Fermenter manufacturers should have the bugs worked out by now, before going to market ? Eh ?
Have you had a problem? I’ve had two for about 30 batches, and no issues so far.
Maybe you are careful and lucky. My retailer won’t carry them,saying they do not hold up,but glass breaks,too.
Are you using PBW?
I’m not using PBW, but I do use Oxyclean for a quick soak, then Starsan just before filling.
I have three and have used them each a number of times, maybe seven or eight. I haven’t had any problems with them cracking. My only complaint is that they often lose their air-tight seal. But that’s nothing that can’t be remedied with a little keg lube.
Yeah I don’t know what they issue is or why NB/MW have selected a product clearly posing an unreasonable risk of injury through normal use. However, my understanding is that NB/MW has not licensed this product for sales by any other retailers so they reason your retailer does not sell them is because it cannot buy them not because it does not want to.
I’ve never used glass for brewing beyond my small 4l wine jugs for one gallon batches. I really don’t know why people continue to use glass for larger vessels with the risk of injury. I’ve used better bottles (including the NB/MW branded versions) without problems and I have one that has been in service continually filled with beer going on five years.
I just bought two of the glass ones. Haven’t had them long enough to try them out yet, but I’m looking forward to NOT having to clean my old regular carboys any more…
What is the unreasonable risk of injury? Glass breakage? That’s no different than any glass carboy. And, while I no longer use glass, lots of people prefer it.
I wonder about the effect of water temps on brittleness of the plastic. I don’t use water hotter than about 120 for cleaning.
I have the plastic models and they are not leak proof for sure (in terms of air lock), but I am not concerned with primary bubbling. The cracking might be related to prolonged soaking, as I have used the plastic ones for many beers. All without problems.
I used glass for a very long time. I only gave it up for 5-gallon batches because I am not as strong as I used to be. I definitely prefer glass to plastic, especially food-grade buckets, which I loath.
Brewing is an inherently risky hobby. We deal with large propane-fired burners and large volumes of boiling liquids.
How are they any different from Better Bottles? I’ve been using the same BB for 3 years with absolutely no signs of weakness or cracking. I can’t imagine there is much difference between the material used.
With these particular glass fermentors there has been an unusually high number of complaints about the glass cracking or breaking even from people who use other glass carboys. Apparently the glass is much thinner and some people have had them break just by placing them on the ground. It isn’t just the use of glass but the use of glass that does not seem well designed for this purpose.
I wasn’t aware of that. Thanks for clarifying.
I have also heard that from an engineering stand point they are not structurally sound. The large opening removes much of the rigidity that the bell on a carboy provides. I’m not an engineer, so don’t quote me.
But Steve, that information is just so quotable![emoji6]