Glass carboy cracks

[Shurt1073]

Have you ever asked a question you probably already knew the answer?

I had two 6 gallon glass carboys delivered yesterday and I have a small crack in each bottom. Are they useless for holding wine? Can't age wine in these at all? I use the All In One Wine Pump - vacuum pump to transfer and bottle. I'm guessing these won't hold up to pressure?

(carboy 1 & 2 were delivered last week in 200-300 pieces so these are replacement 3 & 4 with only one crack in each bottom).

 

[BernardSmith]

The best glass carboys come from Italy (I think) . Many of the others (China and Mexico) are poorly made and are not adequately annealed and so are subject to stress cracks. I may be a contrarian but if you are fermenting or aging five or six gallons of wine that has taken you weeks or months to reach a point when the carboy simply breaks apart and you lose every drop of your wine, I would think that the cost of such a loss by far outweighs the gamble that the crack is simply cosmetic. If I were you , I would call up the seller and ask for your money back rather than risk the likely loss.

 

[Shurt1073]

The best glass carboys come from Italy (I think) . Many of the others (China and Mexico) are poorly made and are not adequately annealed and so are subject to stress cracks. I may be a contrarian but if you are fermenting or aging five or six gallons of wine that has taken you weeks or months to reach a point when the carboy simply breaks apart and you lose every drop of your wine, I would think that the cost of such a loss by far outweighs the gamble that the crack is simply cosmetic. If I were you , I would call up the seller and ask for your money back rather than risk the likely loss.

Yep ... they are from Italy and appear to be quality but after getting tossed around in shipping they are cracked. Several lessons were learned from this. I appreciate the response from a wine making vet!

 

[CDrew]

 

[CDrew]

I have to defend Mexican carboys a bit. I have a very old one that was used in the bottled water industry and its good quality. But the video above shows why cheap Chinese (and Mexican) carboys are a bad idea. Yet another reason to transition to stainless steel kegs for home wine making.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I bought two 3 gallon carboys about 9 years ago. One had a crack the other not. The cracked one was garbage and the good one is still good after all these years. I vowed to never buy (online) glass carboys again. Luckily for me when a neighbor got out of the wine making hobby and sold me four of his 6 gallon glass carboys ($25/each). All of them used but perfect and after 6 or 7 years are still perfect.

 

[David Violante]

Great video… I especially like the nod to Dr. Seuss. It seems easy enough to make a device to check the glass, and not use the carboy at all if the glass is weak. Doing a check could become part of an annual regimen since it seems easy enough to do.

 

[vinny]

If I were you , I would call up the seller and ask for your money back rather than risk the likely loss.

100%

I don't know where you age, but I bet the thought of 6 gallons of wine on the floor is less than favorable. Lost wine is a disappointment, irreparable damage, not worth the risk in my mind.

 

[Shurt1073]

Four broken or cracked 6 gallon carboys in seven days. The seller refunded my money and has taken the delivery claim so I don't need to mess with it. Top notch company in my opinion and a lesson learned on my end.

It cost me more money and over an hour drive time but I bought a carboy a few days ago. I'd rather buy local when I can and its convenient.

 

[silverbullet07]

I purchased a couple that were delivered probably from the same company. They had a crack inside the glass it appeared but some said that it from making it. It held pressure and has not leaked. I can not tell to much from your photo but your aio wine pump should tell you if it holds pressure if you have the head space eliminators.

Here is a pic of mine. A member called it an artifact of the molding of the glass

 

[Raptor99]

I've seen something like that in a few carboys. Of course we could go with caution and recycle it, but is it possible it is a defect and not a crack? Does anyone have a definitive answer?

 

[winemaker81]

It cost me more money and over an hour drive time but I bought a carboy a few days ago. I'd rather buy local when I can and its convenient.

My LHBS is 5 minutes from my office, and it was great -- I could stop in at lunch time and get whatever I needed.

Since COVID I'm WFH (and am continuing for the foreseeable future), so the LHBS is now 40 minutes away. I group my purchases and make a single trip to get everything I need and am likely to need.

This is obviously less convenient, but I'm ok with it, as I'm not spending 1.5 hours per day commuting ....

 

[winemanden]

Best way if you think a full carboy has got a crack is to stand it in a bucket and check regularly until you have an alternative safe container.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

I had a carboy split in half this year for the first time since I started winemaking/brewing beer. And I have switched to 100% Plastic carboys now as I’m paranoid about glass carboys breaking