Carboys send people to the hospital?

[Vautrin]

Hi,

Complete n00b here that is researching which home brew kit to buy for my first batch of beer.

In one of the (very informative) posts I see this regarding glass carboys:
Many people have had to go to the hospital because of glass carboys. Gotta be careful with these things

(Post is here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/)

Is this serious or just someone being funny?

How does a carboy send someone to the hospital?

 

[PitRow]

Off the top of my head, I'd say hernia/back issues when lifting a full one, plus broken glass can cause nasty cuts.

 

[rekoob]

It' glass.
Your windows can also send you to the hospital yeh.

I have been using glass carboys for 15 years, the same ones too. I had one crack sitting on cement full of water (and oxi clean) and the temps dropped to freezing the night before, I noticed the crack at the bottom and put my welding gloves on to move it. all that happened was the bottom came off, it had cracked all the way around so it was two parts yet it wasn't leaking until i moved it, or rather picked up the top half thus allowing all the water to rush out.

Again, it's glass and people have been cut by them. I will admit I am not all that gental with mine with the exception of setting them down, I alway set them down very gental.

YMMV

 

[Stealthcruiser]

They are slippery when wet.

The carboys of late have been of questionable quality and glass thickness.

They can get nicks and dings in them, which can cause an area of localized stress in the glass, or a "stress riser".

Thin ones have been said to implode while cleaning and draining out the liquid, due to pulling a vacuum while draining.

People pick them up whilst full, using a "brew handle" or the like, which attaches around the neck of the carboy, and pulls off under load.

And countless others.

I still use them though, ( the dangerous glass ones).

"If ya' ain't livin' on the edge, yer' takin' up too much space!"


Yup, it's serious, and it ain't funny!

 

[Chefflahertycec]

I would respect the hell out of them... They are risky but I use them and don't plan on stopping. Just be careful cleaning and transporting them. I use milk crates to eliminate having to carry them from the top. Very real risk but to me the risk of infection using plastic is a greater one........Cheers and happy brewing!

 

[MaddBaggins]

I'm still using the same two I bought 17 years ago. I treat them with respect though. I knocked a growler off the counter a few weeks ago. That was a nasty mess to clean up. It was empty. A carboy would make quite a mess.

 

[Doctor_M]

No it is not someone trying to be funny and this topic has been debated to death. You will have the pro glass guys claiming that the bpa and other chemicals in plastic ale pails and plastic better bottles will do more harm to you then a broken glass carboy. I say go through this thread (it's very graphic) and make up your own mind https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium-376523/

My opinion is Stainless Steel is better than all, plastic ale pails and better bottles after SS..... and it would be a tough choice between not brewing at all and dealing with glass carboys. The only glass used in my brewery are my erlenmyer flasks, hydrometers, and my recently acquired borasilicate wine thief from Jaybird https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/ne...m-made-just-nor-cal-brewing-solutions-492379/

 

[kh54s10]

I am among the ones who will say STAY AWAY from GLASS CARBOYS. I made the choice mostly for weight in 2011 to go with Better Bottles. After reading the horror stories about hospital visits and even a death due to breaking glass carboys I have no regrets in my decision.

Check this one out:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/carboy-trying-kill-you.html

Then search for others. Warning the photos are graphic. You may projectile vomit!!!

 

[orangehero]

Have you ever seen photos of propane burner injuries? I'd STAY AWAY if I were you.

"Barbecue grill fires and domestic propane tank explosions are a major source of personal injury in the United States each year. According to recent statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of FEMA, some 6,500 barbecue grill fires injure Americans accounting for property loss of over $27 million annually. Nearly a third of these gas grill fires occur in the backyard on a patio or terrace, and another third of these grill fires takes place in America’s backyards. The overwhelming majority of these grill fires result from accidents related to malfunctioning propane gas grills. Mechanical failure or malfunction is by far the leading cause of propane ignition. BLEVEs (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions) are pressure-release explosions that occur when propane tanks are heated to combustion temperature, and are extremely dangerous."

Matter of fact we should start a horror stories of propane burners thread. Get everyone over to electric. Then we can start a horrors of electric shock thread.

What's actually funny is this topic is the first post by OP. Smells fishy to me. Gee golly I do wonder how a big glass bottle can cause injury.

 

[dkevinb]

I'm not getting near one with a 10-foot pole. They're heavy, slippery, extremely fragile, and the newer ones are much thinner-walled than the older ones from all reports. I want something light-weight, easy to carry, easy to clean, unbreakable, and inexpensive. In other words, I use buckets. I could see talking myself into a wide mouthed plastic Bubbler, but never anything glass.

 

[smccarter]

I've got 8 glass carboys. I've had most of them for about 10 years and I've brewed a lot of beer using them. The trick is NOT to drop your carboys. DO NOT drop your carboys.

I have to say it once more..... DON'T DROP YOUR CARBOYS.

Or you'll be injured.

It happens yes... and people have been injured. My friend Safety Sam says that you need to be careful when handling you glass carboys because to drop one could cause injury.

Glass is my preference, but you can use the plastic ones. Either way you're brewing beer and that's the important thing.

 

[dkevinb]

Have you ever seen photos of propane burner injuries? I'd STAY AWAY if I were you.

"Barbecue grill fires and domestic propane tank explosions are a major source of personal injury in the United States each year. According to recent statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of FEMA, some 6,500 barbecue grill fires injure Americans accounting for property loss of over $27 million annually. Nearly a third of these gas grill fires occur in the backyard on a patio or terrace, and another third of these grill fires takes place in America’s backyards. The overwhelming majority of these grill fires result from accidents related to malfunctioning propane gas grills. Mechanical failure or malfunction is by far the leading cause of propane ignition. BLEVEs (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions) are pressure-release explosions that occur when propane tanks are heated to combustion temperature, and are extremely dangerous."

You make a good point, but there aren't as many reasonable options to propane burners as there are to glass carboys. If I could find an induction heater that could bring 7 gallons of wort to a rolling boil in 15 minutes on a 20 amp/110 V circuit for around $50 I'd be all over it.