Tragedy at the Brewhouse, You never think it could happen to you. Options

[Erick]

My friends, it grieves me to tell you that there has been a tremendous tragedy at the brewhouse. I was in the process of taking the carboy to my kitchen to rack the Amber Ale to the secondary fermentor, then it happened. I placed the metal tension handle on the neck of the carboy, checked it for security, and made my way to the kitchen. In one tenth of a second, the handle slipped off, dropping the carboy to the cold, hard, unforgiving concrete floor of the garage. I witnessed 5 gallons of sweet, sweet beer flood from my garage. Hours of preparation, and hours of brewing, not to mention the money, literally made it's way down the sidewalk drain. Luckily, the Pumpkin ale is safe in the fermentation refrigerator. I wish it's twin was there with him. I am going to go cry now.

This reminds me of the scene in A Christmas Story, the movie about a boy and the Red Rider BB gun. That scene were the dogs get in to the turkey:
"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE! "


Talk about pouring one out for the homies. I just gave props to every departed brewer in the history of civilization.

[Crox22]

Oh Amber Ale, we hardly knew you!

Everybody please, a moment of silence for our fallen comrade.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's a terrible tragedy to see such a promising life snuffed out in its youth.

Beer, you will be missed

[blktre]

As I feel real bad for what happened to your beer, id feel worse if you would of gotten cut up. I wish the first thing taught in brew school is to "Never" carry a full carboy by the neck. Or else.....Thankfully your lesson only ended in the loss of the beer and carboy. Those glass shards can do a serious number on you.....Live and learn, you can always brew up another batch knowing your good and healthy.....

[MicCullen]

Sorry for your loss brother brewer.


Milk Crates work wonders.

[Mike H]

Those carboy handles should never be used to carry full carboys. They should have a warning on there somewhere.

mike

Sorry for your loss brother brewer.
Milk Crates work wonders.

[Sampler]

I feel your pain and I'm, sorry for your loss.

[ChefLamont]

I am sorry for your loss.

I am very happy that your loss was not a hand or foot. It can happen. Live and learn.

[kenlenard]

I have raised a glass of ale in the Amber's honor.

Seriously, I have never dropped (or broke) a full carboy, but I did accidentally bump a freshly emptied 6.5 gallon glass carboy up against the sink and it shattered into a billion pieces, nearly taking my thumb with it. I probably should have gotten stitches, but I just wrapped it up for a week and it's fine. Really, one hand on the bottom of the carboy, one hand on the neck... gotta think safety first. My condolences.

[zymological]

Sorry for your loss brother brewer.
Milk Crates work wonders.

Aye - I have a BB carboy and even I use a milk crate. It makes for very easy carrying when the carboy is full.

[Slainte]

Were you not supporting the carboy with your other hand?

[TimMcTigue]

I've always arranged my brewing environment so I never need to move a full container unless it's a plastic bucket with a proper handle, and even then, if I could, I wouldn't move 5g of beer that way. The farthest I'll move a full glass carboy is from the floor to the shelf where it will sit until I rack from it. I'm even very carful when moving an empty glass carboy, because the very last thing I ever want is all that sharp glass flying through the air right next to me. Dude, you got very, very lucky!

[DoDaMan]

I'm sorry for your loss but havent any of you glass carboy users heard of the "brew hauler"? I move my carboys from the garage to basement with no worries. When it comes time to keg I carry them up the basement stairs and keg. No worries. Just a thought.

I've only broken 1 glass carboy and that was cleaning it with the wire brush. It only cracked the glass.

[JKoravos]

this is exactly why I'm getting rid of all my glass.

[Bytor]

I have walked in your shoes and it sucks! No more glass for me...Better Bottles all the way. Droped a BB on the floor and it just bumped and rolled. The rubber bung and airlock fired off like a shot....but no breakage or injuries. Those "brew haulers" are a little pricey but work great. No more drops when the hands are wet!

[Dave in Indiana]

knocks on wood