Glass Carboy

[SerLung]

I've got one of these 25-30 litre carboys. Brewed in it once, PITA to empty. What is it good for? Any reason to use this over a plastic with a tap?

 

[benno1973]

Probably the best use of a carboy is for when you're doing a beer that needs to sit and ferment for a while - such as sour beers. Plastic allows a slow ingress of oxygen, while a glass carboy doesn't. So if you're letting a beer ferment for 6 months plus, use glass, otherwise plastic fermenter is fine.

 

[Greg.L]

The absolute maximum in a small 25L plastic fermenter would be 3 months, and that only if it has a very small air space and a good seal (3 weeks if it is under gladwrap). Glass is much better, very low oxidation, your beer will stay much fresher and keep it's flavour.

 

[kevo]

Is it a PITA to get the beer out of or to clean?

I use an auto-syphon in mine which works a treat and make sure I blast it with the hose and get cleaning as soon as it's empty.

The only issue for me is the weight - I always dread the day I drop it and smash it and cut my feet and ankles to shreads. So mine always lives in a milk crate, making it far easier to handle.

Everyone else here is spot on, short term it's probably unnecessary, but, I like it and having one vessel with no taps, threads etc for bugs to hide is reassuring.

Kev

 

[SerLung]

PITA to get the beer out of. I tried the auto syphon, but found it stirred the beer up too much before the beer would flow.

Appreciate all of the other comments.

Need to look into beer that brews for 6 months, never done anything that long....

 

[kevo]

Put the auto syphon into the beer with the 'plunger' part already raised.

Beer will fill the column then you simply pump down to start the syphon.

I find minimal stirring up from this unless I try to fiddle with the line mid-transfer.

 

[TimT]

They're pretty and you get to see the beer doing it's thang.