2nd cracked glass carboy. Alternatives?

[jeremydgreat]

So, I was cleaning out my glass carboy today and noticed a very thin 4-5 inch crack along the bottom. No leaks yet. This happened about 3 months ago to another glass carboy (6 gallons) and I threw that carboy in the dumpster. Now it's happening again!?

I'm very careful and gentle with my carboys. They never touch cement and when I set them down, it's always on a clean kitchen floor.

So, do I just have terrible luck here or what? I feel like I shouldn't be going through a carboy ever 3-4 months. Should I move to plastic fermenters? Buckets? I have a bucket for fermenting, but I kinda hate it. I like to see what's going on inside. Maybe a clear plastic fermenter (Better Bottle makes one I think)?

 

[DeafSmith]

Are you absolutely certain that it is a crack? I have one glass carboy and it has a surface defect on the bottom which I thought at first was a crack. but on close examination with a magnifying glass realized was just superficial. I think if it is really a crack that you would be able to see a dark shadow all the way through the glass if you catch it in the light just right.

 

[brewingmeister]

I cannot support the use of any plastics. Are you sure it is a crack and not just a seam from when the glass was in the mold.

 

[jeremydgreat]

Definitely a crack. I can feel the edge of it with my fingernail. It's also definitely not the seam from the glass mold (I can see that as well).

 

[Revvy]

That's why many many many brewers don't use glass, especially when there's so many easier and safer alternatives, and since folks have kinda realized the whole "oxygen permeability" stuff about plastics was really hooey.

There's no best in brewing, only what works BEST for us.

 

[Golddiggie]

Go with either a Better Bottle carboy, bucket, or stainless fermenter. I have one, final, glass carboy that I'm trying to get rid of (sell) but can't seem to. There's nothing wrong with it, other than it's taking up floor space. I'm not going to use it to make anything in the future, so (IMO) there's no reason to keep it.

As for your desire to see what's going on inside the fermenter... Get past it. The sooner you do, the better IMO... I ferment inside sanke kegs, so I can't see anything inside of it. I don't look at the batch after I pitch the yeast, until it's going into serving kegs. A sanke (or any stainless fermenter) is 100% air impervious, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about there. The chance of any light getting into the batch is so remote it's almost funny. Actually, you'd need to put some effort into getting light into my fermenters. IMO, the risk of having your batch lite-struck (and getting skunked) is highest in clear fermenters. Unless you're placing it into a spot where there's no light at all (pitch black 24x7). Bucket fermenters are better than clear, but light can still pass through them. The risk is reduced, don't get me wrong, but it's still there [IMO]...

Use what you like, but know there are better alternatives to clear carboys (or any material)...

For the record, I simply hate bucket fermenters. For me, getting the lid off (and sometimes on, with a 100% seal) was more work than it was worth. I used one for all of two different batches and haven't since then.

 

[MrManifesto]

Buckets. Just do it. You've seen one fermentation, you've seen them all.

 

[Nuggethead]

I've had a couple crack in the past. It seems to happen to the carboys that have visible air bubbles from manufacturing. If I clean and soak using water thats too hot, the air thats trapped in the bubbles expands and causes a small crack. Never had one completely fail yet. I have also started using plastic 8 gal. buckets. They're nice and no blow off needed due to extra head space.

 

[kellzey]

Better Bottle

 

[Wynne-R]

Very odd that two carboys would break in three months. I’ve had mine for years and only recently broke one, banging it into another one. Not very hard either. Hairline crack, didn’t leak, I trashed it.

I think everybody’s minds are made up on the glass vs plastic debate. I say if inferior sanitation and oxygen permeability are worth the convenience, have a good time.

 

[passedpawn]

Very odd that two carboys would break in three months. I’ve had mine for years and only recently broke one, banging it into another one. Not very hard either. Hairline crack, didn’t leak, I trashed it.

I think everybody’s minds are made up on the glass vs plastic debate. I say if inferior sanitation and oxygen permeability are worth the convenience, have a good time.

The things you mention are not significant issues at all with plastic carboys.