Uses for a Dented Plastic Carboy

[rlogan]

Hello all!

Just last weekend I started up my first brew. I did pretty much everything wrong that I could have done wrong, but I learned a lot and am crossing my fingers while it's bubbling away in the fermenter.

I'm using a 7.5g turkey fryer for BIAB, and am using plastic carboys. With everything I learned last weekend, I got excited and didn't want to wait until my carboy was free again to do my next batch, so I ordered up another one (as well as a brown porter kit that I'm excited to try on Saturday). Problem is, this one showed up with a huge dent in it. The place I ordered from is being awesome and is sending me out another one that will be here on Saturday at the latest, so it doesn't mess up my plans, but they told me to dispose of or recycle the dented one since it's not worth sending back.

My question is.. is there anything I can use this dented carboy for instead of throwing it out? With a dent in it, I guess sanitization might be a bit trickier than usual, so I don't know if I want to ferment in it, but are there any other uses that anyone knows of / can think of for a dented carboy?

Thanks!!

 

[burninator]

You could put a solid stopper on it and use it to store pre-mixed sanitizer or cleaner. Is there a crease where it's dented. If so, it could crack there, in which case there's not much use for it.

 

[MFWINZLOW]

Dented? Fill with hot water (not over 140f I think) and let the water weight and temp pop it out - unless as previously stated - it has a hard line / crease...

I mean...ship it to me. I have a federally approved and licensed carboy disposal plant that specializes in dented carboys.
We will handle this very dangerous situation for you free of charge because it is your first time.

 

[Jwin]

Cut the bottom off and have a giant beer funnel

Save your change

Transport RO water from a store in it

 

[blizz81]

Dented? Fill with hot water (not over 140f I think) and let the water weight and temp pop it out - unless as previously stated - it has a hard line / crease.

Heh...that's what creased my plastic carboy. Brewing buddy attempted to clean it with hot tap water when I wasn't in the kitchen. Caved in on itself somewhat.


I kept it around in case I wanted to sour in it. Really though, mine is probably fine to use normally. Not sure for OP's. As mentioned, if it doesn't hold liquid, no real use. If it does, probably fine to use as normal, but if you want to play it safe on the off-chance of harboring bacteria in a tiny crack, one suggestion is to dedicate it to bugs.

 

[MFWINZLOW]

Heh...that's what creased my plastic carboy. Brewing buddy attempted to clean it with hot tap water when I wasn't in the kitchen. Caved in on itself somewhat.


I kept it around in case I wanted to sour in it. Really though, mine is probably fine to use normally. Not sure for OP's. As mentioned, if it doesn't hold liquid, no real use. If it does, probably fine to use as normal, but if you want to play it safe on the off-chance of harboring bacteria in a tiny crack, one suggestion is to dedicate it to bugs.

I agree that it is just way to dangerous for him to go off willy-nilly fooling around with this obviously dented carboy. All matter of calamity may be the result.

 

[rlogan]

It's a pretty serious dent - like 8 or so inches across. I don't know if I'd say it has a "crease". Maybe I'll try the warm water method, and if that doesn't work, storing sanitizer or hauling water around sounds ok.

I do really love sours, but brewing them is probably not something I'm going to be able to handle for a little while yet.

Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[Yesfan]

Would a shop vac be able to pull the dent out? If there's a flat spot where the vac's hose could sit flush, maybe the vac could pull the dent out. I'm guessing if there's hardly a crease, maybe the vac will have enough suction to pop it back out.

 

[burninator]

Would a shop vac be able to pull the dent out? If there's a flat spot where the vac's hose could sit flush, maybe the vac could pull the dent out. I'm guessing if there's hardly a crease, maybe the vac will have enough suction to pop it back out.

Or reverse the flow and blow air into the bottle.

 

[phug]

Or use is as a grain hopper for an eventual grain mill

 

[rlogan]

Or use is as a grain hopper for an eventual grain mill

Oooooohhh... That is probably going to be a while though. Next purchase is the wort chiller, after that is the mini-fridge.. grain mill though... I could add that to the list..

 

[MFWINZLOW]

Fill with some bondo, a bit of sanding and a little primer - then sell it...nobody will ever know

Last smart aleck post on this...cannot help it

This is THE place for beer knowledge - and how to repair and sell a damaged carboy...welcome!

 

[madscientist451]

Dented Carboy? Target practice!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ayE3E-kmY[/ame]

 

[Singletrack]

Halloween costume. Head in a carboy.

Carnival game. Fill with BBs and have people guess the number inside.

Superbowl beer container. Never leave your chair for a refill.

Friend prank. Fill with live lizards and set on its side in your friend's bedroom.

Gypsy money-maker. Stare into the dented carboy to tell fortunes.

Pinky ring. Cut a small hole and insert pinky.

 

[k-moe]

Do you ever go on long road trips?

 

[Stillraining]

Do you ever go on long road trips?

HA HA...now that's funny!

 

[Lbm]

A while back I was looking for uses for my retired carboys. I thought I might cut them in half and make self watering planters. They're still out on my back porch waiting....

 

[Jwin]

EBay
Genieless magic bottle (got the genie out)

 

[Jwin]

No one yet?

Tong storage container

 

[rlogan]

So, looks like the place sending me the replacement carboy shipped it from their CA location instead of the PA location, so I'm not getting it until next week. I still really want to get this porter started tomorrow though....

That means I have 2 options for a fermenter. First is the dented carboy, and second is a morebeer.com bucket with an airlock, but without a gasket making it actually air tight. I had intended to use the bucket as a bottling bucket, but I didn't get around to putting the spigot in yet, so right now it's still intact.

Any recommendations on which I should use? One has a dent, and the other isn't 100% air tight.

Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

Bucket!

They don't have to be airtight. And don't open them until the beer is done. 2-3 weeks.

I would put warm water into the dented carboy (little past the dent) to soften it up a little, then add some air pressure to try to reverse the dent.