Carboy: plastic vs glass

[Coaster]

What are the advantages / disadvantages of glass vs plastic. I "have" to buy some soon

and was trying to figure out which ones I want.

 

[Angell Wine]

Glass Breaks
plastic bounces
Glass cleans easier
plastic Scratches easier
glass is better for bulk aging because it does not breath with barometric changes
plastic is cheaper to ship
Glass is heavy to pick up
Plastic is lighter weight


I have both glass & better bottles. Get 10 of each forFuture growth.Edited by: Angell Wine

 

[pkcook]

I don't have better bottles, but from all that I've read they are the equivalent to glass without the weight. Standard plastic water bottles will be fine for short term storage, but will allow oxygen to permeate over time. If you plan on bottle aging, plastic will suffice, butif you plan on bulk aging in the carboy, use glass or the better bottle. Personally, I can get glass cheaper from a local vendor than I can order the better bottle, so I opt with glass. I don't move my carboys around much after I fill them, so weight is not much of a problem.

 

[winesnob]

I have both and use both. I use the plastic ones for secondary because I have to lift them up/down. When I rack for bulk aging, I rack it into a glass carboy.

 

[Coaster]

Thanks for the feedback. Weight is an issue currently and I don't see much bulk aging occuring yet (going to stick to kits for now, yeah that's what they all say when they start, right) so going with plastic for now.

 

[peterCooper]

My wife suggested putting carboys in those plant plot holders with wheels so they they can be rolled about without effort. Haven't tried it yet but I'm going to. If she can come up with a way of getting them up and down as well she'll be worth keeping. (As if....)Edited by: peterCooper