[jeremy0209]

I've been using a big whisk, but I think I'm going to purchase a mix stir....seems like it would be easier to let a drill do all the work.  I also rarely brew above 1.060.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

[yugamrap]

I used a Mix-Stir on a drill for years with good results.  I recently switched to the William's O2 system and have only used it on a few batches.  The jury is still out for me as to whether one is better than the other.  I'll know better after I've used the O2 system for a few lagers.

[fmader]

I've been using a big whisk, but I think I'm going to purchase a mix stir....seems like it would be easier to let a drill do all the work.  I also rarely brew above 1.060.

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

I built one and it worked perfectly fine. I just quit using it, because it just seemed like an extra unecessary step.

[denny]

Fill the headspace in the carboy with oxygen, put a stopper in it, rest the carboy on the floor, tilt the carboy 45 degrees, and twist it back and forth - shaking the beejeebers outta the wort.  You can supersaturate the wort with oxygen this way.

Using this method with ambient air (21% oxygen) is highly effective too.

I gotta say that I would never recommend putting a carboy on edge and rocking it.  WAAYYY too dangerous.

[punatic]

Fill the headspace in the carboy with oxygen, put a stopper in it, rest the carboy on the floor, tilt the carboy 45 degrees, and twist it back and forth - shaking the beejeebers outta the wort.  You can supersaturate the wort with oxygen this way.

Using this method with ambient air (21% oxygen) is highly effective too.

I gotta say that I would never recommend putting a carboy on edge and rocking it.  WAAYYY too dangerous.

Now you tell me.  Why couldn't you have warned me 24 years ago?  Lucky for me I've never had a problem in the 500+ times I've done it, yah?  Whew!

[fmader]

Fill the headspace in the carboy with oxygen, put a stopper in it, rest the carboy on the floor, tilt the carboy 45 degrees, and twist it back and forth - shaking the beejeebers outta the wort.  You can supersaturate the wort with oxygen this way.

Using this method with ambient air (21% oxygen) is highly effective too.

I gotta say that I would never recommend putting a carboy on edge and rocking it.  WAAYYY too dangerous.

Now you tell me.  Why couldn't you have warned me 24 years ago?  Lucky for me I've never had a problem in the 500+ times I've done it, yah?  Whew!

I use Better Bottles for this reason, they're lighter, and we built a tool to put our own spigots in.

[ynotbrusum]

I'm guessing the floor surface is soft where you rock the carboy - like Denny, I would be nervous rocking glass on a terribly hard surface like concrete or ceramic tile!

[denny]

Now you tell me.  Why couldn't you have warned me 24 years ago?  Lucky for me I've never had a problem in the 500+ times I've done it, yah?  Whew!
[/quote

And I could give you examples of people who haven';t been as lucky as you have.  Just becasue you've gotten away with it still doesn't make it a good practice.

[denny]

I'm guessing the floor surface is soft where you rock the carboy - like Denny, I would be nervous rocking glass on a terribly hard surface like concrete or ceramic tile!

I've had carboys break on carpeted surfaces.

[punatic]

I've had people tell me if you slap somebody on the back while they have their eyes crossed, their eyes will get stuck that way, forever! 

I have been brewing in glass carboys since St. Patrick's Day 1989 and have never had a glass carboy break.

I guess if one is clumsy, or not careful, or ham-fisted, brewing in glass might be a bad idea.  But, with a bit of proper care it is nothing to lose sleep over.  I guess luck is what you make it.

It is said if moonlight shines on you while you are sleeping you might go crazy.  That's where the word lunacy comes from.

[denny]

All the care in the world can't negate accidents.  Every carboy I've broken, I've been completely sober, dry hands, aware of the danger and taking precautions.  They've still been able to slip out of my hands and break.

[mugwort]

We all choose our risks, whether consciously or not.  Getting out of bed is risky and it gets a lot worse from there.  Granted, first hand bad experience is a genuine motivator.

Right now with 20 glass carboys going on 5 years I'm pretty happy with the benefits and comfortably cognizant of the risks of fermenting in glass.  If I have a glass incident I'll perhaps do the math again.

Thankfully we can on the whole choose what areas of our lives to push risk for reward.  I can ride a motorcycle every day knowing the risks, but take precautions to mitigate that risk.  Carl can ride monster waves with the very real potential to be pound and drowned.

To me, it's about how we choose to mitigate the risks that come with what we value.  Glass vs plastic is a minor quibble unless and until something tragic occurs.  And then who could judge someone for drawing an absolute?  I guess this is one of those subjects in which there's little to no convincing the other side.  Personal experience is king.

[klickitat jim]

Good debate. My input would be to consider the audience. I think a lot of people have been surprised when their carboy broke. Doesn't mean they were morons, it just hadn't crossed their mind that it could happen so easily.

When I started I assumed a carboy was required. But I educated myself first. Consequently I've never owned one. I'll bet there are a lot of people who buy them starting out, then watch a YouTube of how to hug and shake, or rock them between their feet, or whatever less than safe method. But I don't doubt Carl has never had a problem

[HoosierBrew]

FWIW the last one of mine that broke happened when I rocked it to aerate.  64dF wort went in (not remotely too hot).  I didn't drop the thing, wasn't buzzed, nothing out o' the ordinary. All I could figure was that the temp changes over the years of being stored in the garage formed a small hairline crack in the wrong spot, and 20 stitches later I switched to buckets. I've brewed somewhere ~ 300 batches over the years and it only happened twice. But I got cut like hell both times. Buckets are cheaper, lighter, and work great.

[punatic]

Good debate. My input would be to consider the audience. I think a lot of people have been surprised when their carboy broke. Doesn't mean they were morons, it just hadn't crossed their mind that it could happen so easily.

When I started I assumed a carboy was required. But I educated myself first. Consequently I've never owned one. I'll bet there are a lot of people who buy them starting out, then watch a YouTube of how to hug and shake, or rock them between their feet, or whatever less than safe method. But I don't doubt Carl has never had a problem

I did consider taking one for a ride on my surf board once, but I decided against it.  It's one thing to decide to chance taking a wall of water on the head for yourself, but the carboy had no say in the matter, so out of respect for its innocence I let it watch me from the beach instead. 

A close call, but rational decision making prevailed in the end.