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PSA: I chose a 5-gallon glass carboy over a plastic bucket for my first big batch of sauerkraut and the weight nearly gave me a hernia moving it.
After 3 weeks of fermenting, the glass was so heavy and slippery I almost dropped the whole thing, so has anyone found a safer way to handle large glass ferments?
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adams821mo ago
It's a classic case of form over function. We get sold on the idea of the "right" equipment, like glass carboys, without thinking about the practical reality of moving 40 pounds of wet cabbage. I've switched to smaller batches in wide-mouth jars just to avoid the whole mess.
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river_wright1mo ago
Remember that time I tried to move a full carboy and basically gave myself a hernia? I was so proud of my "proper setup" until I had to actually lift it. Now I just use a plastic bucket for the big stuff, it's ugly as sin but my back doesn't hate me. I guess my form is just being able to walk the next day, lmao.
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leebrown12d ago
Man, river_wright, you just nailed the real problem nobody talks about. It's not even the weight itself, it's that moment when you realize your grip is failing and that glass is about to become a 40-pound bowling ball. I've seen guys in my line of work try to lift things they shouldn't, and the hernia is just the start. The real risk is dropping it and then having to explain to the ER doc why you've got sticky cabbage juice in your shoe. Plastic buckets might be ugly, but they're basically the safety net you never knew you needed.
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