What size carboys?

[g8keeper]

Yeah, I'd like to find another 6 cheap somewhere close and then it would have a buddy. But I'd really like to find 2 to 4 more of those 7.5s! Those are the cat's whiskers! Transfer easily between those and 5s with no topping up, since they are really a tad more than 7-5/8 gallons.

Dang this forum makes me thirsty! Never fails.

have never seen a 7.5....pretty much after 6.5, all i've seen were demijohns....BUT one guy at my lhbs, does have an old 13 gallon CARBOY!!!....not a demi, but an actual carboy....saw his use it a few years ago at one of the tynb events out behind the store a few years ago....used it as his prmary for the batch of beer he made that day...come to think it, heck, i'm glad i got my glass when i did, about 7 years ago...i have all the old mexican glass...have seen all the new glass at the lhbs are all italian now, just like everyone here has mentioned...

 

[jswordy]

Me neither on the 7.5s, until these...

What I like is that a Brew Hauler fits them, and they are not so large you can't tote them around or lift them onto a countertop. Now I want more.

Four of my 5s are 1970s Mexican glass. Man that stuff is thick. Bluish in color, not greenish.

 

[g8keeper]

yeah....some of my 5s are bluish in color, and of course, with the "ribbed" pattern, so to speak running through them....the 6s are pretty much entirely clear white glass, so to speak...actually, one of my 5s is an old glass absopure 5 gallon jug i picked up at the lhbs as a used for carboy....can't remember for sure, but i think i got that for only either 5 or 10 bucks!!!...

 

[jswordy]

(Sorry we're hijacking this thread.)

Ken, I can't find even those old water carboys for cheap here. I have two Mountain Spring Water 5s and they set me back $20 each.

Yeah, the blue cast to the glass and the heavy ribs are the oldie Mexican carboys. I have heard gripes about the newer Mexican carboys being easy to break, but have never had one so I dunno. I think almost all brand new ones now are from Italy, ennit? Wasn't China making some, too?

 

[g8keeper]

i have heard some people mention some from china, yes, but the lbhs, pretty much around the corner from me, sells nothing but the italian one now....and as for the new mexican ones, i don't know either....mine are nice, thick, and sturdy....hence the reason i haven't been able to fathom how some have talked about basically just barely tapping it on something and having them shatter....might take a lil more arm strength to lift when full, but i wouldn't trade them for the world....and as for the abso one, i guess i must have just been in the right place at the right time, and actually looking to buy another carboy....lol...and since the guys at the store know me so well, took me into the back and showed me the used ones someone has just brought in....lol...why spend full amount on a brand new one when i could get a used one at a fraction of the price???...lol....glass is glass, in a matter of speaking, at least when it came to the older carboys....

 

[jswordy]

and since the guys at the store know me so well, took me into the back and showed me the used ones someone has just brought in....lol...why spend full amount on a brand new one when i could get a used one at a fraction of the price???...lol....glass is glass, in a matter of speaking, at least when it came to the older carboys....

You are fortunate to have a store.

 

[g8keeper]

You are fortunate to have a store.

i will 2nd that for sure.....lol....has saved my rear end on a few occasions.....lol..really a good group of guys there as well....always ready to help out if there are questions....one thing i do miss though are my days belonging to the brew club....

 

[stujol]

yep, buy them all. It starts with one but it don't take long before you need more. first time you rack you will need another one. Then since you have that carboy sitting there you will start another wine. Then comes time to rack again and on and on it goes lol.

 

[roadpupp]

So I bought 5. I know this is small potatoes to most of you but a few days ago I only owned one carboy.

The guy was super nice and was clearing out his basment to build an in law apartment and had to reduce. He had a gorgeous rounded demijohn with 4 year old Amarone in it from juice. He makes 40 gallons at a time and ferments in a 55 gallon drum! Old Italian style.

So I bought two large Mexican carboys and three smaller sizes. He was unsure of the sizes and at $20 a piece, I wasn't arguing. I am confused though how to size them.

I got out my kitchen measuring cup and tried to fill an empty plastic water/milk jug. I could only get 15 cups into it! I filled it to the very top. How is it possible that a jug marked one gallon in the label and embossed in the plastic won't hold 16 cups? I tried this 4 different times thinking I had miscounted before I gave up in frustration.

I feel like the only "graduated cylinder" I have is this measuring cup but without a true gallon container, I can't really measure the carboys. I can't see filling the carboy two cups at a time!

The guy said he thought the mexican ones were 6.5 gallons but I need to know for sure.

Anyone have any good ideas about where to get an accurate graduated cylinder at Home Depot or the grocery store?

Thanks

 

[SBWs]

Weight of 1 US Gallon of water = approx. 8.35 lb

 

[roadpupp]

SBW-

I guess I could weigh the empty carboy and then fill it. I have a good digital scale accurate to half a pound.

Seems like it still wouldn't quite give me the accuracy I seek. I guess I have to buy a bigger graduated cylinder that I have faith in, maybe a gallon size. Amazon maybe?

A rubbermaid four quart is on it's way to me. I figure since some kits ask for several gallons or litres of water, it will be handy to have. Still stumped on the less-than-a-gallon milk container though!