Crazy Carboy Idea

[bluesfndr9]

Possibly a stupid idea but I will post it anyways.

For me the biggest pain in the ass with brewing is cleaning my carboys, especially after a wheat beer. I hate spending time cleaning them with that annoying brush. What if the carboy was cut in half for easier cleaning. The obvious problem would be leaks along the cut. An O ring would have to be fitted. I work at a hardware store and I've been looking at the rubber pieces used for screens. The name of the rubber piece escapes me at the moment but there are several different types and one seems like it might work well. Second issue still involves leaks. Even fitted with an "O" ring of sorts I think it would still leak. I don't think it would take much effort at all to rig a system that puts downward pressure forcing the top and bottom half together making a watertight seal. I have seen a few things and I have a vague plan for that if I get that far. Any thoughts? Any better idea for an O ring? Problems with this idea? Like I said might be stupid but what the hell.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Oxyclean man...

just fill'er up and let it sit

DON'T CUT YOUR CARBOY

 

[Bokonon]

I have to agree with greenhornet. I just fill my fermenters up with hot water and oxy clean and let them sit overnight. I'll gladly use a little extra water instead of using up all my elbow grease

 

[bluesfndr9]

Ill have to try oxiclean then. I hate that god dam brush!

 

[Iordz]

By carboy do you mean bucket? I acossiate carboys with glass.

 

[ScubaSteve]

x2 on the oxyclean! Wish I would have done it a loooong time ago....I think I may have wrecked a $30 better bottle

 

[Orfy]

I have never used a carboy brush. (I have 2)

Oxy clean is a million little scrubba doing the work for you.

Oxy Clean :rockin: :rockin: :rockin: :rockin:

 

[Yooper]

I have this doo dad: http://www.antonco.com/jetcarboy/

I rinse out the carboys and bottles right away, usually, but if I have some leftover gunk, that does the trick.

 

[malkore]

and start it soaking asap, don't let it sit for hours so the crap can dry on like an impenetrable cake.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I have this doo dad: http://www.antonco.com/jetcarboy/

I rinse out the carboys and bottles right away, usually, but if I have some leftover gunk, that does the trick.

I use the same thing Yooper Chick uses. Then I drop a shot of bleach in the carboy then fill it up with warm water. Not hot, if its hot it'll release the chlorine. I let it sit in the carboy until I ready to use it again. Every carboy if it doesn't have beer or cider in it is filled with bleach water.

When I'm read to use it I syphon out the water, which also cleans my autosyphon. Then I use the jet-rinser to flush out the smell of bleach then I sanitize, dump and fill.

Super Simple!!

 

[kvh]

I can fully agree with the Oxyclean technique, but the website of my Homebrew Club has a tip too: http://www.csibc.net/tips_techniques.htm Rice, Baking Soda, a little water, swish, and rinse...

Haven't had to try it, but I think it would work fine..

kvh.

 

[DrunkTrucker]

I have one of those carboy cleaners that yooper has but the threads on my kitchen faucet are stripped so I cant use it. I just use either oxyclean or plain old soap and water.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I haven't had any problems with a carboy brush. It's just a necessary evil. 30 seconds to get some off the krausen gunk lefft in there and it's as good as new.

 

[brett]

What's the big deal with using a carboy brush? Cleaning only takes a few minutes. I don't know about you, but cutting a carboy in half and fitting it with a complex gasket seems like more work than just using the brush...

 

[Grimsawyer]

I haven't had any problems with a carboy brush. It's just a necessary evil...

Seriously, if you havn't read all the posts above go back and do it. It ISN'T a necessary evil. I havn't used a carboy brush in a long time. Fill the thing up, dump in oxi-clean/dishwasher detergent and you DO NOT have to use one. Get products that work for you and quit working for the ones that make you work for them! work smarter, not harder!!!:rockin: :rockin:

 

[camiller]

Possibly a stupid idea but I will post it anyways.
...
The name of the rubber piece escapes me at the moment
...

The rubber string looking stuff that holds the screen in its frame is the spline, and yes there are better solutions to your problem as others have pointed out.

 

[olllllo]

I'm waiting for the part about how this glass is to be cut safely in one piece and without sharp edges.


Your solution is called a lidded bucket.

 

[bluesfndr9]

ok ok ok i got it it was just a thought on a way to make a nonporous femerenter that was easy to clean i have never tried the oxiclean thing i will. my plan was not all that complex just an idea

 

[iamjonsharp]

soak in water at least before scrubbing?

 

[FSR402]

ok ok ok i got it it was just a thought on a way to make a nonporous femerenter that was easy to clean i have never tried the oxiclean thing i will. my plan was not all that complex just an idea

Get your self a big stainless pot and make a lid for it. There, now you have a nonporous fermenter that not even light will get into and it's easy to clean.