Near Death Brewing Accident

[Black Island Brewer]

I wanted to win, not to keg, but to have a keg for force carbonating ciders, meads and Skeeter Pee after back- sweetening. I sold off all my kegging equipment several years ago, but should have kept one keg...

 

[jbaysurfer]

Worst accident I had involved a cardboard box. I was taking my light-up Xmas deer down from the rafters in my garage and the razor-sharp edge of the box sliced my wrist from one end to the other. It was a really deep cut. Just missed my artery. I had to go the ER and get it stitched up. I'm glad I survived. That would have been an embarrassing way to go.

OMG...that sounds freakin' horrible. In another life I worked night crew for a large supermarket chain throwing freight (stocking shelves to the layfolk out there ). Cardboard cuts can be brutal. Never had one on my wrist like that though.

Congrats on your kegging setup from me too!

 

[jrgtr42]

I have a couple glass carboys. Along with a couple BBs.
I mostly ferment in buckets, and use the carboys (glass and plastic) for secondary.
The glass I've used for sours and ciders. I'll use the plastic for wood aging "regular" beers - I haven't don't any fruit other than currents in a sour, so obviously those went into glass.
I have a carboy handle on one of them, I do use it - only when empty, or to tilt the full to get my arm under it to lift, and then steady.
I store the glass in milk crates, leave them in there all the time unless cleaning.
I do have a healthy respect (not to say fear) of those things shattering, as seen in the horror story thread. That;s why I don't use them much.

 

[Walzenbrew]

Broke my first one this year, my 16 year old 6 gallon bottle.

DAMN! 16 years is impressive. Being clumsy + homebrewing for a hobby makes for more broken hydrometers and snapped airlocks than I care to admit.

Kudos to you

 

[Black Island Brewer]

DAMN! 16 years is impressive. Being clumsy + homebrewing for a hobby makes for more broken hydrometers and snapped airlocks than I care to admit.

Kudos to you

I would have liked to stretch out my winning streak, but at least I didn't put wort in and THEN notice the crack. The bottom would likely have dropped out.

I've lost count of my broken hydrometers, have managed to melt several things including a propane hose. But when I was reading BobbyM's keg polishing thread this morning, I was reminded of my stupidest brewing related injury. I was polishing my keg with an angle grinder, wearing gloves, eye projection, and ear covers, but because the ear covers were messing with my ear buds, I took them off. At some point one of the buds fell out of my ear, got caught around the angle grinder, and became a metal wire weed whacker right at arm's length. Ripped the crap out of my forearms, sent the plug and buds flying at high velocity, one of which cracked my safety lens, and had me standing there in shock for several moments before I could figure out what the hell happened.
And I was stone sober!

 

[grathan]

My closest was probably having my titled cooler mash tun fall off the table and dump onto the running pump at my feet. It was not gfci protected and the lead cord had no ground. It tripped the breaker pretty quickly though.

btw also a fan of glass, surprised we don't see more glass-lined metal tanks in the beer industry. Or even a pyrex brew kettle with element port.

 

[chickypad]

I was polishing my keg with an angle grinder, wearing gloves, eye projection, and ear covers, but because the ear covers were messing with my ear buds, I took them off. At some point one of the buds fell out of my ear, got caught around the angle grinder, and became a metal wire weed whacker right at arm's length. Ripped the crap out of my forearms, sent the plug and buds flying at high velocity, one of which cracked my safety lens, and had me standing there in shock for several moments before I could figure out what the hell happened.
And I was stone sober!

wow, picturing that in my head. that's a good one!

 

[Redhook]

You could get hit and killed by a car while walking down the street. Does that mean we should hide under a rock? Everything has risks, no need to worry about using glass carboys if you're careful with them.

 

[b-boy]

You could get hit and killed by a car while walking down the street. Does that mean we should hide under a rock? Everything has risks, no need to worry about using glass carboys if you're careful with them.

Well, it doesn't mean you should walk down the middle of the highway either.

Just my opinion - use BB or buckets. They are cheap and reliable. If you don't like plastic, use SS. I just don't see a compelling reason to use glass. There are other options.

Again, just my opinion. Do what you want.

 

[jro238]

Nothing exciting but just built myself an immersion chiller and put it in the boil for the last 15 min. Somehow managed to forget how good of a heat conductor copper is and tried to move the chiller by grabbing the copper sticking out from the edge of the kettle while still boiling...sizzle sizzle :rockin

 

[Redhook]

That's why I hook the hoses up before placing it in the boil. The hoses stay much cooler until hot water is running through one. Gloves help too.