Thoughts on the Better Bottle after a year or so

[mordantly]

if they would make them thicker, and 6.5gal i could justify the $40.

[Adam]

if they would make them thicker, and 6.5gal i could justify the $40.

PET 6 gallon carboys are only $22 for me locally at a co-op store. Use a blow off tube and go on with life.

[captain carrot]

Haven't had one crack yet. I wonder if hot soaks make the plastic more brittle?
For a blow off tube I forced a 1/2 inch barbed elbow through a #10 stopper and used the same size hose into a glass of water.
For airlocks I like to use the S type and only add enough vodka to fill the bend at the bottom. If any vodka gets sucked back during moving no big deal.
I haven't lost any better bottles but still think the advantages outweigh glass.
+1 on Fermcap too!
Cheers Army

[Adam]

I did get a rubber stopper stuck in my carboy and made some gouges in the neck of it drying to pry it out; I gave up and just left it in there as it doesn't impart flavor to the beer.

BTW, the trick for that is to stuff a wet handkerchief or small cloth in the neck. Then tip the BB or carboy to settle the stopper on the cloth. When you pull out the cloth, the stopper will come with it. It helps if the inside is wet - especially with something like star san in it.


Mylo

I bottled up the beer last night and after cleaning the carboy, I tried that trick with a wet washcloth. Worked perfectly. Thanks so much!

[PSUHomebrewer]

I think I read on bb website that letting caustics(cleaners) sit in bb is not recommended and can lead to fatigue of the plastic and that cleaning should not be done with a liquid temp above 125f.

This could be leading to the premature cracking if this is your standard leaning practice.

[bluesman]

I've had very good results from the three BB's that I've been using for the last two years. I use buckets, glass carboys and BB's. The best part about using BB's is the ease of handling. I use hot PBW to clean. No cracking yet. (fingers crossed) I still wonder how much if any O2 makes it through to the beer.

[Cliff]

Even with my 15 gallon conical I kept my glass carboys.
What I did to them after reading about people slicing themselves up so bad they lost nerves and movement in their arms when their bottles cracked on them was to wrap them in heavy gauge aluminum screening I got from the BORG and used Duct tape to keep it there.
This way, If I'm holding one in my arms and it cracks and falls apart, I won't also be trying not to get sliced to ribbons. The metal screening should contain it.

I've read that other folks capture them in GreatStuff foam inside purloined milk crates.
you can go to jail for merely possessing those things.
There's a Texas case where some kitchen laborer guy was out behind the restaurant where he worked and sat on one while smoking a but and a cop came by and cited him for it because in TX the law contemplates unauthorized use. Usually these low level cases never get reported, but his attorney must have been trying to make a name for himself and took it to appellate - where he lost.

[Henning1966]

Even with my 15 gallon conical I kept my glass carboys.
What I did to them after reading about people slicing themselves up so bad they lost nerves and movement in their arms when their bottles cracked on them was to wrap them in heavy gauge aluminum screening I got from the BORG and used Duct tape to keep it there.
This way, If I'm holding one in my arms and it cracks and falls apart, I won't also be trying not to get sliced to ribbons. The metal screening should contain it.

I've read that other folks capture them in GreatStuff foam inside purloined milk crates.
you can go to jail for merely possessing those things.
There's a Texas case where some kitchen laborer guy was out behind the restaurant where he worked and sat on one while smoking a but and a cop came by and cited him for it because in TX the law contemplates unauthorized use. Usually these low level cases never get reported, but his attorney must have been trying to make a name for himself and took it to appellate - where he lost.

You can buy them legally from here http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/prod ... 85055.aspx