Stopper in 6 gallon carboy

[bluesparks12]

My first cider batch had one hiccup. The stopper dropped into my 6 gallon glass carboy full of cider. It's going to stay in there during racking but someone know a way to get out the damn dollar stopper out of my 50 dollar carboy?

 

[shoengine]

Good luck. I'd try to trap it with a coat hanger, get a long screw into it and hack it apart with a knife.

 

[RM-MN]

My first cider batch had one hiccup. The stopper dropped into my 6 gallon glass carboy full of cider. It's going to stay in there during racking but someone know a way to get out the damn dollar stopper out of my 50 dollar carboy?

Why? If it doesn't ruin this batch, why would it ruin any other batch. It was a dollar. Just leave it in there.

 

[shoengine]

Why? If it doesn't ruin this batch, why would it ruin any other batch. It was a dollar. Just leave it in there.

Depends on how easy it is to keep the stopper clean.

I just realized it is probably rubber so my initial idea is terrible.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've read somewhere in the long past you'd use a rag/piece of cloth. Do a search?

But I'd say a metal coat hanger, maybe with with a hook at the end, and some diligent fishing could work. Don't go against gravity, lay the carboy on it's side or even cradle it upside down? Use some soap around the inside neck to make it slippery, for easier sliding.

And no, you can't leave the bung in there, it will become a bug trap.

Just be very careful handling glass carboys, OK?
Here's why:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

 

[MaxStout]

Leaving it in there might also add a nice rubber taste.

Fish it out with a sanitized coat hanger.

Next time, try one of these instead of a bung.

 

[IslandLizard]

Next time, try one of these instead of a bung.

Hah, I'd never seen those. Man, are they ugly or what?

I'm familiar with these carboy caps (they come in different sizes and colors):
https://www.morebeer.com/products/carboy-blow-hood-smooth-neck-carboys.html
and these stoppers (come in different sizes, with and without the molded hole):
https://www.morebeer.com/products/universal-rubber-stopper-size-67-hole.html

 

[MaxStout]

Hah, I'd never seen those. Man, are they ugly or what?

I'm familiar with these carboy caps (they come in different sizes and colors):
https://www.morebeer.com/products/carboy-blow-hood-smooth-neck-carboys.html
and these stoppers (come in different sizes, with and without the molded hole):
https://www.morebeer.com/products/universal-rubber-stopper-size-67-hole.html

Yes, they are fugly as sin, but they stay in place. I have a couple for the few times I use a glass carboy.

 

[camonick]

 

[pvpeacock]

If all else fails, use a hammer to break the glass.....voila!

 

[Yooper]

I was going to post this! I've done it. Um, maybe more than once. It also works for getting corks out of wine bottles.

 

[Brewer Mike]

That video is clever.
I was going to say, if you can invert the carboy, so the stopper is in the neck, and somehow increase the pressure inside. The pressure should pop it out. I'm not sure how to increase the pressure, though. Some how get a fermentation going? Heat water (carefully). Somehow inject CO2?

 

[IslandLizard]

somehow increase the pressure inside. The pressure should pop it out. I'm not sure how to increase the pressure, though.

Aside from how to do it, given the location of the stopper, one really should not increase pressure inside a glass carboy as it may burst/explode with terrible results. Some are better made than others (thicker glass all the way), but how would you know how yours is going to react to pressure until it's too late?

 

[bluesparks12]

Update: The damn thing came right out without an issue. And the cider is delicious. I basically tipped the carboy over to clean it and the little bugger inverted narrow side into the neck. I took a small screwdriver and popped it right out! Thanks to everyone for their advice. Except the one who said break the glass. Haha.