Glass or plastic carboy

[Ricky67]

Just would like some input. Any preferences and why?

 

[GreginND]

Lots of posts on this subject. To summarize:

Glass

Pros:
Easy to clean sanitize, does not scratch, can put under vacuum for racking and degassing

Cons:
Heavy, fragile and dangerous if it breaks

Plastic

Pros:
light and not breakable,

Cons:
debate about oxygen permeability, implodes under vacuum, scratches easily and may be harder to sanitize with scratches

 

[bkisel]

A pro for my plastic carboys over my glass ones is that there is a lot less topping off required with the plastic. However, as I build stock with which to top off this should become less of an issue.

 

[GreginND]

I'm not sure I understand. Why would plastic need less topping up?

 

[RCGoodin]

Plastic does not work with my All-in-one-pump, which I use for degassing and bottle filling.

 

[sour_grapes]

I'm not sure I understand. Why would plastic need less topping up?

I think he means because the glass Italian ones are larger than 23 l.

 

[bkisel]

I think he means because the glass Italian ones are larger than 23 l.

Thank you. Yes, my Italian "23L" glass carboys hold noticeably more than my BB carboys. The BB is closer to a true 23Ls.

 

[Arne]

Shucks, bkisel, thought your were going to say you can take up the airspace with a belt around the plastic carboy. Cinch it up til the wine looks topped off. You mite want to be careful how far you go with this. Arne.

 

[jamesngalveston]

all of my plastic carboys hold less then my glass....does not matter what size.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I personally am in favor for glass !
mainly because I don't have to lift a full carboy - plastic or glass - as they are both heavy to lift and the process of using a vacuum is fantastic !! Less than 4 minutes per carboy to transfer without ever disturbing the sediment to get a cleaner racking.

 

[ldmack3]

Moving a BB is also an issue. If you have an airlock you need to either pull it or manipulate the carboy in a way that does not suck the kmeta inside. I keep 12 carboys under my table and BBB are a pain until you go with a solid stopper when bulk ageing.
Bottom line is I have a number of both and plan on keeping them all for different reasons.

 

[bkisel]

Shucks, bkisel, thought your were going to say you can take up the airspace with a belt around the plastic carboy. Cinch it up til the wine looks topped off. You mite want to be careful how far you go with this. Arne.

You know, the joking aside you might be onto something. A vessel with a bladder of some sort, maybe near the bottom of the vessel. Pump air under the bladder and remove the head space. I know, I know all the dream crushers will say to simply fill with similar wine or displace with marbles.

 

[roger80465]

Arne, you may be onto something with the belt idea. That could work!

 

[jamesngalveston]

actually steve, (vacuumpumpman) has all ready designed and built a bladder for topping off....ask him about it.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Arne
I actually invented a similiar product that you are speaking of - several years ago
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/new-product-removal-excessive-head-space-17891/

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/carboy-air-space-bladder-trial-version-18124/

There was not that much demand for it - most people would rather just top off with a similar wine instead.

Thanks James !!

 

[Arne]

Think I got the idea from here a long time ago. Never tried it, tho. EAsy fix if you don't have a lot of headspace to make up. Arne.