Safe to use this carboy?

[Fly_Guy]

I have only used this carboy 1x so far. I turned it upside down to drain after cleaning and noticed this -see pic. It feels like a scratch and doesn't look like a crack. I have some uv glue from my fly tying hobby I might put in there to help reinforce it.

Is it too sketchy to use?

BTW it is a 6 gallon glass carboy from Northern Brewer.

 

[jalc6927]

Not a glass expert or UV expert

I’d put nothing inside the carboy at all

And would be weary of waking up one morning to 5/6 gallons or wort on the ground

Will they exchange it

 

[MaxStout]

It looks like a wrinkle where the molten glass didn't completely fill the mould during manufacture. Take it back and exchange it for another. Not worth the risk.

 

[Fly_Guy]

@jalc6927 luckily it is on the outside, so I wouldn't be trying to put anything inside it.
I feel the same about not wanting to risk it. Not sure if they will exchange it or not, came in one of their kits I got as a gift. I'll contact them and see what they say.

Thanks!

 

[Fly_Guy]

For those who are interested, I contacted Norther Brewer and they said that this 'scratch' is a normal thing and all of their glass carboys have it.

I think I'll try the uv glue just for my own sanity. They said all their stuff is gauranteed for a year, so if it breaks with wort in it hopefully they will be nice enough to give me a free extract kit along with a replacement carboy lol.

 

[madscientist451]

Doesn't look too bad from here. I have old carboys that look worse than that.
I've mostly switched to plastic carboys for primary and only use glass for long term aging of wine.

 

[aprichman]

I have to say that's extremely weak on Northern Brewers part. That does not look like a scratch to me and they should replace it and get better quality control in place - if a glass carboy breaks with liquid it is at best a terrible and possibly expensive mess and at worst extremely dangerous and possibly life threatening. Damaging a nerve or cutting a tendon can have life long impacts. Once I had a puppy in the house I knew it was time to switch and with a young child now glass is officially gone in all forms - no carboys or bottles.

I switched to PET carboys which have served me well over the last couple of years. I use a racking cane and blow into a HEPA filter to create positive pressure in the carboy and racking into a keg. This style of racking cane allows for a lot smoother transfer compared to the autosiphons which always seem to introduce air bubbles.

My next fermentation vessel will be a corny keg with a modified diptube. Being able to throw a spunding valve on after 3 days and transferring with CO2 into a CO2 purged keg has me drooling when thinking about my hop forward beers.

 

[WBB]

I had a similar “etch” on the bottom of my 6g glass carboy. I actually bought 2 from NB. Noticed the one had it when I received them and called them on it. They said it was normal, part of the manufacturing sometimes. I’ve used it a couple times and no issues.

But I’ve since moved onto to SS fermenters.

Maybe I’ll give them to my boys to use as coin collectors.

 

[day_trippr]

I have six 6.5g Italian carboys, most of them going into their 15th year, and every one of them has a similar score in the bottom, typically close to the center.
It has to be a process artifact, but fortunately they're in the thick part of the glass where they're unlikely to cause issues.
That said, any break in the lattice is a weak point, and thermal shock should always be avoided like a grenade about to go off...

Cheers!

 

[GPP33]

Maybe I’ll give them to my boys to use as coin collectors.

I know a guy who had an emergency room visit from a broken carboy filled with change. Happened in the grocery store as he was dumping it into the change machine. Cash out in change = ~$80, emergency room visit = $1,000, not having to worry about glass by using a Fermonster = priceless. Easy carrying, easy cleaning, easy dry hopping, easy to view fermentation progress, easy closed transfers. What’s not to love?

 

[MaxStout]

Protect the carboy from bumping on a hard floor.

 

[Calder]

Looks OK to me. Part of the manufacturing. It would not concern me.

I have 1 glass carboy that is only occasionally used. Plastic is lighter, easier to use, and less of a worry.

When I do use the glass, I don't move it much, and always keep it on a padded mat. I don't think I have used it in the past year.

 

[Fly_Guy]

It seems like it will be okay. Most of the scratch seems pretty minimal, only a very small section catches my fingernail.

I think Ill still use the uv glue cuz I'm a bit parinoid. I bought a carboy carrier and I'll probably wear leather gloves when moving it, which will be a lot unfortunately due to fermenting in basement and bottling in kitchen. I do my best trying to minimize temp swings, the sink I clean in gets hot super quick so maybe I'll switch to only cold water to wash it. And I'll definitely keep it on something soft, either bubble wrap or a towel or something.

When I can, and it's reasonable I'll probably switch over to some sort of primary with a drain, most likely a PET one or SS conical, but until then, I'll just take some extra safety precautions.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

No, don't use it. Send it to me, and I'll use it. <proud owner of 14 glass carboys, all with various flaws, with one broken in 22 years>

Cue @passedpawn with the broken carboy horror stories in 3....2....1...

 

[Calder]

I bought a carboy carrier and I'll probably wear leather gloves when moving it, which will be a lot unfortunately due to fermenting in basement and bottling in kitchen. I do my best trying to minimize temp swings, the sink I clean in gets hot super quick so maybe I'll switch to only cold water to wash it. And I'll definitely keep it on something soft, either bubble wrap or a towel or something.

That's a long way to move it. I keep my movement to a minimum. I brew in the kitchen, but use plastic fermenters for primary, and only the glass for secondary. I keep it below my brewing bench in the basement, so when I fill it, I only have to move it a couple of feet. To bottle, I only have to lift it about 4 feet, and the basement sink is about 12 feet away.

Taking a full glass carboy down the basement stairs (or up), is something I just can't imagine doing. Almost seems like asking for trouble.

 

[Fly_Guy]

Its definitely not ideal. Unfortunately the basement is not plumbed out and I think it's better to bring the carboy down than a boil kettle lol.
At somepoint I'll get a primary plastic FV but until then I'll just be extra careful transporting the glass.