Seeing these what can best be discribed as anti-glass threads. Who here is actually content to stay with their glass carboys? How many trouble free years of those that are sticking with glass had. I am just curious. Being a new brewer and wanting to remain as clean as possible I bought two six gallon carboys. Just how damn careful do I have to be with these things. If one is capable of breaking with just sloshing liquid then I would consider them a defective product. How can they be sold to the general public when they can just "explode". These products really should be manufactured with a bit more strenth in mind.
Who here is happy with glass carboys?
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Sean
Well-Known Member
I have 12 year old glass carboys. They are great, one is 7 gal. the other is 6, and 3 five gallon. I have bumped them pretty good, and never broken one. It just takes luck I guess..
but I understand they are getting expensive??
I also know of people who brew very successfully in pails for many years. I am not crazy about plastic for a long term. My 2C.
but I understand they are getting expensive??I also know of people who brew very successfully in pails for many years. I am not crazy about plastic for a long term. My 2C.
yeah i love mine wouldnt use anything else for five gallons, if your having trouble cleaning them get a faucet adapter and rig a hose up from your faucet to rinse and fill with warm water. and if you dont already know oxyclean is the only way to clean these things scrubbing them sucks and could scratch or break your glass fill it with warm water and drop like 2 scoops of oxyclean in and let it sit for like 2 hours then use an old crappy hose to siphon out the 6 gallons of now crap water so you dont have to lift it full and wet then rinse with warm water like 5 times with your new faucet hose thing, then sanitize and fill with wort. sorry so long but i had to rant about oxyclean because i was once a scrubber. treat them nice and they will last for ever
I've only had my carboys for a few months, but I don't plan to switch to plastic. I use BrewHaulers with them, and I'm always very conscious of how quickly they can turn into flying shards of broken glass if I'm not super careful. I like that I don't have to worry as much about infections with them, and man are they cool looking.
I only use buckets, but at the last Fermentation Sciences event, I was the only one of 23 people who had a bucket. Two people brought kegs for the wort, but they both planned on fermenting in glass. One person had a Better Bottle.
I prefer the glass carboy over my buckets or better bottle mainly because for the ease of cleaning.
I try to be gentle with it but there has been a couple of times it has fallen while empty. I usually dry it out by having it sit upside down and has fallen over but is still surviving. I inherited it from a friend and is about 6 years old.
I try to be gentle with it but there has been a couple of times it has fallen while empty. I usually dry it out by having it sit upside down and has fallen over but is still surviving. I inherited it from a friend and is about 6 years old.
I brew mostly in ale pails. But, I love my glass carboys for my wines and as a secondary for beers. I would never age wine long term in plastic, but I've had a rhubarb wine in a 6 gallon glass carboy for almost a year. I have probably 20-25 glass carboys, most of them usually in use. If I didn't make wine, though, I'd probably rarely use a glass carboy.
I've only broken one- but that was because I dropped it. My friend broke one while washing it, and that entailed an ER visit and plenty of stitches, so it's nothing to be careless with.
I've only broken one- but that was because I dropped it. My friend broke one while washing it, and that entailed an ER visit and plenty of stitches, so it's nothing to be careless with.
staffVAJoe
Well-Known Member
+1 on jajabee's "cool looking" comment.
Cars are dangerous too but you won't find my fat a$$ hopping on a bicycle to get to work instead
Cars are dangerous too but you won't find my fat a$$ hopping on a bicycle to get to work instead
Everyone that uses glass and has not yet dropped one catastrophically is completely happy with them.
Yes, cars are dangerous but there are no viable replacements at the same cost/value/performance level. Not quite a perfect analogy.
Yes, cars are dangerous but there are no viable replacements at the same cost/value/performance level. Not quite a perfect analogy.
QueenCityALER
Well-Known Member
I love 'em, have used them since I started homebrewing! However, I do have plastic fermentation buckets as well. I'll primary in them, but I'll always transfer to a 5 gallon glass carboy to bulk age. I am interested in the ported better bottle also. Any of you guys use these regularly??
TwoHeadsBrewing
Well-Known Member
I've used two of mine for about a year, the other 3 are several years old...at least 10. All of them are sound, no cracks or anything. I like them because I don't have to worry about scratches and I can easily see if they are dirty or not. Kind of a PITA to clean, but oxyclean or PBW does wonders at breaking down the krausen grime. I also like being able to see the fermentation in action, and gauge the clarity. Actually, I've come to use the clarity as a cue to rack my beer into the keg.
Carboys were never designed or intended to be used by homebrewers. They're water bottles and are supposed to be upside down, full of water in a water cooler. That said they are not quite as fragile or problematic as you suggest. I don't use them exclusively but do use them for most of my fermentations and all of my secondaries. Using a carrier like one of the custom commercial jobs or a plastic milk crate helps immensely in moving them and keeps them from bumping into each other or a hard floor. Handled with reasonable care they will last just about forever and they are the cheapest way to provide a non-reactive and non-permeable container for homebrewing.
one thing you have to keep in mind when reading any thing on the internet is he/she who is unhappy usually yells/writes the loudest. I have found this to be true on every type of forum i am a part of, homebrewing, photography, tech forums. Just remember that the other 99.9% of people that are perfectly happy with an item usually will not plaster the boards with how awesome and amazing something is, but the .1% of people that get a deffective product, or missuse the product will scream to high heaven about it. that is just my .02 on it, i have all glass carboys and love them, but i am also carefull when trasnporting them and take great care when washine and sanatizing them.
I appreciate all of your replies everyone. I use my bedroom as my fermentation room as it is kept coolest do to crappy apartment insulation. The bedroom is also considered the "nursery" so the last thing I need is glass shards flying into my daughters crib. I am just concerned about unexplained explosions.
I wouldn't worry about explosions.
Just leave yourself enough head space for fermentation, and/or use a blowoff tube.
I would worry about knocking into one, or knocking it over, or dropping it. And I'd keep it far away from the little one (especially if she's at an age where she can get to it on her own).
Just leave yourself enough head space for fermentation, and/or use a blowoff tube.
I would worry about knocking into one, or knocking it over, or dropping it. And I'd keep it far away from the little one (especially if she's at an age where she can get to it on her own).
planenut
Well-Known Member
I have 6 glass and 1 better bottle.
I've only used the better bottle once when everything else was full.
I get a good feeling about the cleanliness with just water and oxiclean but still use a carboy brush occasionally. I do use milk crates on all of them and try to be especially careful.
Downside on the better bottle for me is that it will squish when you pick it up although I still use a milk crate for it and I worry about scratching it. I'm not sure how well it transfers heat and cold when you use a water bath or when you tape a temperature probe to it.
I've only used the better bottle once when everything else was full.
I get a good feeling about the cleanliness with just water and oxiclean but still use a carboy brush occasionally. I do use milk crates on all of them and try to be especially careful.
Downside on the better bottle for me is that it will squish when you pick it up although I still use a milk crate for it and I worry about scratching it. I'm not sure how well it transfers heat and cold when you use a water bath or when you tape a temperature probe to it.
Definitely don't want a bucket if it's going to be around a toddler, the bucket I just bought from HD actually has a little picture of a child drowning in it on the side. A glass carboy won't explode, all the pressure escapes out the blowoff hose or airlock, but I still wouldn't want one around a toddler, I'd worry about something knocking into it or it getting knocked over.
homebrewer_99
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I still have my original 3 carboys from 1994. Never broke one (yet).
I have another 20 or so carboys in reserve. I've had as much as 8 carboys in use at once.
I believe I am the original poster that recommended milk crates to the board.
I place an empty carboy in a crate before filling, etc. When I want/need to empty it I place it on the counter and use my autosyphon until it's light enough to lift and pour sideways...but it never leaves the crate until it's empty.
I have another 20 or so carboys in reserve. I've had as much as 8 carboys in use at once.
I believe I am the original poster that recommended milk crates to the board.
I place an empty carboy in a crate before filling, etc. When I want/need to empty it I place it on the counter and use my autosyphon until it's light enough to lift and pour sideways...but it never leaves the crate until it's empty.
Baby still too young to crawl yet. So I guess as nothing has happened yet so my carboys should be fine? I actually carried my carboy from the kitchen to my bedroom by the neck and base as it is the only way I could. The wort/beer sloshed a quite a bit. Held together fine. Do they actually make glass carboys specifically for brewing? I have seen the Pyrex ones, way too expensive.
daveooph131
Well-Known Member
Love them....Always use glass personally for primary, then IF I secondary I go to a bucket.
danorocks17
Well-Known Member
I primary everything in glass then secondary in my better bottles. I also only use glass for apfelwein. I know lots of people only use plastic buckets, but I prefer glass or PET carboys. It's all personal preference like most things in homebrewing
SeamusMac
Well-Known Member
I have a single glass carboy that I bought before I found out about better bottles and it's constantly being used to produce hard cider. I really like the glass carboy because it looks like a decor if treated properly, not just a piece of equipment. Also, because I secondary cider in the carboy I don't have to worry about skunking due to light exposure or oxidization during bulk aging.
BUT... there's probably *at least* twenty or thirty "regulars" around here that have reported breaking a carboy, either with injury or without. I couldn't give you a specific percentage, other than it's a lot more than 0.1% (if I were guessing, I'd say... anywhere from 2% to 5%), just based on the number of people who post regularly and who have reported individual incidents. So, it's not something which is SUCH a rare occurance as to be dismissed as a freak accident; carboys break, it's probably about once a week (consistently over the three years that I've been here) where I read someone's "ah, ****!" thread about their broken carboy.
double_e5
Well-Known Member
While I also use glass, and have no problems doing so, why would you primary in glass and then rack to plastic?
jolleyphoto
Member
I have not had a problem with my carboys. I use buckets for primary and carboys for racking.
On deck IPA
Primary: APA
Secondary:
Drinking: Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Orange Honey Wheat, IPA
On deck IPA
Primary: APA
Secondary:
Drinking: Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Orange Honey Wheat, IPA
OrlandoHomeBrewer
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I have two glass carboys, a 5 gallon and a 6 gallon and have been using them since 2001. I primary in a bucket and secondary in the glass (except for the Apfelwein which I just do in the glass). Since I have never used a BB, I guess I don't know what I am missing. I have come really close to dropping a carboy on a couple of occasions. That at least has me considering buying a BB or two. If I do they will have to be ported to make the transfers easier. Those aren't real cheap so it may be a while before I pony up.
gxm
Well-Known Member
I use 2 6.5g glass carboys for my lambics, and I've 2 5g glass ones for secondaries.
My other 5 fermenters are all 6g BB, and I'm quite happy with them.
Previously I'd done all my brewing in the kitchen, and all the fermenting in the basement, so carrying 55+ pounds of glass and liquid down 20 narrow steps was troubling. I don't do that anymore, but I really like the idea of minimizing the chance of ending up in the emergency room as a result of my brewing hobby.
As for cost, they are the same price at my LHBS.
My other 5 fermenters are all 6g BB, and I'm quite happy with them.
Previously I'd done all my brewing in the kitchen, and all the fermenting in the basement, so carrying 55+ pounds of glass and liquid down 20 narrow steps was troubling. I don't do that anymore, but I really like the idea of minimizing the chance of ending up in the emergency room as a result of my brewing hobby.
As for cost, they are the same price at my LHBS.
I have 8 glass carboys and am very happy with them. I have never broken one yet, but would continue using them even if I broke one. The value per cost of glass for fermentation is very high IMO. I started fermenting with a bucket, but quickly switched to glass carboys.
BeerPressure
Well-Known Member
I've never used glass only because my starter kit came with buckets and better bottles.
talkingmonkey
Well-Known Member
This wasn't started as an anti-glass thread...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/glass-carboys-rock-until-you-drop-one-118540/
But, after my experience and reading the horror stories of all the ER trips, I'm out!
I loved glass and would use nothing else, until this. I've got a 2 year old that loves to play exactly where I dropped my carboy. I am SO scared I missed something when cleaning up.
To each his(her) own, but for me glass isn't worth it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/glass-carboys-rock-until-you-drop-one-118540/
But, after my experience and reading the horror stories of all the ER trips, I'm out!
I loved glass and would use nothing else, until this. I've got a 2 year old that loves to play exactly where I dropped my carboy. I am SO scared I missed something when cleaning up.
To each his(her) own, but for me glass isn't worth it.
I know I will keep with glass for now.I will continue to be careful with the bottles and examine the bottles after and before use just to make sure things look alright.Now to find some used milk crates. Thanks again for everyones input.
EvilTOJ
Well-Known Member
I lurve me my glass carboys. I don't see why all the hate about then though. I figure they're just like anything else that's potentially harmful, like power tools and such. I don't hear of anyone saying "I accidentally drilled into my thigh, man F this woodworking **** I'm never using power drills again!" No, just chalk it up as a learning experience and be more careful. Or like my old boss at the cabinet factory that lost a finger to a table saw, he still used the saws all the time.
I mean, your carboys are ruined, PM'ing you for my address so I can dispose of them....
I mean, your carboys are ruined, PM'ing you for my address so I can dispose of them....
Grinder12000
Well-Known Member
so you are talking way less then 1%.
MikeG
Well-Known Member
I have a glass carboy and do believe that through no fault of my own it could drop and break so I'm very careful with it. I do have to hike it full down a flight of stairs to my basement and I move it again to either bottle or keg.
Because of the nature of accidents I need to prepare by at least buying a BrewHauler. I bought mine a while back and my understanding it's the last ones from Mexico and was 'affordable' to me. The LHBS said from now on they would most likely be coming from Italy and the price would go up. I also have a better bottle and if the glass was more expensive I'd go with BB.
Because of the nature of accidents I need to prepare by at least buying a BrewHauler. I bought mine a while back and my understanding it's the last ones from Mexico and was 'affordable' to me. The LHBS said from now on they would most likely be coming from Italy and the price would go up. I also have a better bottle and if the glass was more expensive I'd go with BB.
Trubadour
Well-Known Member
Glass carboys aren't going to just explode on you for no reason. I've broken one, and it was b/c I kicked it over with my knee (luckily empty).
I have 3 remaining glass carboys and still use them, and they're great. Sure, they're heavy and will break if dropped, but just don't drop them. I'm not going to toss them out. I do have a BB also, and it's good too. Personal preference. But I'd say to go with whatever you can get the best deal on.
I have 3 remaining glass carboys and still use them, and they're great. Sure, they're heavy and will break if dropped, but just don't drop them. I'm not going to toss them out. I do have a BB also, and it's good too. Personal preference. But I'd say to go with whatever you can get the best deal on.
Edcculus
Well-Known Member
I love my glass too. I have glass and plastic. I have been buying more buckets recently just because I am turning my beer around quickly (~3-4 weeks in the fermenter), and they are cheaper than glass.
bentonre
Well-Known Member
Well, I have about 3 years of homebrewing under my belt (beer and wine) and I have just upped my glass carboy collection from 4 to 9 (assorted 3, 5 and 6.5 gal sizes and thick and thin [acid] carboys). I have never had a problem, but do try to treat them with respect and as I see more anes on the forum, adapt my practices accordingly. I now only move them in milk crates and try to avoid workign with them in bare feet and watch sudden temperature changes when washing. I use ale pails for primarys sometimes and don't have any better bottles.
I would recommend that if you are extremely afraid of glass, get better bottles. If you have no fear of glass..... get better bottles. If you have a healthy respect for glass, use the glass carboys.....
my $0.02
Bob
I would recommend that if you are extremely afraid of glass, get better bottles. If you have no fear of glass..... get better bottles. If you have a healthy respect for glass, use the glass carboys.....
my $0.02
Bob
"Regulars." I've read probably three times that of total incidents, "regulars" and people I don't know as well. I still use glass, but only for secondaries where the beer's not really going to be moved around at all.
conpewter
Well-Known Member
I have 3 glass primarys, 2 glass secondaries. I've never had a broken one or any close calls. I used to have them in milk crates but I use brewhaulers now (or my homemade design that is similar).
I love that they come clean so easily. I am very careful with them and I realize there is a risk, but I try to only ferment in glass and stainless. Those are the pieces of equipment I'll be able to give to my kids someday, a 20 year old bucket or better bottle won't be in workable shape.
I love that they come clean so easily. I am very careful with them and I realize there is a risk, but I try to only ferment in glass and stainless. Those are the pieces of equipment I'll be able to give to my kids someday, a 20 year old bucket or better bottle won't be in workable shape.
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