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Author Topic: Broke my glass carboy today  (Read 7780 times)

Offline Stevie

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2013, 09:35:09 am »

Milk crates for my carboys.

Don't steal milk crates, or kegs. :)

Offline punatic

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #16 on: December 31, 2013, 10:55:05 am »
Milk crates for my carboys.

I'm still using carboys. I just make sure to be very careful when handling them. I don't lift them when full unless I use a brew hauler and I make sure my hands and the carboy surface is dry when I pick it up to dump out yeast/trub. Use some finesse, guys!
Glad you weren't near the carboy when it broke, alestateyall.

+1

I guess I must be an exception.  Many years of working in laboratories with nasty compounds in glass containers has made handling with care a main priority/survival instinct for me.  It is ingrained in my work habits.

More than 24 years of fermenting in glass without breaking a carboy.  They all reside in milk crates, and are moved about as little as possible.  When they do move they are handled with care.
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Offline jeffy

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #17 on: December 31, 2013, 12:51:58 pm »
Milk crates for my carboys.

I'm still using carboys. I just make sure to be very careful when handling them. I don't lift them when full unless I use a brew hauler and I make sure my hands and the carboy surface is dry when I pick it up to dump out yeast/trub. Use some finesse, guys!
Glad you weren't near the carboy when it broke, alestateyall.

+1

I guess I must be an exception.  Many years of working in laboratories with nasty compounds in glass containers has made handling with care a main priority/survival instinct for me.  It is ingrained in my work habits.

More than 24 years of fermenting in glass without breaking a carboy.  They all reside in milk crates, and are moved about as little as possible.  When they do move they are handled with care.
I've broken two in 23 years, the first about 21 years ago when I was draining it of water and it knocked against a brick wall.  The second when I was carefully putting it into a small fridge and cracked it when it lightly bumped another carboy.  The beer stayed inside.  They can be very fragile.
A friend of mine nearly killed himself from blood loss once by having one break while he was holding it.
Ya know, I don't trust those handles that clamp onto the neck, either.  I'd rather have one hand under it and the other hand around the neck.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
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Offline redbeerman

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #18 on: December 31, 2013, 12:55:29 pm »
Yeah, I've got some glass carboys (carboiai?) but I only use them for sours at this point so no picking up or shaking for me.

+1
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #19 on: December 31, 2013, 02:13:53 pm »

Milk crates for my carboys.

Don't steal milk crates, or kegs. :)
Who said anything about stealing? Do you know that you can buy new milk crates. The wife got some nice ones on sale through Duluth Trading. She also organized a club buy to get free shipping for more than 10.
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Offline punatic

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2013, 03:00:44 pm »
I have several crates that used to hold cases of half liter deposit bier bottles in Germany.  The crates are pretty much the same size and shape as milk crates.  My parents used them as shipping containers when they moved back to Florida from Bad Aibling.  Their friends at the brewery there gave them to my parents.

Milk crates are sold at many big box stores here in The States.  No reason to steal them. 
« Last Edit: December 31, 2013, 03:05:47 pm by punatic »
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Offline Stevie

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2013, 03:52:51 pm »


Milk crates for my carboys.

Don't steal milk crates, or kegs. :)
Who said anything about stealing? Do you know that you can buy new milk crates. The wife got some nice ones on sale through Duluth Trading. She also organized a club buy to get free shipping for more than 10.

Just being funny. Not looking to accuse.

fistfullofhops

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #22 on: January 03, 2014, 12:48:54 pm »
I used to rock them back and forth on the floor in a "thump thump" fashion to slosh the wort around. Carried them up and down stairs, probably a few times with wet hands. Amazing I never broke one. Nothing but plastic for me this time around.

Offline BrewingRover

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #23 on: January 04, 2014, 08:33:31 am »
Ya know, I don't trust those handles that clamp onto the neck, either.  I'd rather have one hand under it and the other hand around the neck.

My wife got me one of those as a gift. It was hard to act grateful when I knew I would never use it.

I'm she sure did the same with the vacuum she got  ::)
It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

Offline speed

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #24 on: January 04, 2014, 08:49:36 am »
I'm getting old enough that I don't like to carry carboys up and down stairs, so I bought a 2wheel cart from menards that is designed to carry plastic buckets. I just bungee cord the carboy to it.

Offline Titanium Brewing

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #25 on: January 06, 2014, 03:14:12 pm »
I have all my glass carboys in Home Depot Homer buckets, which then sit in milk crates. I also have a brew hauler that I rarely use anymore. I got rid of my orange carboy handles, seems I am just tempting fate with those. Now a days I only use my glass carboys for Wild/Sour beers, as they sit a long time with out being touched.
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Offline dkfick

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #26 on: January 07, 2014, 08:04:08 am »
I have many glass carboys and have yet to break one.  I also don't use glass for primary fermentation so they are never exposed to temperature extremes nor sitting directly on concrete.  They are only used for secondary fermentation and bulk aging.
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Offline el_capitan

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #27 on: January 11, 2014, 07:15:44 pm »
My 6.5 gallon carboy has a threaded neck, and it came with a plastic cap that screws on nicely.  I used to cap the wort and roll it back and forth on the carpet vigorously to aerate.  Can you imagine what a mess that would have made?   :o

I've used buckets for years now with no problem, but for some reason I'm starting to reconsider and thinking about using the glass again.  I have two 3-gallon glass carboys that are nice to use.  The smaller size makes them way easier to handle.  I might use them to bulk age some bigger beers. 

I'm seriously interested in the big mouth bubblers that just hit the market.  Waiting to hear some more feedback on those after extended use. 

Offline ridesalot

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #28 on: January 26, 2014, 11:56:48 pm »
 >:( >:(was using brew hauler. 5gallon shifted when I picked it up, the straps spread and it slid out. 6 inches off concrete floor. All it took. Glass beer everywhere. Going to plastic.

Offline tommymorris

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Re: Broke my glass carboy today
« Reply #29 on: January 27, 2014, 06:57:33 am »

>:( >:(was using brew hauler. 5gallon shifted when I picked it up, the straps spread and it slid out. 6 inches off concrete floor. All it took. Glass beer everywhere. Going to plastic.

Sorry about that. Brew hauler needs to give you a refund! ;)