Other Glass or plastic carboy?

[zalai]

What he said. I bought one. When I tried to clean it the same way I do my glass carboys -- with hot water -- this is what happened (in a matter of about 5 seconds):

Sorry about that . Did you read the warning printed on the side of the carboy .
"Do not Exceed 60 C (140 F) .

 

[jswordy]

I am all-glass in secondary because it will not leach over long exposure (yeah, yeah, I know what the plastic ones claim), you can use vacuum, it cleans easier and it is not flimsy. A glass carboy will not tip over when siphoning out liquid, after it reaches a certain level. Plastic can do that.

I use Brew Haulers on the carboys. An excellent investment, easily transferable, and I found them very cheap.

A year or more ago, I saw some pix of a Midwest Supplies guy who cut his arm up when a carboy he was brewing with broke.

I looked at his eyes in the pic, not his wounds.

And so I'll say it again: Never EVER drink when you are making wine, brewing or bottling. If you must bench test, taste and spit it out. Drink afterward, when you can celebrate safely completing what is truly an industrial process.

 

[ffreds]

Plastic because it is lighter, not as heavy, safer, and cheaper. You can vacuum degass glass however and that can make up for any disadvantages. I freaking hate degassing. Just make sure you are safe if you use glass.

 

[Just-a-Guy]

Sorry about that . Did you read the warning printed on the side of the carboy .
"Do not Exceed 60 C (140 F) .

Yeah, I read that. After this happened.

Honestly, I wouldn't have thought 160 deg would have done this, and that's about where the water was. I think. Doesn't really matter, I'm not blaming the Better Bottle, it's my fault. I'm just saying, I don't care for these things for several reasons, one of which is, you really can't clean them in the same way as my glass ones. To each their own.

 

[bkisel]

I find cleaning my plastic carboys much easier and for me safer than my glass carboys. I've several white face cloths dedicated to cleaning the plastic... Rinse a couple times, then pour in the B-brite cleaning solution, put the wash cloth in and slosh around, final rinse with cool water and I'm done. Also, use a dry wash cloth to dry the inside of the plastic carboy by putting it inside the carboy and tumbling the cloth around the inside.

Safely cleaning my glass carboys is the biggest issue I have with them. I have to lay out towels on the granite counter top to act as a cushion, sloshing rinse water and cleansing solution is much more difficult than with plastic because of the glass carboy weight and extra caution not to hit anything while doing so. The B-brite cleaning solution I use makes the glass carboys particularly slippery and was a contributing factor to my breaking a glass carboy and cutting (thankfully a minor cut) myself.

Oh, and I can safely drink while cleaning my plastic carboys. [Just kidding. I don't.]

BTW, this plastic vs glass debate is as much fun as the caliber wars on the gun forums I visit.

 

[zalai]

I have mostly glass carboys and 2 plastic . What I am not happy about is the rubber bung . My local store has silicone bungs for other sizes but not for the plastic carboy . The rubber bung smells like rubber for a long time . What do you do to take that rubber smell away ?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I have mostly glass carboys and 2 plastic . What I am not happy about is the rubber bung . My local store has silicone bungs for other sizes but not for the plastic carboy . The rubber bung smells like rubber for a long time . What do you do to take that rubber smell away ?

What size bung is it ?
All my bungs. Do not smell as they are all gum style design.

I can make whatever size you need - 1 or 2 hole

 

[JMK]

I have mostly glass carboys and 2 plastic . What I am not happy about is the rubber bung . My local store has silicone bungs for other sizes but not for the plastic carboy . The rubber bung smells like rubber for a long time . What do you do to take that rubber smell away ?

I use these and love them:
http://morewinemaking.com/products/premium-breathable-silicone-carboy-hood.html

 

[wineh]

I currently use only glass carboys, and have never broken one even though I've bumped them a couple of times. I bought one of those red clamp-on-thingys, but when I attached it to the neck of an empty carboy and picked it up, one word popped into my head: torque. I took it off, and never used it. One of these days, I'm going to have to switch to plastic, as full carboys are starting to feel heavier as I get older.
Regarding cleaning, I use a drill mounted carboy cleaner, and the carboy is in the sink when I use it. As far as water temperature, I don't think it comes out of my tap at 140 degrees, as my water heater is set slightly below the "default" position for efficiency reasons.

 

[Runningwolf]

Winreh wish I lived by you, I would take that handle. With closer to 50 glass carboys I have s handle on every single one of them. Yes I lift them by the handle and sometimes carry them that way. Usually I keep a hand under it also when carrying. Hanging onto that handle while cleaning a wet carboy is the only safe way to o do it.

 

[wineh]

Usually I keep a hand under it also when carrying. Hanging onto that handle while cleaning a wet carboy is the only safe way to o do it.

Good point.

 

[terrymck]

What I am not happy about is the rubber bung . My local store has silicone bungs for other sizes but not for the plastic carboy . The rubber bung smells like rubber for a long time . What do you do to take that rubber smell away ?


The same places that sell better bottles have a hard plastic ,waterless air lock that uses o-rings to seal.

Terry

 

[Charlesthewino]

I use both - 85% plastic 15% glass. Glass for anything needing vacuum. Once degassed, plastic for storage. I know glass is better long term, but plastic is 1/4 the price.

 

[PhilDarby]

I have 3 X one gallon glass demi johns (carboys) and 2 X 5 gallon plastic and 1 X 2 gallon plastic bucket with a lid on.

Glass is basically more inert, but, a 5 gallon glass container full of wine would make a bit too much of a mess if it was dropped.

I once dropped a gallon demi john full of wine, a long time ago, onto a tiled floor, the results, where a large mess, but, could have been very dangerous, so, personally I wont use a container holding more than a gallon made of glass, as my ability to carry them isn't very good and the risk isn't worth taking.

I don't use any vacuum stuff and simply syphon when racking.

 

[ehammonds]

Thanks for the great responses. I think ill keep my three glass carboys to use for bulk aging and degassing with vacuum. But, at intermittent rackings and short term transfers, I'll switch to plastics.