Plastic Carboy okay for kit wine?

[flhtc]

I just finished washing my glass 6 gal carboy, I was on my way to put it away and I tripped of my dog Moses, the carboy was shattered. I sustained some small cuts and my oak floor to a beating but Moses is okay. So now i need to buy a new Carboy, thinking plastic this time. Any thoughts?

 

[Runningwolf]

First off I am glad to know you and the dog are not seriously hurt. Second of all welcome to the forum!
Depending on how involved you plan on getting with wine making determines which to buy.
If you making kits and only plan on doing one at a time and not aging for very long periods of time in the carboy I would get a Better Bottle.
If you plan on making a fair amount, plan on vacuum racking and degassing and plan to store the wine for long periods of time, I would get glass.

If your decision is plastic make sure it is a Better Bottle.

 

[robie]

I have several glass carboys and several plastic Better Bottle carboys. I like both but for different reasons. As RunningWolf said, you can't put a vacuum on a plastic bottle. The plastics expand and contract easily as barometric pressure changes. This cuts down on the carboy sucking in air around the plug or blowing the plug out as pressures and temperatures change.

If you get plastics, get the Better Bottle Brand and don't try to use plastic water bottles.

 

[Tom]

You can use a plastic carboy. But, I would only use it for a primary unless its a B/B. I would not age in anything but a B/B or glass. Plastic is also harder to pick up. So, more accidents are possible.

 

[robie]

You can use a plastic carboy. But, I would only use it for a primary unless its a B/B. I would not age in anything but a B/B or glass. Plastic is also harder to pick up. So, more accidents are possible.

Yep, when you pick up a plastic carboy with an air lock installed, the bottle stretches and sucks all the air lock solution into the wine. Opposite happens when you set the bottle down and turn loose of it. ALWAYS TAKE THE AIR LOCK OUT TO MOVE A PLASTIC BOTTLE! Having to remove the airlock just to move the bottle, is not always a good thing. Fortunately, most of the time I move mine, I am also going to rack it.

 

[DavidB]

The only negatives I can see with the better bottles is 1. you cannot degas with them and 2. Red wine stains the inside of the bottle when you leave it in there long enough. I have one glass 6 gallon (that I hate!) and 5 - 6 gallon better bottles. Will be buying more of the better bottles very soon. I love them.

 

[robie]

The only negatives I can see with the better bottles is 1. you cannot degas with them and 2. Red wine stains the inside of the bottle when you leave it in there long enough. I have one glass 6 gallon (that I hate!) and 5 - 6 gallon better bottles. Will be buying more of the better bottles very soon. I love them.

I have about 50-50 in glass and Better Bottle. I wouldn't part with either side.
As already mentioned, since the Better Bottles are a little smaller, I tend to rack from a glass to a plastic. Saves a little on the topping off.

I, personally, don't have a problem utilizing the Better Bottles for aging up to six months or more. I haven't had problems with stains... yet. I know you can scratch the inside of them.

Did I tell you when I first started making wine, I actually tried to degas in a Better Bottle? Didn't work!

 

[JohnT]

Depending on how much you make, a variable capacity stainless steel tank could also be recommended.