Broken Glass Carboy Horror Stories Compendium

[passedpawn]

...

It's not only the clumsy that can be hurt by glass carboys. I've used glass carboys exclusively for over 15 years, for both primary and secondary fermentation. I brew about 20 batches per year. That's 300 batches X 2 = 600 times I've handled, sanitized, and rinsed a carboy. I have always been careful and never had an issue until last weekend. While lifting the carboy to pour a small amount of rinse water into the sink (one hand on the neck and one hand under the bottom, just like always), the bottom fell out of the carboy without warning. There was nothing I could do to prevent the broken glass from doing significant damage to my hand. I have 2 other carboys which I'll continue to use, but I'll be switching to plastic for primary. Now I just need to decide between plastic bucket and plastic carboy.

 

[mikescooling]

I switched from glass to using sanke's. Part of the deal when I sold my carboy's was the buyer come over for a brew day and I give them to him full. I was freaked out carrying the 70lbs (X4)of carboy to his car. I thought,"this is it, I'm going to get bit the last time I handle them" I was glad to see them go. No glass in the brewery, my cup is even made of SS. I played carboy roulette and won.

 

[Lift]

Just had a guy come over and drop a carboy out of his slick fingers, shattered, cut his hand, ankle, trip to ER, stitches.

For Sale: 6 glass carboys.

I'm going all better bottle.

 

[AnOldUR]

For Sale: 6 glass carboys.

Where do you live?

 

[RPCidery]

I use Brewhaulers on my glass carboys. Except for my nine-gallon carboy. It stays put when it's full. Wearing an apron while moving them might just be a good idea now that I think about it.. All of my threes, fives, and sixes are older Italian and Mexican manufacture. Avoid the Chinese carboys like the plague. I even have an old O-I two gallon glass carboy, wish I had two of them.

 

[Lift]

Where do you live?

Well, sir, I live in Portland, Oregon. Why?

 

[troy2000]

Well, sir, I live in Portland, Oregon. Why?

Maybe because he's interested in the carboys you said you have for sale...y'think?

 

[RPCidery]

Portland, eh? Hmmm.....

 

[Lift]

Yeah, PM me if you want them, $25 each, you can have the bungs and airlocks, too. I'm going to probably do plastic buckets, maybe try to find stainless steel for aging.

 

[globetrekker]

Just bumped my carboy on a ceramic tile on the way down to the basement! I got off easy not a scratch and yes I was wearing sandals! Had to watch my 5 plus gallons of Scottish Ale wash down the steps though. Even though I did think I would see a blood trail next ! Back to plastic for me!

 

[Sheldon]

I have 2 5 gal plastic carboys available for $25 total, local pick up in VA if anyone is interested (bungs included). I still use one glass carboy, but its sitting in a plastic milk bucket to protect against breakage.

Sheldon

 

[Hello]

I have 2 5 gal plastic carboys available for $25 total, local pick up in VA if anyone is interested (bungs included). I still use one glass carboy, but its sitting in a plastic milk bucket to protect against breakage.

Sheldon

There is a For Sale forum for these posts.

 

[Sheldon]

its posted there, just threw it into the conversation.

 

[StainlessBrewing]

This thread scares the crap out of me as I think it's intended to do. I've been pretty lucky with how I handle mine but seeing some of the damage and life long effects these thing can do, I will start treating these things with a little more respect. I make a living using my hands and actually like the way they are now. Thanks for the posting this thread to aware others of the damage these things can do.

 

[grimzella]

Crate... Crates.. and more Crates!! come on everyone. Knives are sharp to.. but you don't go around carrying it by the BLADE end... do ya? Same with glass. Treat it like a sharp edge knife. All my glass is easily carried with milk crates. Cheap and easy. Walmart carries them. I had one that popped its bottom while I was shifting things around. This carboy was only 3 months old. Had it not been inside a crate.. that heavy bottom would have busted a toe.. or cut it clean off. I lost my beer and got my feet & legs wet.

 

[TheCanisDirus]

This is giving me a mild anxiety attack lol. I've long known the dangers of glass carboys... but christ!! Might have to sell all my 6 and 12 gallon Pyrex carboys now... i like my figers and toes

 

[grimzella]

This is giving me a mild anxiety attack lol. I've long known the dangers of glass carboys... but christ!! Might have to sell all my 6 and 12 gallon Pyrex carboys now... i like my figers and toes

I'd buy em.

 

[TheCanisDirus]

I'd buy em.

Oh man i'd sell 'em if i could get stainless in the equivalent sizes for what they cost (few hundred a piece) lol. But seriously... i treat my glass with respect... but will be doing it with even more so after this compilation thread.

 

[brrman]

Oh man i'd sell 'em if i could get stainless in the equivalent sizes for what they cost (few hundred a piece) lol. But seriously... i treat my glass with respect... but will be doing it with even more so after this compilation thread.

You need to go here... $125 a piece, but to me its worth the cabbage...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/vessel-7-1-gallon-stainless-fermenter-472846/

 

[mwconway11]

This is a great thread for raising awareness, thanks to everyone who contributed.

I'm surprised no one has attempted to tally or otherwise list which types of glass carboys were involved in there horror stories. It seems relevant.

Here are a few of my observations.

- The 6.5 gallon ones are high risk due to the inherent stress involved with moving so much weight.

- The Mexican/Chinese made ones are thin and also a bad choice.

- Some of the older/thicker ones are a better bet.

- Not all the ones with ridges are from the same maker. There appears to be a better Italian one and a lesser Mexican made model.

- Using a carrying handle will concentrate stress.

- Always inspect for signs of stress before starting a new session.

Any other conclusions or comments on my observations?

 

[RPCidery]

The older Mexican "Crisa" carboys are of excellent quality. Those who are fortunate enough to own Pyrex or Kimax carboys also have little to worry about. Those are made from borosilicate glass and manufactured with a very high level of quality control. Older US-made (O-I and what have you) are also a good bet other than not knowing how many times they have been clanked against other hard objects.

 

[mendozer]

yikes one more reason why I use HDPE buckets and Better Bottles.

 

[Grossy]

I bought my original brew kit from a guy on Craig's list, it came with one glass carboy and one bucket.

I used the glass carboy one time, after racking off my finished beer, the whole glass carboy went into the recycle bin, beer trub and all.

I said to myself never again, this is way to dangerous. One slip up and I am in the hospital.

I used buckets ever since, and since I was using plastic already, I never saw a reason to use a Better Bottle.

 

[passedpawn]

Bunch of interesting stories here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/bottom-broke-out-carboy-467562/

27MAR14 - Several days ago I racked my saison into my Northern Brewer 5gal secondary glass carboy for fruit addition. About 5 hours later I heard a loud crack, and then the following morning I noticed a puddle around the carboy. There was a crack about halfway around the bottom of the carboy that was leaking.

17JUN14 (same guy) - Well... three months later the bottom just broke out of my 6.5 gal Northern Brewer carboy while 2.5 days into fermenting my IIPA. It was sitting all by itself, hadn't been touched for 2.5 days. Luckily it was in the garage and not inside on carpet. This batch cost be around $75... These carboys a ^&%*ing garbage!

The bottom of my 6.5 gal carboy broke out a few months ago. Had it filled with some water and oxi-clean and was having dinner with my son when about 45 minutes later heard a load crack from the kitchen.

I broke my first carboy the first time I started brewing, a little over 18 months ago.

....was transporting it by the handle, had bad allergies, and suffered a violent sneeze, which allowed the bottom to bump the basement floor, which broke it

Only broke 1 glass carboy when I was in a rush and it slipped out of my hands as I putting it in the carboy drying stand.

The bottom of my carboy broke out today as well... I was cleaning it when a small piece broke off from the side. I was carrying it to the trashcan and the entire bottom just sheared off. Not sure what the deal is.

 

[RPCidery]

I just bought another glass carboy today. A blue Silver Springs bottle that is probably 50 years old.

 

[troy2000]

I just bought another glass carboy today. A blue Silver Springs bottle that is probably 50 years old.

I have three 5 gal carboys. Two of them are Arrowhead/Puritas water bottles. If I remember right, one is dated 1960 and the other 1970. I have a third one with no markings on it. It's clear, instead of being tinted blue like the Arrowhead bottles, and it has a weird crinkle texture on the bottom outside, except for the perimeter. But it's just as thick and heavy as the other two.

I really can't imagine them just falling apart, after surviving all these years. But I've started handling them with a lot more respect after reading horror stories here on HBT...

 

[RPCidery]

I have three 5 gal carboys. Two of them are Arrowhead/Puritas water bottles. If I remember right, one is dated 1960 and the other 1970. I have a third one with no markings on it. It's clear, instead of being tinted blue like the Arrowhead bottles, and it has a weird crinkle texture on the bottom outside, except for the perimeter. But it's just as thick and heavy as the other two.

I really can't imagine them just falling apart, after surviving all these years. But I've started handling them with a lot more respect after reading horror stories here on HBT...

I think most of carboys that break for no apparent reason are Chinese, and poorly made. Many of us have US, Mexican, and Italian carboys that are 20-60 years old. But the horror stories seem to nearly all come from fairly new carboys.

I will admit to being a little more careful with my glass carboys now. Full ones always get a Brew Hauler, plus I always make sure to wear closed leather shoes and long pants whenever handling any glass carboy.

 

[java230]

I have three 5 gal carboys. Two of them are Arrowhead/Puritas water bottles. If I remember right, one is dated 1960 and the other 1970. I have a third one with no markings on it. It's clear, instead of being tinted blue like the Arrowhead bottles, and it has a weird crinkle texture on the bottom outside, except for the perimeter. But it's just as thick and heavy as the other two.

I really can't imagine them just falling apart, after surviving all these years. But I've started handling them with a lot more respect after reading horror stories here on HBT...

Had that same blue one with crinkle bottom break on me last week.

My fault though i think, the beer was a bit on the hot side when it went in. I needed to leave and figured I would just let it cool in the carboy. Was fine for half hour or so then I head a little crackling popping noise.... Then 5 Gallons of sticky mess was everywhere....

 

[troy2000]

Had that same blue one with crinkle bottom break on me last week.

My fault though i think, the beer was a bit on the hot side when it went in. I needed to leave and figured I would just let it cool in the carboy. Was fine for half hour or so then I head a little crackling popping noise.... Then 5 Gallons of sticky mess was everywhere....

My crinkle bottom bottle is clear... it's my old Arrowhead bottles that are blue.

But you bring up a good point. Here in the desert I could have the opposite problem. I brew outside, and I'll have to watch pouring chilled wort into a carboy on a hot summer day. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[emyers]

My story: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/dangers-glass-carboys-470936/