No more glass for me ...PIC..

[Revvy]

There was another thread yesterday, it just got bumped, and the title is confusing....but https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/apfelwein-disaster-103685/

 

[homebrewer_99]

I have two carboys that have cracks like that. I've used them fine with no problems. As long as you don't pick em up by the neck they'll be fine.

DITTO....the sky is NOT falling!!!

 

[flyangler18]

The price on glass carboys is dropping here, so I'll be adding some more to my arsenal of fermenters. Like Gnomey said, it's all about knowing your equipment and your own limitations regarding said equipment. In my opinion, milk crates are mandatory when using glass carboys.

 

[BeerNewbie]

When I first started in brewing (last fall), I read a bunch about glass vs plastic, and from what I remember I concluded that no matter how good of plastic, oxygen can still permeate the plastic and get into your beer, and plastic retains beers/smells ect., so glass was the way to go. -- but, it's weird, how when stuff like this happens, so many people start talking about their better bottles being so much "better."

So, before I buy any more glass carboys, what are opinions about pluses/minuses of glass/plastic?

(And I have watched that youtube video of someone pushing a full Better Bottle off of a table onto concrete, and it does make the plastic attractive in that aspect!)

 

[Yambor44]

So you should NOT use these as I have been doing since I got them a year ago?

 

[TheBandit]

Guys I understand what you're going through. And I can't blame any of you for switching to Better Bottles. But for those that do I would be glad to take those glass carboys off your hands.
Anthony

 

[zanemoseley]

Here's the thing with glass though, many of you reply to this thread almost arrogantly of how you've used glass for so long with no problems but the bottom line is that glass has a higher catastrophic failure rate than plastic. I've done nothing wrong with my carboy and in only 2 uses developed stress cracks on the neck. This could turn out very badly for people less observant of equipment conditions or unlucky. I would gladly have paid more money for a carboy with thicker glass and would be happy to use it. I'm not saying glass is bad however the current market for fermenters must be driving down the price and quality of glass carboys on the market. If I were to stumble upon older glass carboys with nice thick glass I'd buy them in a second but for me I'm going to BB's for new purchases. Also Midwest has been more than gracious in their offer of sending me a 5 gallon BB and stopper to replace the damaged glass one I have. My dealings with them have been outstanding thus far and I plan to buy from them for some time.

 

[alee]

I too have been using carboys for years making wine. Never had anything like that. I did hear of the mexican made carboys being poorer quality...one was actually returned because it had a staple embedded in the glass!!

 

[lmg95]

you only hear about disasters but you don't hear about how often things go off without a hitch. I'm a chemist so by nature i use glass because in my mind i think it's cleaner/more sanitary. I can't really argue that better bottles are cheaper and safer though... so to each his own.

Also there are different types of glass and i would love some type of borosilicate glass to use as a carboy.
Types of Glass

 

[HSM]

I agree totally.....I think the issue is two fold...glass gets brittle with age, so older ones may fail over time...and newer ones, especially made in the last couple years are more than likely made by companies who don't give a flying fuq if their products last or not, and will cut corners every step of the way to make a buck....

Now adays, especially with such a viable replacement, it just doesn't seem worth the risk anymore...especially since the price has spiked.

I have to take you to task on one point: "glass gets brittle with age, so older ones may fail over time".

That's total horse$hit.

If there is a manufacturing defect in a glass product, it can and may fail.

Quality glass will last for multiple lifetimes and it never get's more "brittle" than it was at the very day of manufacture.

No one will be using a "better bottle" bought today 100 years from now (and I'm being generous with the years). With proper care, my grandchildren's grand children will use my carboys, much as I have used my great grandparent's crocks.

"Better" Bottles may be a viable replacement, much the way plastic milk jugs replaced the quart milk bottle. But viable has rarely meant better.

Anyhow.."glass gets brittle with age", HOR$E$HIT.

 

[TroubleBrewing]

Speaking personally, I'm using plastic (cause it's almost impossible to get glass bottles over here), and these days I'm damn happy that I do. I have no opinion either way about the durability of glass compared to plastic, and I'm quite happy to concede that many people have used many glass carboys for many years without a problem.

But if a glass carboy ruptures while you're moving/holding/near it, due to accident or due to bad quality glass, there's potential for life threatening or otherwise quite serious injuries. If a plastic bucket ruptures, due to accident or to bad quality glass, the only way you'll get hurt is if it was full of uncooled wort, or you slip in it.

I'm not saying don't use glass, to each their own, but I personally have not, and after hearing some of the horror stories, will not. I'd rather a slight plasticky taste (which I've never had) or an infection (which I'm pretty sure I've never had) then shards of glass embedded in me.

 

[Yambor44]

Here's the thing with glass though, many of you reply to this thread almost arrogantly of how you've used glass for so long with no problems..... .

I hope you did not take my post that way. I REALLY want to know about using the handles.

 

[BierMuncher]

So you should NOT use these as I have been doing since I got them a year ago?

I think these are fine for transporting empty...but I don't think they were intended to lug around a full carboy.

Knowing how heavy a full 6.5 glass carboy is, just looking at that image (to me) spells disaster. I don't see how physics supports the notion that the torque you'd put on that 2 1/2 inch neck when lifting a full CB would not cause failure.

 

[Stef1966]

+1 about the Types of glass link, very interesting.

Unless they are emptied, I now carry mine in milk crates, padded with several layers of the type of foam you put underneath hardwood floorings, feels safe enough for me.

 

[Yambor44]

Thanks guys. I have buckets as well but for some reason I always use my carboys first. I know it can be catastrophic if one of these fails with or without anything in them if it happens when you are handling them. I do pick my carboys up with the handle when full to put them into the freezer and to get them out and set on top of the freezer for racking.

I would love to use a better bottle but haven't really seen a lot about cleaning them. With the glass carboys I soak them for a day or may 5 depending on when I get back to them. I use a mixer wand attached to my drill to stir it up initially and then again after soaking. This usually knocks everything off the sides and bottom. Then I use a carboy brush to scrub the sides, top and neck. All this with oxyclean. My concern is scratching the plastic on a BB doing this or not getting it clean enough if I don't brush it. Which to me makes buckets the best of both worlds as you can clean them without using a brush due to the access.

Your thoughts?

 

[farmbrewernw]

Hmm I have 5 glass carboys and have never had a problem with them at all, no chips no cracks and I don't really treat them that nicely.

 

[Medo]

Ahoy hoy,
I have neck handles on all my carboys. Before the enlightening (learning the way of the milk crate) i would pick up the carboys, my strong arm under the bottom, and the weak arm on the handle, more to steady it then to lift weight, and carry them around. I leave them on now as a solid place to grab the carboy for any reason. All mine are in milk crates now. And I have sinned before. I have picked up a full carboy, started anyways, to get my hand under it, with the handle. And I immediately scolded myself for doing it. I soak mine in the hottest tap water with oxyclean, and after the insides are clean, I lay them on their side in my dishwasher, and run the quick rinse feature, and they come out clean as a whistle.
All my carboys have imperfections in them, lines and what not. They all are from south of the border. But they have a year or more on each, and are still doing fine. I do realize how quickly that could go to hell in a handbasket, as glass is always ready to break. It lives in that state of mind.
My 2 cents...A great day to all!

 

[BierMuncher]

...i would pick up the carboys, my strong arm under the bottom, and the weak arm on the handle, more to steady it then to lift weight, and carry them around....

The underneath support is critical. I grab mine...left had around the throat...right hand under the @ss.

Yes...I'm talking about a glass carboy.

 

[HSM]

+1 about the Types of glass link, very interesting.

Unless they are emptied, I now carry mine in milk crates, padded with several layers of the type of foam you put underneath hardwood floorings, feels safe enough for me.

That looks very safe and always better go to the extra step to insure no breakage.

 

[BeerNewbie]

Anyone know where to pick up some cheap/free milk crates?

 

[Mustangfreak]

OMG, I just found the exact same cracks in the exact same position!!!

 

[JMG680]

I like the better bottle carboys a lot, no problems yet.

 

[s3n8]

Anyone wants to send me your carboys for proper disposal, PM me and I will send my address

PS. I need to "dispose" of another 6.5 gallon or 2. I have "disposed of" plenty of 5 and 3 gallon ones by surrounding them with Apfelwein on one side and air on the other.

 

[rico567]

My original brewing kit came with two glass 5 gal. carboys. For all the reasons given in this thread, my subsequent purchases are all Better Bottles. My glass carboys will still be used, but probably for long-term secondary of things like imperial stouts or etc.

 

[CentralWABrewing]

I'm thinking PhotoShop J/K
That sucks.
All I use is glass carboys and I have a carboy that is almost 25 years old and still strong.
Just goes to show things these days are built like they used to be....and no, I'm not that old. I come from a family of brewers

 

[rico567]

The underneath support is critical. I grab mine...left had around the throat...right hand under the @ss.

Yes...I'm talking about a glass carboy.

That's the way I heft mine- and always with a dry carboy, and dry rubber gloves.

 

[Skins_Brew]

I read this and pretty much made the switch. Getting your tendons sliced is not worth any batch of homebrew.

 

[Boondoggie]

All I use is glass carboys and I have a carboy that is almost 25 years old and still strong.

All my carboys are that old. Left over from my father's winemaking in the early 80's....

 

[TerapinChef]

I love my glass carboys. They also very rarely leave the milk crate. I'm actually trying to figure out a good way to strap them in so that even inverted, they won't fall out. (Think Carboy Dryer with straps) I do have an older 5G one that belonged to my uncle that has these stress fractures in the neck, but not as bad as OP. I've been using it, but more for meads and things that will just kind of be hanging out instead of being moved around more often.

As far as the BB go, I just don't feel comfortable leaving a beer in a BB for a year. That's just me. Carry on, do as you please.