What is a Carboy and how is it used in Homemade WineMaking

Oct. 3, 2009 - PRLog -- The regular definition of a carboy is large glass storage container or bottle for liquids with the narrow neck.  A standard size carboy will hold five gallons of fluid but they come in a range of sizes.

Traditionally carboys were made of glass and were most commonly associated with the pharmaceutical industry rather than wine making.  Indeed, carboys were used as the symbol of the pharmacy and a pharmacist's shop would have a carboy displayed in his window filled with a coloured liquid.  Today, the symbol of a carboy can still be seen painted on pharmacy signboards or even crafted from neon lights.

In traditional brewing, carboys were also of glass although it was very common to see earthenware carboys with the bottom half in a deep brown colour while the top half in a cream or beige colour.  These carboys were usually accessorized with a wicker holder.

In modern homemade wine making the term carboy is used for the container in which the must will undergo secondary fermentation.  Specialist carboy's can be purchased from wine maker's shops and online distributors. Modern carboys are bought in gallon sizes with the smallest being one gallon and the larger ones up to 6.5 gallons.  Carboys larger than this are often referred to as demijohns.

Glass is still commonly used for winemaking carboys although many are today manufactured from plastic.  Glass remains the preferred material by homemade wine making enthusiasts because they are easier to keep clean and also because the must can be watched by the wine maker. However, modern technology has made some of the new plastic varieties extremely competitive.  In particular are the transparent plastic carboys made from polyethylene terephthalate or PET. This is a food grade plastic that is used to make the large disposable water cooler bottles. These carboys do not stain or leach odours or chemicals into the wine.  They are much lighter in weight than the glass carboys and are much less susceptible to breakage.  Also, because they are clear the must can be observed through the bottles.

A specialist wine maker's carboy should ideally be used for both the primary and secondary fermentations. During the first fermentation the carboy can be left open but after racking the secondary carboy should be fitted with a fermentation trap or airlock.  These are special devices that will allow the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast and sugar to escape but will not allow any elements to enter the wine. If you have purchased a dedicated wine maker's carboy you should not have any problem obtaining an airlock to fit it securely.

A carboy is an essential aspect of the homemade wine maker's paraphernalia so you should ensure that you invest in a good and durable one that will serve you for a long time to come.

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