Reuse a glass carboy after making a lambic

[celtic_dude]

I know you should never use mix your homebrew equip with you lamic stuff but how about a glass carboy?

 

[flyangler18]

Bugs die with proper cleaning/sanitation practices. Hot water and PBW, followed by an application of the sanitizer of your choice.

 

[Jsta Porter]

From what I have been told it is fine to reuse a glass carboy- just make sure you sanitize it very well. Any plastic hardwear should not be used. I have been marking all my plastic hardwear that I use with sour brews to ensure that I do not inadvertantly contaminate.

 

[sause]

Yes you can re-use a glass carboy when making a regular beer after making a lambic (or any sour beer). Basically anyplace a bug can get in a carboy a sanitizer can get too very easily. Not always true with plastic or to some extent ss.

 

[Edcculus]

I'll second the good rinse/hot PBW soak, followed by thorough sanitation.

 

[dagamore]

I thought that the better beer bottles, were able to be used just like the glass carboys, I thought if you washed/rinse/staralize with something like HB Star-San(iirc) it would be fine, am i wrong on this, i could be since i am very new to homebrewing.

 

[flyangler18]

I think the practice of keeping separate equipment for sour beers is unwarranted in the home environment; I've transferred sour and non-sour beers using the same auto-siphon and tubing without infecting a non-sour beer. It's much easier to sanitize the small equipment we have than the CIP systems of commercial brewers. It's a best practice to thoroughly clean/sanitize, examine and replace all tubing and plastic equipment as necessary, whether you work with sours or not.

Lots more nooks n' crannies in a commercial setup for bugs to hide.

 

[celtic_dude]

Thanks for all the great input. I have already bought all new plastic equip(tubing, autosiphon, airlocks, stoppers, wine thief, bottling wand) and will transfer all my used plastic stuff for my sour beers. I am happy to hear that I can reuse the carboy though. I do not have to many of them yet.

 

[ericd]

The comercial lambic breweries sanitize their barrels by burning sulfur in them! Just fyi