# Glass carboy with Spigot



## GlennK (Nov 16, 2013)

Anyone know where I can get a Glass carboy with Spigot? I use to get a local supplier to put one together for me, but the business changed ownership. I'm in Charlottetown PEI.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 16, 2013)

i would like to see that, can u post a pic.


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 16, 2013)

I have drilled holes in wine bottles before - I think I would be a little nervous about drilling a carboy


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## Pumpkinman (Nov 17, 2013)

You can find Ported PET carboys here: http://www.thevintageshop.ca/documents/carboys.html


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## GlennK (Nov 17, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> i would like to see that, can u post a pic.



I've been using one for years as my final stage as it makes the bottling stage so simple and clean....


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 17, 2013)

that isnt glass


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 17, 2013)

sorry..it does not look like glass to me...looks like a pet bottle.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 17, 2013)

most glass carboys have a molded tube on the bottom are close.
here is a link to what you are lookding for.

http://www.greatglas.com/CarboyWithSpigot.htm


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## GlennK (Nov 17, 2013)

Pumpkinman said:


> You can find Ported PET carboys here: http://www.thevintageshop.ca/documents/carboys.html


 Thanks.....but I'm sure shipping from BC will cost too much!


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 17, 2013)

GlennK said:


> I've been using one for years as my final stage as it makes the bottling stage so simple and clean....



Is this plastic or glass ?


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## Pumpkinman (Nov 17, 2013)

Plastic PET bottle Steve.
I'd be afraid to use a ported glass carboy.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 17, 2013)

most glass carboys are not ported...but have an outlet fused to the glass during manufacturing...


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## GlennK (Nov 18, 2013)

vacuumpumpman said:


> Is this plastic or glass ?



Sorry for any confusion on the pic example I used to show someone what I was referring to. It's a glass carboy with a hole fdilled and a spigot installed using a long nut holder gadget to screw the inside portion of the spigot. I've been using one(for years) as my final rack container and thus avoiding the need to use hoses and bottle fillers to complete the bottling stage.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 18, 2013)

I have searched high and low for this, and I can not find a glass carboy in 3 are 5 gallon size that has a spigot...Period.
Tons of plastic carboys with spigot, none that is glass.
I would buy one in a second if i could.

Another option for you is to go to stainless.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 18, 2013)

There is also a glass demijohn with a spigot, for sale...


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## GlennK (Nov 19, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> I have searched high and low for this, and I can not find a glass carboy in 3 are 5 gallon size that has a spigot...Period.
> Tons of plastic carboys with spigot, none that is glass.
> I would buy one in a second if i could.
> 
> Another option for you is to go to stainless.


It was custom made by a local dealer....I will check with them tomorrow about getting another one done.


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## BernardSmith (Nov 19, 2013)

If the issue is simply bottling is there a problem with racking from your glass carboy into a plastic bottling bucket (open) or into a ported BB (plastic) carboy? Obviously if you are using a vacuum to move the wine neither will work, but if you are using gravity then would the length of time it takes to rack into a bottling bucket and the amount of time it takes to bottle from the bucket really expose the wine to enough air to cause perceptible /detrimental oxidation? - I am asking not because I think I know the answer but because I am really curious. And because if the amount of oxidation would be imperceptible (even if you were aging the wine for, say, 3 years), or if perceptible over a long period of time but enhanced the flavors (much like aging in wooden casks) then might a bucket or a plastic ported carboy not be a reasonable option?


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## JohnT (Nov 19, 2013)

Not to be difficult, by why do you want one with a spigot? 

I have had a number of them in the past (my local ran out of demis and only had spigotted demis left). I found that they were much more of a pain to deal with. Cleaning is a pain and I had a number of those spigots leak. I ended up selling them and buying the un-spigotted variety.


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## GlennK (Nov 19, 2013)

BernardSmith said:


> If the issue is simply bottling is there a problem with racking from your glass carboy into a plastic bottling bucket (open) or into a ported BB (plastic) carboy? Obviously if you are using a vacuum to move the wine neither will work, but if you are using gravity then would the length of time it takes to rack into a bottling bucket and the amount of time it takes to bottle from the bucket really expose the wine to enough air to cause perceptible /detrimental oxidation? - I am asking not because I think I know the answer but because I am really curious. And because if the amount of oxidation would be imperceptible (even if you were aging the wine for, say, 3 years), or if perceptible over a long period of time but enhanced the flavors (much like aging in wooden casks) then might a bucket or a plastic ported carboy not be a reasonable option?



I use 2 glass carboys for my process, one for the primary fermenting and the other (with the spigot) for the final process, which includes the stablizing, clearing and then bottling.


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## GlennK (Nov 19, 2013)

JohnT said:


> Not to be difficult, by why do you want one with a spigot?
> 
> I have had a number of them in the past (my local ran out of demis and only had spigotted demis left). I found that they were much more of a pain to deal with. Cleaning is a pain and I had a number of those spigots leak. I ended up selling them and buying the un-spigotted variety.



I use 2 glass carboys for my process, one for the primary fermenting and the other (with the spigot) for the final process, which includes the stablizing, clearing and then bottling. And have for years without any problems.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 19, 2013)

when you bottle what do you do...hold your finger on the spigot are is the spigot used just for racking...
curious...
thanks for reply.


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## Runningwolf (Nov 19, 2013)

You would use a bottling wand with a spigot and it would work well. My preference would be no spigot for the very reasons listed above.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 19, 2013)

I agree 100 percent...love my bottling wand...I use it with all my small batches....6 gallon are bigger, i have a bottle filler.


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## GlennK (Nov 19, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> when you bottle what do you do...hold your finger on the spigot are is the spigot used just for racking...
> curious...
> thanks for reply.



I hold my empty bottles under my spigot( in my case a open/close tap) and fill as desired.....I can do 30 bottles in no time and very little waste(of course the carboy has to be tilted for the last 3-4 bottles.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Nov 19, 2013)

Fellas, everyone like to do things a little differently, be more flexible. There is a maniac on a sister site to this one, www.homebrewtalk.com that uses a diamond head hole saw on a drill to drill holes in thick glass carboys for making beer. If you wanted one bad enough all you need is to find the right hole saw, keep it lubricated while cutting and have some patience. My personal preference by the way is only 1 bucket with a spigot, I used more but I kept forgetting to check to see if it was on or off, we had different kinds and sometimes the nuts on the inside would just pop off and the whole dam thing would open up and gush. Your local well stocked homestore should have the right hole saw or be able to get you one probably. WVMJ



GlennK said:


> Sorry for any confusion on the pic example I used to show someone what I was referring to. It's a glass carboy with a hole fdilled and a spigot installed using a long nut holder gadget to screw the inside portion of the spigot. I've been using one(for years) as my final rack container and thus avoiding the need to use hoses and bottle fillers to complete the bottling stage.


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## Runningwolf (Nov 19, 2013)

Good idea Jack. I think if you can't find them in the hardware dept at Big Box stores the drill bits might be in the flooring dept to drill through ceramic tile.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 19, 2013)

WVMountaineerJack said:


> There is a maniac on a sister site to this one, www.homebrewtalk.com that uses a diamond head hole saw on a drill to drill holes in thick glass carboys for making beer. If you wanted one bad enough all you need is to find the right hole saw, keep it lubricated while cutting and have some patience.



I was going to offer to do just this for the OP gratis. However, he indicated he wasn't interested in paying shipping from BC to PEI, so I figured it was a bad idea.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Nov 20, 2013)

SG, out of curiosity, not that I would ever do such a think to one of my beloved glass carboys plus my inability to check to see if a spigot is on or off, how exactly do you do this. I would think a drill stand, some blocks of wood to keep the carboy steady and some oil for the bit and a lot of patience are required? WVMJ



sour_grapes said:


> I was going to offer to do just this for the OP gratis. However, he indicated he wasn't interested in paying shipping from BC to PEI, so I figured it was a bad idea.


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## iVivid (Nov 20, 2013)

I fit my bottling wand on the end of my racking cane. If I'm home alone it's a little tricky to push it into the bottle to get the siphon going, but once you have it going it's no different to using the bucket when I do beer. I just have a plastic bin on the floor with all my bottles, and I use the wand and fill from bottle to bottle. Quick and easy, and it stops at the right place/time for the wine level with the wand on it.


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## Pumpkinman (Nov 20, 2013)

Glenn, good luck, if this is something that you are comfortable with, then I hope that you can find a few. Me personally, I'd make sure that if they are standard carboys, make sure that they are the Italian carboys, I've seen a few Chinese carboys shatter without even being touched, on their own.
Post a few pics when you get the carboy set up.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 20, 2013)

WVMountaineerJack said:


> SG, out of curiosity, not that I would ever do such a think to one of my beloved glass carboys plus my inability to check to see if a spigot is on or off, how exactly do you do this. I would think a drill stand, some blocks of wood to keep the carboy steady and some oil for the bit and a lot of patience are required? WVMJ



That was certainly going to be my approach! The bit and lubricant are very important, of course. I was going to try with a slurry of abrasive particles (Al2O3 or SiC). Believe it or not, one of the best "bits" you can make is a thin sheet of brass wrapped around a cylindrical form; then you operate this in the slurry of abrasives. The brass is soft enough that the abrasives dig into the brass, and then wear on the glass. The slurry replenishes them.

The curved surface of the carboy would present a challenge, of course.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 20, 2013)

I would imagine that the hole to be drilled would be like 1/2 are 5/8 depending on the spigot...
Not a very big hole....I would use a hollow diamond drill bit, and some water for lubricant...


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## GlennK (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks for all those updates to this thread....My previous supplier had a deal with a local glass company(http://www.oconnorglass.com/) to cut the holes as specified and they would use a homemade gadget to install the plastic tap. I guess I'll have take my bottle to this company and make my own gadget.


GlennK


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## JohnT (Nov 21, 2013)

I use an enolmatic bottle filler. Expensive, but you do not need to tilt your carboy, do not need to drill any holes, and also get the benefit of degassing.


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 22, 2013)

I agree with John - 
Go vacuum and get all the additional benefits from it -
degassing 
racking without lifting 
Consistent liquid height and no overfill spillage
Can be used to bottle with any shape or size bottles

See my website for more details or you can PM


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## WI_Wino (Nov 22, 2013)

I just bottled my a batch using the technique outlined here for the first time. Basically you use a bottling bucket with spigot, attach your spring loaded bottle filling wand to the spigot with a short piece of hose, sit down, and bottle. I found this easier than using the bottling wand with an autosiphon. I would have issues with the hose swinging around and had to hang on to the bottle being filled lest it tip over on it's own.


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## Runningwolf (Nov 22, 2013)

JohnT said:


> I use an enolmatic bottle filler. Expensive, but you do not need to tilt your carboy, do not need to drill any holes, and also get the benefit of degassing.





vacuumpumpman said:


> I agree with John -
> Go vacuum and get all the additional benefits from it -
> degassing
> racking without lifting
> ...



These guys are right on. If you look at the $200 investment for the All in One compared to what you'll be spending on the carboys, in my opinion it's a no brainer. 

With that said you may have other idea's, like lifting heavy carboys and building breeding grounds for bacteria around the leaky valve. LOL OK that was a bit harsh and I really didn't mean it but you might have other ideas we don't know about. I just wanted to give you something to think about before you violate your carboys.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 22, 2013)

I go with steve....vacuum bottle filling is the way to go.....


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 22, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> I go with steve....vacuum bottle filling is the way to go.....



James -
I actually cleaned sanitized and bottled and waxed 20 cases of wine today !! 

The really nice thing = I did it all by myself !!!


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## GlennK (Nov 23, 2013)

Sounds like a lot of noise over the vacuum pump......I heard the same about the air pump for removing gas......whatever works for you!


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 23, 2013)

dang steve you might be a wine hoarder...lol
vacuum degassing and bottle filling, racking is the way to go.
im to old to be lifting 6 gallon carboys filled...lol


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## bkisel (Nov 23, 2013)

iVivid said:


> I fit my bottling wand on the end of my racking cane. If I'm home alone it's a little tricky to push it into the bottle to get the siphon going, but once you have it going it's no different to using the bucket when I do beer. I just have a plastic bin on the floor with all my bottles, and I use the wand and fill from bottle to bottle. Quick and easy, and it stops at the right place/time for the wine level with the wand on it.



My "home alone" solution... Fold a piece of cardboard [maybe even some paper towel?] to use as a wedge. Push the wand down into the bottle so that the valve is open and wedge it in that position using the piece of cardboard. Start your wine flowing, remove the wedge and proceed with bottling as you would normally. Has worked for me every time without issue.


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 23, 2013)

bkisel
Are you possibly referring to a siphon tube holder ? 
Just put your racking tube down the center and push down on it and it locks the cane in place, works great.

like the picture below - its only 3 dollars 
http://brewandwinesupply.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=racking tube&product_id=290


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