I am going to purchase a Better Bottle carboy so I can graduate from the plastic bucket that I have been using for years now.
One of the things that I was thinking about was to buy an accessory that would allow me to move it around easily. When it’s empty, picking it up won’t be a problem. When it is filled with 5+ gallons of wort/beer, that’s when it will be problematic.
I was going to buy the Better Bottle Snap-on Handle. It’s blue and it looks like this:
I was looking at the product description on Northern Brewer and there were a bunch of negative comments about it. There were a lot of people giving the handle 1 star out of 5.
What do you think? Do you have one of these snap-on handles?
Do they work or should I avoid it?
Post comments below.
Troy
not sure about the handle, but when I have picked up my better bottles by the neck, the whole bottle flexes and the pressure inside is affected. for instance, if you pick up a fermenting beer by the neck of a better bottle, it pulls air through the air lock from the outside. if you are using a blow off tube, you may (and I have) draw sanitizer back into your beer. so be weary of this fact. I use milk crates to move my better bottles around. or just remove the air lock or blow off tube before lifting to avoid drawing air and sanitizer back into your baby beer.
pm5k00
That ones no good. Get the RED one instead.
Sam
The problem with lifting the better bottle from the top is that the domed bottom can compress somewhat and disturb the trub & yeast.
What I found to be much more helpful was a plastic milk crate, (something like one of these: http://www.tcindustries.net/pages/Milk_Crates.htm, although I have no idea where I got mine). The carboy fits perfectly inside and the crate has great handles.
shannongc09
I don’t have one of these, but I have to say it looks a bit scary. I’m not sure I’d want to pick up 5 gallons of beer in a glass carboy with that. It looks like it’d be equivalent of picking up your 32-oz fountain drink by the lid (and we all know that’s a recipe for disaster). Did any of the 1-star reviews provide a rationale for their rating that went something like “was great until the carboy plummeted to the floor”? I like the harnesses better.
Chris K
I’ve never regretted going to Better Bottles. I don’t own the blue handle, but my understanding is it is not for using when full. So why get one? The BB’s aren’t difficult to move when full, much lighter than a glass carboy. And you can do what I did, get a plastic milk crate to use to move it when full.
Good luck!
Sheppy
I own a Better bottle Carboy, but not the carrying handle. Personally, it doesn’t seem like I need the carrying handle. Those negative comments (I happened to get mine from Northern Brewer as well) scare me off, and the fact that it seems easy enough to carry as is make me suggest not to get it.
Rerun
I use a Brew Hauler to move my carboys. I would be nervous lifting a full carboy by the neck as it is the weakest spot. The Brew Hauler has straps that are adjustable to fit any size carboy and the straps are very strong. You could probably lift a car with this sucker. One tip: make sure the straps are evenly spaced around the carboy. I have read horror stories on beer blogs of carboys slipping through the straps and shattering. Plus the Brew Hauler was invented by a homebrewer. We are a smart bunch. I enjoy the Brew Dudes blog and have learned alot from you guys. Keep up the good work.
Adam S
It’s really easy to move a full better bottle, unless you have a really bad back. I think the handle is only necessary if you lifting the bottle out of a keezer. BTW, being flexible, they can suck the airlock contents in when lifted. I always remove the airlock and replace with sanitized solid #10 stopper when moving. HTH
John
Dudes,
You guys rock. Thanks for all the feedback. Mike actually the water in the airlock get sucked into the young beer problem.
I think I am going to avoid this piece of equipment and buy a milk crate instead.
Chris Hotz
I do not use this particular one exactly.
I do have one of the metal ones that just slide over the neck of the carboy and uses the pressure when lifting to lift the carboy.
Honestly, I rarely use it. Just makes me nervous. I would rather risk pulling my back (I am only 31 after all) then risk having the handle fail, breaking my glass carboy and losing by hard worked wort/beer.
Mike
For the record this handle is designed by Better Bottle for Better Bottles. It is not intended to be used with GLASS carboys! We don’t want anyone to assume that this was a post about using something intended for a plastic carboy to be used with a glass carboy. There are indeed horror stories of people with serious accidents and glass carboys. DO NOT USE ONE OF THESE WITH GLASS! Now go get some glasses and pay attention.