online, so it hasn't arrived yet, but I'll be trying out a mad scientist experiment in it as soon as it arrives.