Glass Carboys are soooo awesome!

[Jayjay1976]

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

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

Oh sorry, I meant a crystal clear, full open-top fermenter at a price point lower than a stainless brew bucket.

 

[MaxStout]

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!

That's what kept me away from the glass BMBs. Some of those were thin as a lightbulb, and others were thick on one side, thin on the other. Shiatty blow-moulding. Then they heard all the bad press and came out with the second-gen, "now with a millimeter more glass!" Woo hoo.

The Italian-made carboys are fairly robust, and if carried in something like a plastic milk crate, will last a long time.

 

[str8jkt]

Oh sorry, I meant a crystal clear, full open-top fermenter at a price point lower than a stainless brew bucket.

Out of curiosity what interests you with the Tritan? Just the rigidity of it over something like the fermonsters/PET ones, or less permeability? I started out with a catalyst. Lasted a year before the bottom valve started leaking. It was also unfortunately very very easy to scratch even with simple things like plastic. Can't beat a 30 dollar fermonster in my opinion.

 

[Bubbles2]

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!

Just bought it in Dec 2017...So should be a newer one, has embossed lettering in it as well. I'd consider a carboy but washing it looks to be a PIA. I like being able to get in there and wipe it out with a soft cloth.
To note even the PET BMB is thin and does not look to last long around the spigot, due to remove and clean with each use. I imagine the torque of tightening the gasket down will take a toll. I could design one that would last and satisfy all quandaries, however with experience of being an inventor, patent attorneys, and a factory....Never mind, I'll just buy a new one every year or so.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

Corny keg with a spunding valve, just watch the pressure build (and release) for peace of mind. Plus you have all the CO2 adding a little bit of carbination to the beer for free and keeping everything well protected. I can hook a picnic tap up and grab a sample at any point using the natural CO2 in the keg.

 

[Sadu]

I have a stainless pressure conical with a viewing port in the top and a clear collection bottle at the bottom. It's not the same as a carboy for view ability but better than a semi-opaque bucket and far better than a normal stainless vessel. Works great.

 

[kh54s10]

Just get a PET fermenter that doesn't have a spigot. I have Better Bottles, the first two were first used on July 1, 2011. I now have about 6 or 7 of them. Not sure, some are in storage.... I have never retired one and don't see that happening for many more years.... And you don't have to worry about anything regarding the cheap plastic spigots or anything growing in them while fermenting.

 

[Calder]

I have Better Bottles, the first two were first used on July 1, 2011. I now have about 6 or 7 of them. Not sure, some are in storage.... I have never retired one and don't see that happening for many more years.... And you don't have to worry about anything regarding the cheap plastic spigots or anything growing in them while fermenting.

I'm not a fan of spigots either. Just a place to leak and cause problems.

I am still using 2 of 3 HPDE fermenters I bought about 35 years ago (from 'Boots' in the UK when I lived there). One developed a very small leak at the base about 2 years ago - I think it served me well. I use them as Primary for every beer (Yes, I still rack to secondary to collect yeast before adding hops or other additions). I've brewed probably 300 - 400 batches of beer and wine over that time with these fermenters.

I bought a plastic BMB about 2 years ago, I only used it for secondary. It developed blisters in the plastic and I retired it after only about 15 beers. I don't know what caused the blisters (bubbles in the plastic), but I lived with them for a while, until I found one of the blisters had ruptured on the inside of the fermenter, and I didn't want to risk an issue with a place for contamination to hide.

 

[Pyedro]

I also like the glass, sometimes afraid to drop them but this way i can see whats going on during fermentation. And it looks nice.

 

[Calder]

I also like the glass, sometimes afraid to drop them but this way i can see whats going on during fermentation.

And sometimes OK with dropping them?

 

[treacheroustexan]

As someone who works in Research & dev/Plastics engineering field, I vote for Fermonsters as well. Also always looking for ways to improve them.. Feedback welcome

If you're having issues with your spigot leaking on your PET carboy, make sure the hole is sanded down smooth and doesn't have any sharp edges. Take some sand paper around it and you shouldn't have any leaking issues as long as your spigot has a good seal.

 

[brewerJase]

Glass carboys are super slippery when oxiclean gets on them. I had one slip out of my hands only 6" off the ground. Severed the tendons in one of my fingers, no longer have use of that finger. I now avoid glass unless using it for long term aging.

 

[Pyedro]

And sometimes OK with dropping them?

Haha my english is not my main language but that's not what I meant.

 

[4of7]

yes to the glass as be great.It is a good to learn the phases of the fermentation. Yes it is a total freakout show when they break. I dropped one they are slippery with the oxy.The other one broke in it's parking spot, I think there was a very small something under it . I don't know. I now use kegs