Heft that carboy!

[1OldJarhead]

Upon grabbing hold of my freshly filled carboy in the kitchen, ready to heft it downstairs to its fermentation place in the basement, I realized something: I'm not in my twenties anymore! So I sucked it up and did it, but damn -- there's gotta be another way! Suggestions, please! Amazon offers a couple things but I wouldn't trust them without my other arm underneath the bottom -- so it's not solving that much. Maybe a lightweight dolly?

 

[day_trippr]

One should never pick up a non-empty glass carboy using one of those carboy handles, so that's out. And that carboy net is unimpressive considering there are more rugged/capable looking carriers available, like the Brew Hauler below:

https://www.beveragefactory.com/dra...ment/bsg-5307-brew-hauler-carboy-carrier.html

Cheers!

 

[Nate R]

Task rabbit?
Hire a neighboorhood kid?
50' of hose, gravity fill the carboy down in the basement?

Ok- for real- maybe get two or three smaller carboys, split the batch?? You could play with more yeasts and/or dry hops and/or temps this way? I.e. 2m5 gal Chico yeast, 2.5 gallons something else?

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Before I fill mine, I put it on a small furniture dolly so I can roll it out to the closet. I guess that would not help you get it to the basement though.

I really don’t like moving carboys after filling them for fear of breaking them. I prefer to fill them where they will ferment if at all possible.

But I feel your pain; I am not so young anymore myself. I go through a “dry run” on brew day with my setup to make sure that I have the least amount of lifting involved, especially since I scaled my equipment/batches up in size. I added a hydraulic lift table to mix so I can raise things for draining into next kettle/fermenter and gravity transfers to kegs. Once in the keg(s), I can use a hand truck. I use a deer hoist to lift kegs over into my keezer.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I think I have a couple of these I'm willing to part with if you're interested.

 

[hottpeper13]

What I did in the beginning was to pour all the wort into my bottling bucket take it downstairs, put a 3/4" shim under the valve and let it settle. Put a hose on the valve and let it splash into the carboy, no 02 needed.

 

[kevin58]

My fermentation takes place in my basement as well. It finally dawned on me that I don't have to carry all of the wort downstairs at once. Now I carry only a couple gallon at a time in a sanitized bucket downstairs to my fermenter.

 

[Dland]

Perhaps consider pumping or siphoning wort downstairs instead of carrying it. That is what I do, I use a 20 ft long 1/2 silicon tubing with quick connects on ends and valve on cellar side. Use of a rolling table allows me to put fermentor near bottom of stairs and roll out of the way, so tubing does not have to be as long.

In my case, I pump the wort though a plate chiller, on the way downstairs.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Never pick up a glass bottle with one of those handles that go around the neck. Empty or full. When I worked at the homebrew shop, I'd do my best at preventing someone from buying one of those handles. I would sell them the Carboy Hauler that day_trippr mentioned.

And, I'd recommend getting rid of the glass. I broke one about 15 years ago (Thread here). I still don't have feeling in my right hand.

 

[Broken Crow]

When I still had glass carboys, I got my GF to carry them down though one one occasion, one of the wonderfully helpful boys next door was handy. I switched to Fermonsters (mostly) with the carrying harness and on a good day I can manage (I'm disabled but stubborn). I am considering drilling a hole through a kitchen cabinet and the floor beneath and dropping a long hose to the basement...maybe I'll just move my brew rig down there.

 

[Deadalus]

I have two of the basketball net type and two of the strap type plus every carboy I have has the handle on it. The handle is for cleaning it and moving it around empty. The basketball net type is my go to carrier. The strap type can be a little awkward to get centered. The way the straps usually are laid out the crosspoint on the bottom shifts with the straps. It's like when you try to tie a string around a ball where you go around the ball and then the two ends meet so you cross them abd go back around. It'll seat itself once picked up but I don't like that you might be able to pass the carboy between the straps, much like the ball might pop out. If centered properly, the horizontal strap prevents that. Always put either carrier on before filling. This prevents having to lift it full with the handle, prevents having to wrestle it into the carrier while full, and when the carrier is on, the bottom is better protected against hard knocks to the floor.

The strap type has a pro in that if you are using temperature control, a heating mat easily slips between the straps and carboy. The net type is ok there but when it flops it tends to be more of a ball shape and it doesn't hold as closely to the walls of the carboy. You can use a carabiner, string, or some other method to squeeze the handles or the top of the net together.

If you buy a carboy drying stand, be aware that the handle will interfere with the blue type of stands, the ring type works just fine.

Good form when picking them up too, keep your back straight. It's a bit of waddle either type. Harbor Freight has an interesing selection of furniture moving devices. A dolly of some sort might be useful. Another option is there are wheeled garbage can bases, check out Amazon for that.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I have two of the basketball net type and two of the strap type..

I also have a pair of the net holders and a pair of the Brew Hauler straps and my thoughts echo these. The net holders are the ones that I generally reach for because the Brew Hauler always seem to require several minutes of fiddling to get the straps positioned and flipped around correctly. They both seem to work though.

 

[Deadalus]

Round dolly or plant caddy are better search tems for getting something wheeled on Amazon and elsewhere.

Another option is there are wheeled garbage can bases, check out Amazon for that.

 

[brewSJ]

Put the carboy in a milk crate. Cheap, rugged, had handles, and doesn’t put any stress on the glass.

 

[mac_1103]

I brew in the back yard and ferment in the basement. I used to ferment in buckets, which conveniently have these things called handles (and generally pretty sturdy ones at that). When I switched to Fermonsters, I started using the strap-type haulers. For a while, I was resistant to the idea of transferring from kettle to bucket first and then to Fermonster once I got it downstairs. Seemed like a contamination risk and just one more thing to clean. But now I've decided that this really is the best thing for my situation, and splitting the wort into two buckets is even better. Also affords an opportunity to let more trub settle out as @hottpeper13 mentioned.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Put the carboy in a milk crate. Cheap, rugged, had handles, and doesn’t put any stress on the glass.

This also puts a layer of plastic on the bottom, to prevent cracking or breaking the carboy

 

[Deadalus]

Put the carboy in a milk crate. Cheap, rugged, had handles, and doesn’t put any stress on the glass.

They take up more footprint in general and are bulky for fermentation chamber use. On my smallest ferm chamber, I had to alter the door to begin with just to fit the carboy. The net carrier was actually a con for that chamber as the knots prevented the door from closing. Pissed me off to no end the first time I tried to fit a carboy in there with the net carrier. The handles are lower on a crate, so you have to bend more to lift it. Probably an easier carry in the crate however if it was well wedged inside as it would ride higher.

This also puts a layer of plastic on the bottom, to prevent cracking or breaking the carboy

The net carrier does that. The brew hauler type has the bottom knot but the bottom edges aren't protected. You need to make sure you are putting it down with hands level and then it will sit on the knot.

 

[Snuffy]

Carboys are a beautiful thing to watch. It's like a yeast aquarium. Once I discovered the bottling spigot on a brew bucket tho, siphoning was dead to me. And carboys always sucked to clean. I still got all that gear - web harnesses and long bent brushes and siphons - but unless I make wine again and need to tie up a fermenter for a long time, I think it's gonna stay on the shelf.

 

[mac_1103]

Carboys are a beautiful thing to watch. It's like a yeast aquarium. Once I discovered the bottling spigot on a brew bucket tho, siphoning was dead to me. And carboys always sucked to clean.

Let me introduce you to the ported Fermonster.

 

[1OldJarhead]

Task rabbit?
Hire a neighboorhood kid?
50' of hose, gravity fill the carboy down in the basement?

Ok- for real- maybe get two or three smaller carboys, split the batch?? You could play with more yeasts and/or dry hops and/or temps this way? I.e. 2m5 gal Chico yeast, 2.5 gallons something else?

Nate, you have touched on something this ol' geezer has been wondering about. Smaller carboys! But wait -- the kit comes with instructions for FIVE gallons. Okay, let me paw the ground like an old horse and count -- by golly that's a 50/50 split of the contents! Yes, I'm going to give that approach a try!

 

[Nate R]

Nate, you have touched on something this ol' geezer has been wondering about. Smaller carboys! But wait -- the kit comes with instructions for FIVE gallons. Okay, let me paw the ground like an old horse and count -- by golly that's a 50/50 split of the contents! Yes, I'm going to give that approach a try!

Can't tell if you're for real or sarcastic- and it doesn't really matter to me either way! I aint gonna mess with a Marine!
I do have to say... the milk crates was also a great idea!
Milk crates... , vinly, carboys, misc. junk... is there anything they can't hold or do?!?!
The only problem- where the heck does one find 'em "free" anymore?
I remember, barely- a guy i knew, not me- you could find them out back of a diner, maybe.... or a supermarket. Maybe there?

I agree tho- ditch the glass asap. So many great inexpensive quality plastic options out there.

If you was for real on the split batches... send me a bottle! or better yet- name a brew after me!
"******* Brown Ale"
"Loudmouth Lager"
"S.M.A.S.H. STFU Ale"
Etc. Etc.

 

[Cameronl]

I did the milk crate thing for a while, but my basement stairs a really janky. I gave up the glass carboys and now I put the fermenter on a dolly under the basement window and pump it from the kettle, through the chiller and into the basement. I do have a recurring fear of the hose somehow coming out of the fermenter out of sight and pumping 5 gallons of sticky wort all over the floor, so I quadruple check, squeezing my head half through the small tilt-out window. So far so good.

 

[hottpeper13]

I also use the milk crates for my propane tanks when transporting.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I also use the milk crates for my propane tanks when transporting.

I always keep the tank in use in a crate. The corners are great places to stash items like the long grill lighters and wrenches, (I still have a couple of old style connectors that need snugging with a wrench). It gives me some confidence that I won’t kick the tank over while in use.

 

[BrewZer]

I crafted this harness out of a 10 meter roll of 1 inch nylon webbing and 8 sliders...

It's got a bottom strap and a girth strap to keep the fermenter from slipping out from the bottom or sides. So far, it's worked great with a full fermenter -- no slips, no drops, no spills!

 

[Nate R]

It's got a bottom strap and a girth strap

I think it's about time i get girth strap for myself... sigh...

 

[redrocker652002]

I have two glass carboys that were left on the sidewalk with a free sign. Price was really good, so I took them. I have not used them other to store used starsan. I have read some real horror stories about the glass breaking, but I think it would be cool to actually see fermentation as it works. I will also say those bad boys get slippery as heck when you try and clean them. I might get a cheap siphon and try using the carboy just for the heck of it to see how it goes. If anyone has a carry strap for them at a decent price (free is good) I might be interested. LOL

 

[ntempleton]

Never, and I mean never, carry a full carboy in anything less than a full harness. I know a few people that have suffered life alternating injuries doing exactly this.

 

[day_trippr]

I have two glass carboys that were left on the sidewalk with a free sign.

I would be even more careful with those as I am with mine - which were purchased new. Thermal stress doesn't show up until the bottom falls off...

 

[passedpawn]

Yea, the plastic carboys are much much lighter than the glass ones, and have large openings at the top to make cleaning easier.

And safer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

 

[Fixerman]

I use the cargo net type. The rope is nylon, which is capable of holding WAY more weight than a full 5-gal carboy. I used a couple of zip ties to connect the handles (see arrow) so it doesn't slip off the bottle when I set it down. I leave it on all the time, even when I wash the carboy. I liked it so much I bought another one. I'm 69 and have no problem carrying full carboys down into the basement with it. The handles pull up above the neck so you can hold it one-handed or two. (Note: the big open spaces you see on the left and right get pulled up above the neck when you lift the carboy; that brings up the netting part. ) The bottle is very secure, doesn't move around when you carry it. The carboy sits flat on the netting.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I would be even more careful with those as I am with mine - which were purchased new. Thermal stress doesn't show up until the bottom falls off...

When it happens, hopefully you’re not holding it from the bottom…

 

[CascadesBrewer]

When it happens, hopefully you’re not holding it from the bottom…

My motivation to moving to PET fermenters was a friend who wished that he had spend the money on a few nice stainless steel fermenters instead on bills from his trip to the ER. At least he has a nice scar to show for his efforts...and now has some nice stainless fermenters.

 

[wepeeler]

I brew in my garage and ferment in my basement so I had to get semi-creative. I was sick of carrying 6 gallons of wort at 1 time down 2 flights of stairs. Simple solution! Keep your glass carboy in the basement and transfer your wort in a food safe/grade plastic bucket. You can transfer 1/2 the volume at a time, so it won't kill your back. I use an oversized funnel to dump into my fermenters.

Food Safe Bucket: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leaktite-5-gal-70mil-Food-Safe-Bucket-White-005GFSWH020/300197644
Funnel: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MOYAQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1