Have a couple of glass carboys and no matter how hard I scrub with the darn bottle brush I never seem to be able to get all the crud off the inside. Anyone have a good suggestion on a better way to clean them?
Best way to clean a carboy
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penabrewchef
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xfevv said:
As soon as you have pulled the beer out. Rinse thoroughly with hot water, then fill with cool water and add 1/4 cup of bleach. Let sit for 24 hours then rinse and done. If this doesn't work you might have scratches in the glass and need to replace the carboy
+1 for oxyclean, and for cleaning soon after racking.
I do it one of two ways,as stated above fill with water and oxyclean or fill about halfway with water add some oxyclean and use a carboy cleaner attached to an electric drill(works great and is fast).
rico567
Well-Known Member
Cleaning anything ASAP after using I have always found to be best policy. Sooner = easier.
I can't argue with any of the techniques given in this thread, and in fact used them on the few occasions when I fermented in my glass carboys.....back five years ago when I started. I decided early on that was a losing proposition, and it's been plastic buckets all the way since then. I use my carboys only for the rare secondary / bulk aging / dry hopping, and they're a piece of cake to clean after that.
I can't argue with any of the techniques given in this thread, and in fact used them on the few occasions when I fermented in my glass carboys.....back five years ago when I started. I decided early on that was a losing proposition, and it's been plastic buckets all the way since then. I use my carboys only for the rare secondary / bulk aging / dry hopping, and they're a piece of cake to clean after that.
chicken
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Another vote for hot water and oxiclean, and letting it sit. I hardly ever use a brush; if it doesn't come clean easily the first time, I just fill it up again with hot water and oxiclean and let it sit longer. This has even worked on some carboys I recently cleaned up that had been inadequately cleaned and left to sit for years.
MotorcycleMatt
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This! I rarely get out my carboy brush anymore. Let it sit for a day or so with the oxyclean solution in it and all the crap is gone and I rinse with water and let it dry.
pumpkinman2012
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I use Star San and a Carboy Cleaner, the carboy cleaner works fast and does the job!
Check it out here: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/carboy-cleaner.html
Check it out here: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/carboy-cleaner.html
homebrewdad
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Oxiclean free is the ticket. One scoop on the carboy. Fill to the top wth hot water. Top off later as the foam dies down until the carboy is filled to the brim. Let it soak a couple of hours; agitate the carboy a time or two.
I had a carboy that had been an eight week primary for a Belgian golden strong. Krasuen foam was like armor on the top.
Amount of brushing required using above method? Zero.
I had a carboy that had been an eight week primary for a Belgian golden strong. Krasuen foam was like armor on the top.
Amount of brushing required using above method? Zero.
SpeedYellow
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It only takes a little Oxy Clean; I use about 1/5th scoop with a quart or so of hot water, then swirl around and use a brush. Sure you can use a full scoop and 5gal water, but I'd rather just clean it NOW and also save the water & Oxy clean.
Since its glass, I would try this. Its a tip from my homebrew club.
Add some baking soda, rice (big bags from supermarket) and some water. This makes a sludge with "scrubbers" aka the rice. Shake, dump and rinse thoroughly. Works like a charm.
Add some baking soda, rice (big bags from supermarket) and some water. This makes a sludge with "scrubbers" aka the rice. Shake, dump and rinse thoroughly. Works like a charm.
Another vote for OxyClean and hot water.
If I come back later, there is still crud, and I am in a hurry, I will pour out all but about 2 quarts and stuff a washcloth in there to swirl around.
At my last club meeting, they demoed a Mark II Keg and Carboy washer. They run $100 but Midwest puts them on special for $80 every once in a while. I might get one when I win the lottery.
If I come back later, there is still crud, and I am in a hurry, I will pour out all but about 2 quarts and stuff a washcloth in there to swirl around.
At my last club meeting, they demoed a Mark II Keg and Carboy washer. They run $100 but Midwest puts them on special for $80 every once in a while. I might get one when I win the lottery.
Shaking carboys in the presence of water and detergents is to be avoided when possible, lest one end up in the Carboy Victim thread. Hot tap water (~130°F) and two tablespoons of Oxyclean left alone on the kitchen counter for a couple/few hours always works for me, no shaking or brushing required...
Cheers!
Cheers!
day_trippr said:
I think this is more of a problem when in the presence of homebrew. Always handle your carboy while sober.
The testimonials posted in the various Shattered-Carboys-With-Major-Blood-Loss-And-Other-Gruesome-Injuries threads suggest otherwise. Of course, first-person reports aren't necessarily balanced
That's for certain. Lots of ways to shrug mortal coils without daring it to happen...
Cheers!
rico567
Well-Known Member
THIS. My rule on brewday is that the caps don't come off until the yeast is pitched.
bleme said:Another vote for OxyClean and hot water.
If I come back later, there is still crud, and I am in a hurry, I will pour out all but about 2 quarts and stuff a washcloth in there to swirl around.
At my last club meeting, they demoed a Mark II Keg and Carboy washer. They run $100 but Midwest puts them on special for $80 every once in a while. I might get one when I win the lottery.
I have used Mark II Keg and Carboy washer for a month now. It is a time, water and PBW saver. Yesterday I washed and rinsed 5 carboys while brewing a Hefe. The most productive brew day I ever had. I highly recommend getting one.
day_trippr said:The testimonials posted in the various Shattered-Carboys-With-Major-Blood-Loss-And-Other-Gruesome-Injuries threads suggest otherwise. Of course, first-person reports aren't necessarily balanced
I did have a Star San slicked carboy slip out of my hands once. I was on grass and on my knees at the time so nothing broke, but I still ordered a Brew Hauler the next day.
There are plenty of things someone can do to improve their survival, but it is always harder to focus on those things if you are mentally picking apart a handcrafted libation.
Rinse with hot water using one of them fancy bottle jet washer things, I hook it up to my sink, flip and hold the carboy upside down and let the jet do the work. Then if anythings left, let it soak with some bleach overnight and rinse again. Cheers
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