6 gallon carboys...wtf??

[colorado_wade]

Lately I've noticed I've had to top up my carboys with several bottles of wine to get it filled up into the neck, and also that after bottling 30 bottles, there is quite a bit of wine left. So, tonight I carefully measured out exactly 6 gallons of water and poured it into 2 different 6 gallon carboys, and it didn't fill either of them up past the bend at the top. Is this typical of 6 gallon carboys, or did I get sent the wrong size?

Cheers

 

[Ajmassa]

Pretty typical. They’re aren’t “exact”. I know I’ve got 1 almost 6.5 and another under 6. I have one Italian 6-1/2 gal carboy (smooth sides) that measures closer to 7 actual volume

 

[colorado_wade]

Man, that's a bummer. That's a lot of extra wine needed for topping up! Wish they would get it right.

 

[Johnd]

Man, that's a bummer. That's a lot of extra wine needed for topping up! Wish they would get it right.

Yup, pretty decent sized variance in the 6’s. Just top em up with some like wine and call it a day. On bottling day, with full carboys, I typically prepare for and get 31 bottles, so it kinda comes back to you in the end.

 

[colorado_wade]

You're right, I do get that extra bottle in the end...and typically a couple extra glasses to drink right then

 

[jsbeckton]

Agree you get extra in the end. The part I don’t like it when I am transferring from a larger one to a smaller one and I end up with a half bottle or so of green wine.

I should mark them so I keep moving to a progressively bigger carboy; at least after the first racking where the lees result in a more significant loss.

 

[rustbucket]

My plastic "Better Bottle" carboys are fairly exact at 6 gallons when filled to the bottom of the neck. Could it be that glass bottles are not be as precise in their measurement due to manufacturing equipment differences?

 

[Ajmassa]

My plastic "Better Bottle" carboys are fairly exact at 6 gallons when filled to the bottom of the neck. Could it be that glass bottles are not be as precise in their measurement due to manufacturing equipment differences?

100%. Those plastic bottles are all gonna be exact- made from some sort of assembly line type mold I would assume. (I used LOVE the show ‘How it’s Made’).
But I imagine the glass carboys will shift and settle slightly when drying causing slight volume differences. My current source for carboys gets their own made. This allows them to sell em dirt cheap- but also a local glass maker probably has a less commercial of a process allowing even more differences. Each one is unique with little bubbles, ribs and nicks within the glass speckled throughout.

 

[Bplewniak]

Same issue here. I’m new with 6 - 6 gallon carboys all filled with aging wine now. When I transfer every 3 months, it’s frustrating having different sizes.

 

[FTC Wines]

We totally agree with all the different volumes of the 6 gal carboys. We have 1.5 ml, 750s, and 375 bottles to handle the difference. But it is a pain storing the extra. Roy

 

[bstnh1]

100%. Those plastic bottles are all gonna be exact- made from some sort of assembly line type mold I would assume. (I used LOVE the show ‘How it’s Made’).
But I imagine the glass carboys will shift and settle slightly when drying causing slight volume differences. My current source for carboys gets their own made. This allows them to sell em dirt cheap- but also a local glass maker probably has a less commercial of a process allowing even more differences. Each one is unique with little bubbles, ribs and nicks within the glass speckled throughout.

I have several Better Bottles and they do vary slightly in capacity - not much, but enough so that if transferring from a larger one to a smaller one you can wind up with 2 or 3 cups difference.

 

[Zintrigue]

I thought I just got a lemon on my 5 gallon carboy. The 6 is accurate, but the five is five gallons right at the top of the carboy before tapering begins, so man, what a headache.

 

[Homebrewit.com]

Yeah you will always get some variances with the glass carboys. I've actually switched to going into 5 gallon glass carboys, and I just drink whatever's left.

Cheers!
Bryan