Are you a daredevil, dancing with danger? Every time you grapple with a full glass carboy, you’re tempting fate. Stick with homebrewing for long enough, and you’ll hear battle stories of pools of spilled beer, huge shards of glass, and sudden trips to the emergency room. People trip, slick glass can slip from hands, and fermentor necks can fracture under the concentrated grip of carboy handles.
Maybe that nightmare picture is a little overstated, but it is a serious risk. Full carboys are heavy and awkward, so it makes sense to find easier ways to carry them. Ideally, you’d also like to protect your fragile fermentor.
The two most popular lifting solutions you can buy are sling carriers and carboy handles. A sling carrier offers some protection because it can cushion the glass bottom when you set it on a concrete floor. It also lets you carry the carboy from the bottom without over extending your back. Many people also use carboy handles to haul their fermentors around their brewery, which isn’t a great idea. They’re good for holding a carboy steady, but they can stress the glass, which may lead to a broken neck, especially if they’re overtightened.