Glass Carboys are soooo awesome!

[Moose_MI]

Been brewing for 5 years and have never had a glass carboy. I scored one for $5 from a guy down the street and OH MY GOODNESS! My beers alive! It’s so cool watching the process!

I’ve read and seen the carnage they can produce but man it’s cool to watch fermentation!

The next time you hear from me I’ll be in the hospital with pictures of deep lacerations but until then.....ENJOY!

 

[shoengine]

I used mine for a dozen or so batches, but the my wife got me a stainless brew bucket, so they are relegated to dust collecting.

 

[El Nino]

Yay for glass carboys! I personally like em. Almost moved to stainless steel brew buckets, but I eventually decided against it. It's nice to see how fermentation is coming along

 

[PeteSeattle]

Still using mine from 18 years ago when I started brewing. I use my conicals primarily but why let fermentation vessels sit empty if you have them? But yes, watching the process is pretty cool.

Cheers!

 

[jack13]

The next time you hear from me I’ll be in the hospital with pictures of deep lacerations...

View attachment 592325

Exactly what I was expecting to see when I saw the thread title. I like glass carboys, too.

 

[kh54s10]

Much safer and still able to see the action = PET carboys. AND a whole ton lighter. I am no spring chicken anymore. I have no desire to mess with heavy, dangerous glass carboys.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I have no desire to mess with heavy, dangerous glass carboys.

Same. Love my Fermonsters. Clear. Spigot. Wide-mouth. Lightweight. Compact. Safe. Inexpensive. Etc.

Happy fermenting. Cheers!

 

[seatazzz]

+1 to the PET carboys as well, I have a 6g one, but my big 7.5g glass carboy sees a lot of use as well. Easy to clean, sanitize, and pretty to look at, but heavy as poopy to move. I'm lucky to have a heavy-duty milk crate that it lives in while fermenting, but cleaning it gives me the heebiejeebies every time since I have to do that in my bathtub. But I do still squat and stare at it for minutes at a time while primary fermentation is going on...those yeasties are so fun to watch!

 

[Kent88]

I'm paranoid that I will drop something, so I would like to switch from glass, but I don't.

Maybe I'll get a steel conical someday.

 

[jack13]

I have two plastic fermenters in addition to my glass ones, but I hardly ever use the plastic. Must be something about that glass. I have no defense for using it, other than to say "I just like it."

 

[Jayjay1976]

+1 for fermonsters. I have 4 now and intend to acquire a few more. Lightweight, durable, dependable, inexpensive, and easy to clean. Add a brew hauler for each to create the perfect setup.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Ive been using glass for a very long time. Had a few drunken close calls but still have all my tendons in tact.

Get a carboy hauler. It makes it a lot easier

 

[passedpawn]

+1 for clear fermentors. I agree with the OP that it's nice to see the fermentation. I've been doing this a long long time and still like the confirmation of seeing the krausen rise.

I'll never use glass again. Broke one, and done.

 

[GPP33]

Just wait until you gettransfer and you can easily see when you’re getting close to the trub. That’s the beauty of glass/PET for me.

+1 for Fermonster.

 

[cloudybrewer]

I remember the first brew after I switched from buckets to a fermonster. Same reaction as you. Really fun to finally see what it's doing.

 

[RevKev]

I love seeing that beautiful krausen!! Chemistry just like brewing, is about mitigating risks.. Glass is perfectly safe.

But I love my conicals

 

[bkboiler]

i’ve backslid...i’m back in buckets but still love my glass even thought it was harder to clean...

 

[RM-MN]

I'm paranoid that I will drop something, so I would like to switch from glass, but I don't.

Maybe I'll get a steel conical someday.

Put a cup and a half into a pint jar and set the lid on loosely so it can let the excess CO2 out. Now you can watch the fermentation without the danger that a broken carboy can bring. You won't likely miss the small amount of wort.

 

[Griffin495]

I've got two 3-gallon carboys and four 1-gallon carboys. Love watching the yeasties go to work. Don't think I'd want a full size glass carboy because I don't think my back could handle it, but then again I don't do full size batches very often anymore.

 

[ccous]

Been using glass since the start; no accidents but always wary. Gotta lift with the legs.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

PET for me. I got rid of the glass. I can see what's going on, it's easy to clean, has a spigot, and it's lighter/easier to carry. No glass for me.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

+1 on Fermonster and PET Carboys. I love how i can stand the Fermonster upside down on the opening to drain same with the PET carboys.

 

[davidabcd]

Got a nice set up. Reminds me that I still need to get my nephew one of those straps or push using a milk crate with him.
I do miss seeing the fermentation since I use buckets. I'm stuck using a flashlight to see the krausen or just staring at the air lock. Does make bottling day sort of like opening a present on Christmas to see what I got, so that's nice.

 

[Calder]

I love glass, but have found I use my Big Mouth's and other HPDE fermenters mostly. They are just easier to use.

Glass is heavy, and have to be careful when moving it. I just use it for Brett beers these days to prevent possible contamination of my HPDE fermenters ...... but I'm not really sure that would be a concern using Brett in the HPDE fermenters anyway.

 

[shortyz]

check out the topic on broken ones, i wont use em

 

[Bubbles2]

It's all fun and games until you are cleaning it on it's side, and it cracks! Lost my Big Mouth Bubbler in 6months. I like that glass does not breathe, but get 5.5 gal of brew in it and it gets pretty heavy.
I am using my plastic Big Mouth with Spigot and it works well coupled with a 10" 20 micron filter at time of bottling. It's light, I see what is going on, has a spigot with no transfer to bot bucket.
Enjoy your upgrade from not seeing to seeing, pretty cool to see Krausen and activity. Until you don't, like my last batch, no Krausen but airlock activity (another Post)

 

[day_trippr]

I would not equate a glass Big Mouth Bubbler to an actual carboy. Those BMBs - especially the first series - were ridiculously thin.
I'm not surprised one failed when set on its side considering they would fail when lifted in a Brew Hauler...

Cheers!

 

[RM-MN]

I love glass, but have found I use my Big Mouth's and other HPDE fermenters mostly. They are just easier to use.

Glass is heavy, and have to be careful when moving it. I just use it for Brett beers these days to prevent possible contamination of my HPDE fermenters ...... but I'm not really sure that would be a concern using Brett in the HPDE fermenters anyway.

For the price of another HDPE bucket fermenter why not just dedicate one to Brett? Mark it well and you won't have to worry about contamination.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Kinda wish somebody would develop a 7 gallon bucket molded in crystal clear Tritan, though the raw material cost would be prohibitive.

 

[str8jkt]

Kinda wish somebody would develop a 7 gallon bucket molded in crystal clear Tritan, though the raw material cost would be prohibitive.

What about the catalyst? Clear conical made from Tritan. Not quite 7 gallons but 6?

https://craftabrew.com/products/the-catalyst-fermentation-system