Your worst brewing related injury

[LVBen]

I have NEVER seriously considered kegging...until now. D&%@ that looks bad - hope you're OK now.

Ditto! I was hesitant to start kegging... that is one giant push towards kegging!

Houblon, were you using a bench capper or wing capper?

 

[Pilgarlic]

Backed into my turkey fryer after knockout. Burn on the back of my calf. Two weeks ago. Still scabbed over and painful.

 

[bgrayson726]

Personally I have only had the normal burns that everyone will get if they brew a lot. A couple blisters, not really a big deal.

However, I'm taking a 400 level beer course at my university. My TA said he was shaking a glass carboy, attempting to sanatize it. It slipped out of his hand it slammed on a rock. A piece of the carboy cut his wrist and he almost died from loss of blood. Now, he can't feel his left hand anymore.

It seems like most people's injuries (at least the more serious ones) come from glass related incidents..

 

[wildwest450]

I juggle 3 glass carboys before using them for fermenting, nothing yet.


_

 

[Walker]

yup. I've had no issues with glass at all in the past 13 or 14 years of brewing.

My latest injury is from a drill and a thin rectangular piece of stainless steel that seized to the bit during the drilling. Instant 4-pointed sawblade in my hands.

 

[NuclearRich]

So far I have been lucky and no burns or cuts but I did hurt my low back pretty bad when brewing a imperial stout with a 21# grain bill. I was trying to lift the mash tun full of grain and 8 gallons of water to the counter top. I learned I need a little help when brewing a beer like that.

Try 36lb grain bill with 45qts of strike!
Lol... thank god my buddy stopped by to help w that!!

 

[NuclearRich]

Holy hell this is a scary thread. I don't know why anyone would still use glass carboy's. I use plastic fermenters, it's what I started with and am glad for it after reading some other stories in another thread.
Rev.

I have a barleywine conditioning for 2 years and there is no way I would ever use anything BUT glass for that. Also, anytime I dry hop I use a carboy to free up my primary buckets.

Also, I don't like to live in a bubble. People who are so afraid of normal equipment never get the joy of its use. (also, this applies to life in general) I work with radioactivity all day, but that doesn't mean I am happy to be in harm's way. Its called respect of danger. I know that glass can be lethal, but I also know how to handle it and treat it with respect. I am confident that I won't kill or maim myself with carboys, and especially not with 12oz glass bottles.

Don't you think propane is dangerous? What about water at 212F? You just feel more comfortable handling it.

 

[elproducto]

Nothing too bad, although I was starting a siphon before I had my autosiphon, and got a mouthful of boiling hot water.

 

[Rev2010]

I have a barleywine conditioning for 2 years and there is no way I would ever use anything BUT glass for that.

Good point.

Don't you think propane is dangerous? What about water at 212F? You just feel more comfortable handling it.

Of course there are always dangerous aspects to homebrewing. But one can minimize the dangers involved in avoiding items that are more prone to personal harm.


Rev.

 

[NuclearRich]

Good point.



Of course there are always dangerous aspects to homebrewing. But one can minimize the dangers involved in avoiding items that are more prone to personal harm.


Rev.

You can minimize the dangers of bacteria by living in a negative pressure HEPA filtered bubble, but you won't get to enjoy life the same way. If there weren't appropriate uses for glass carboys and bottles, they wouldnt be manufactured because they wouldn't sell. Its actually a little less extreme than what I'm implying, and more like in a grayish zone where it doesn't really matter too much if you use those products, as there are acceptable replacements for the most part, and appropriate for the majority.

 

[NuclearRich]

New personal best, if it qualifies. I was working on some brewery equipment, but not actually brewing.

haha! love the ER curtains in the background. How many stitches?

 

[Rev2010]

You can minimize the dangers of bacteria by living in a negative pressure HEPA filtered bubble, but you won't get to enjoy life the same way. If there weren't appropriate uses for glass carboys and bottles, they wouldnt be manufactured because they wouldn't sell.

Yes, and you listed one good reason. Outside of that what can't be done with Better Bottles? Either way, I'm taking it that for some reason you're being overly defensive about my off handed comment. I'm not picketing against glass carboys so you don't need to keep repeating how some of us aren't living life to it's fullest


Rev.

 

[ChickenHops]

Don't you think propane is dangerous?

Absolutely! And I don't have the eyebrows to prove it.

 

[NuclearRich]

nah, not overly defensive, just a tad arguementative. I don't care what ya do really, just trying to free you from blinders. (Horses wear blinders so that they can't see other than what is right in front of them, and they don't get scared. I say you are no horse, and can overcome fear better than a horse, and that there is no reason to advocate against something that has solid uses.)
Living life to the fullest is merely and exaggerated metaphor. Only reason I responded was because you had a negative feeling for the glass. Just want to help clarify for you and, more importantly, others who will read this. I am sure you won't go out and switch to glass, as why bother, right? But if someone is trying to make an educated decision between which to use, then they might be scared away from glass (there are some pretty scary things up on this thread!)

 

[Rev2010]

I don't care what ya do really, just trying to free you from blinders.

1. I know what blinders are. I'm not some 6 year old child you need to explain it to
2. It does seem you care because you clearly felt the need to parallel someone using plastic fermentation vessels as "being in a bubble" or not "enjoying life the same way".
3. While I'm still a noob brewer I've not yet dealt with any negative aspect of not using glass carboys over a number of different brews I've made. Frankly, I don't even want to use any carboy type shape, even better bottles.
4. Even given a slight chance of injury, I'm sure if I did slip up and drop a glass carboy and sever some tendons or arteries I'd later feel the beer in that carboy just wasn't worth the damage.

So please understand it's my personal outlook on it. If I did want to age a beer for such as extended period as you I would probably leave the carboy in one place for the whole process and only move it for cleaning. But I already said in detail why I'm much more cautious of glass. I don't think at this point I need to explain myself further.


Rev.

 

[ChickenHops]

(there are some pretty scary things up on this thread!)

If it raises awareness for certain risks, that's a good thing. There's nothing wrong with respecting the process, and recognizing the need for a little extra care in certain areas.

 

[Walker]

haha! love the ER curtains in the background. How many stitches?

No stitches. I gouged a piece out and it couldn't be sewed shut. Just wrapped up and waiting for it to slowly close up. Taking an assload of antibiotics in the meantime.

 

[mthhurley]

Minor cuts and burns for me. But I use the Better Bottle carboys and one slipped off a 4' shelf one and landed right next to me. Sprayed wort for 10' around the room. Had that been a glass carboy, I would be telling a very different story.
I am so happy my brew teacher got me into the Better Bottles from the start. I can't fathom why anyone would use those lethal time bombs.

 

[Walker]

I can't fathom why anyone would use those lethal time bombs.

To each his own. I've been using glass carboys forever. I pick them up and shake them for aeration and sanitizing, too. Sure, I could possibly have an accident. Accidents happen. I prefer to not live in fear of "what if''s".


What if my propane tank explodes!?
What if my keggle falls off the burner when I am boiling!?
What if
What if
What if

 

[NuclearRich]

1. I know what blinders are. I'm not some 6 year old child you need to explain it to
2. It does seem you care because you clearly felt the need to parallel someone using plastic fermentation vessels as "being in a bubble" or not "enjoying life the same way".
3. While I'm still a noob brewer I've not yet dealt with any negative aspect of not using glass carboys over a number of different brews I've made. Frankly, I don't even want to use any carboy type shape, even better bottles.
4. Even given a slight chance of injury, I'm sure if I did slip up and drop a glass carboy and sever some tendons or arteries I'd later feel the beer in that carboy just wasn't worth the damage.

So please understand it's my personal outlook on it. If I did want to age a beer for such as extended period as you I would probably leave the carboy in one place for the whole process and only move it for cleaning. But I already said in detail why I'm much more cautious of glass. I don't think at this point I need to explain myself further.


Rev.

lol, I don't know why you think I am attacking you. I am just trying to give valid information. I explained blinders for a reason, and not to underestimate your intelligence. Keep your methods, I have no problem with what you are doing.
What my posting has been for is the fact that there is negative press in these pages about glass. I just wanted to point out that it has positives, it has needs and uses, and that brewers everywhere do actually use these methods without injury. I agree that there are inherant risks associated with glass, and the danger should be respected. I also think that if you can respect boiling wort and propane well enough to feel confident in its use, then you should be able to do the same with glass. Glass is really the lowest danger of those three, and it strikes me as odd when it is more feared.
And again, I am not personalizing this so please don't take offense. I want those who see our conversation to make a decision based on the pros and cons.

 

[NuclearRich]

Minor cuts and burns for me. But I use the Better Bottle carboys and one slipped off a 4' shelf one and landed right next to me. Sprayed wort for 10' around the room. Had that been a glass carboy, I would be telling a very different story.
I am so happy my brew teacher got me into the Better Bottles from the start. I can't fathom why anyone would use those lethal time bombs.

SLIPPED???

FOUR FEET???

Would you keep your propane immediately adjacent to your burner? my god man! carboys on the floor!

 

[tamoore]

I normally put the wort chiller in the brewpot with 15 minutes of the boil left. I let it sit there to sputter and steam off for a few minutes before I even think of getting anywhere in front of it.

On one fall brew day, about 10 minutes after putting the chiller in, and a few moments before connecting the water hoses, I stood in front of the inlet momentarily to grab a 5 minute hop addition sitting on a table on the other side of the brew pot. Bad move.

I thought the chiller had stopped sputtering a long time earlier, but just as I stepped in front, it let loose one final gasp and send a boiling-hot spit-ball at high velocity toward my inner thigh.

I was wearing what I call 'lounging trousers', but what you might call 'pajamas'. It left what I believe was a 2nd degree burn, and I still have a nice memento scar 8 months later. It gave me new found respect for the chiller, and I never go in front of it until the hoses are attached, and will only attach the hoses with thick leather gloves on...

Some of the other injuries in this thread freak me out!

 

[steakandale]

I'm still waiting to hear more from HOUBLON on his capping accident!! ???
Was that a wing or a table capper?? what happened?

 

[PolishStout]

not mine but a close friend

her entire stovetop gets extremely hot after running for an hour. she accidentally set her arm on the stovetop while adding DME. at least all of the DME made it in the pot

 

[Rev2010]

lol, I don't know why you think I am attacking you. I am just trying to give valid information. I explained blinders for a reason, and not to underestimate your intelligence.

That's fine, and I already admitted in my first response to you that you had a "good point" about the aging. But you may want to examine and adjust the way you respond to people. A lot can be read as insulting/condescending.

Glass is really the lowest danger of those three, and it strikes me as odd when it is more feared.

Lowest danger? From the posts I've seen, not only in this thread, it looks to me as the most injury comes from broken carboy's. A few burns here and there yes, and only few that leave a permanent scar, but a lot of the broken carboy threads I've read results in stitches, cut tends and surgery, etc.

I'll state it one more time... if you read my original post in this thread I stated exactly why I'm cautious of glass. I only said, "I don't know why anyone still uses glass carboys" and you and I are still going back and forth. I already agreed with you that aging is a good reason for a glass carboy. I'd thought our exchange was finally done after my last reply to you. Can we please end the back and forth now? I really don't care if people want to use or have great reasons for using glass carboy's. It was one simple off handed comment. Man, wish I'd never had said it.


Rev.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

Sometimes when I dip my hands into the star San for extended periods of time it starts to dry out my skin. Usually I just get gross looking old man hands, other times it cracks a bit and starts to sting. Ouchie!!

hahaha. Funny comment. It seems most people either burn them self or get hurt from broken glass. Luckily I use no glass except growlers and occasional bottles. I haven't had any bad injuries thankfully. Hopefully going to an all electric system won't bring on an electrocution.

 

[Mermaid]

I can't say mine was specifically brew related, but on what was supposed to be a brew day last Spring, while I was doing my prep work, I fell down the basement stairs and broke my ankle.

The only casualty was my yeast starter (the milled grain went into the freezer along with the hops) and of course, my ankle.

Nothing compared to some of the other injuries I've seen here. Wow you guys, that sucks!!

 

[LVBen]

I'm still waiting to hear more from HOUBLON on his capping accident!! ???
Was that a wing or a table capper?? what happened?

He posted that in November... he might not be around anymore, so we might never get an answer.

 

[chrislehr]

I was shaking my therminator to clean out some hops with boiling starsan and with the valve open the silicone tube came off and i got hit for about 1 second.

That's about 3 days after all the skin sloughed off.

 

[Bobby_M]

This thread inspired me to put together a Brewing Safety lecture for the Whale Homebrew club. I wasn't sure how it would be received but it sounded like people took it seriously. When I started it up, I asked how many have been injured while brewing and I saw at least 20 hands go up (that's about half the room).

I wanted to thank everyone that posted in this thread and let you know I used some of the pictures. You can find the article on the WHALES website. If I've used a picture of yours and you do NOT give me permission to use it, please PM me and I'll take it off.