Canadian Eh!L Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hey Gang, I know that most of you brew in plastic these days for various reasons (this makes my happy and relieved for your well being.) This is my sad and painful story of brewing with glass. I had just tried the cold crashing technique for the first time with my second of two batches of my Big Island on Rye. I was not happy at all with the clarity of the first batch using my traditional methods (transferring to glass carboy for further settling). These days the temperature of my cold room are perfect for cold crashing. I decided to put my BIIPA (in glass) in the cold room for a week or so. Once this sojourn was over in removed it from the cold room and tranferred the contents to a keg. Once the carboy was emptied I placed it in the sink and proceeded to do a few other tasks around the brewery. After a few minutes I got back to the carboy to rinse and clean it. I poured a litre or two of hot water into the carboy and picked it up to slosh the contents around. Now there is this phenomenon in physics called "thermal shock"(look it up if you haven't heard of it). I was aware of this phenomenon and had experienced it first hand one a couple of occasions previously. This time, though was different. As I was sloshing the contents back and forth the carboy "popped" and the rest is history. The glass shattered in my hands right before my eyes. As the bottom of the bottle fell away from my left hand the top of the bottle in my right was driven into my left forearm. Everything happened so quickly. I was calling out for my wife to get me to the hospital as the glass was hitting the floor. My two year old son was standing right next to me as it all happen, but miraculously was unharmed by the flying shards. Alas, I was not so lucky. The glass drove deeply into my arm and left my with a 30cm, V-shaped gash across the inside of my left forearm. Luckily, my heroic and darling wife acted fast and had me (dazed) and my three boys (worried) in the truck bound for the hospital within seconds of the event. At the hospital, I underwent the process of being closed up temporarily. It required 30+ stitches to do the job of closing up the wound. Unfortunately, it was not over though. Along with my skin being slashed open the muscle were also damaged. This all happened Saturday afternoon. Two days later (Monday) I under went surgery to repair the damage to my muscles. Needless to say I have been in a lot of pain and anguish since it happened. I will be off from work for 4-6 weeks and will have to go though extensive physiotherapy for rehab. Take care of yourselves, fellow brewers and thanks for listening. Chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koo wee brew Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hope it all goes well Chad. All the best, Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Chad, mate, glad you pulled through without severing the arm. Wow. [insert Aussie reaction] Could've been worse! Is it your main hand? Can you still wipe your arse? Take care buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Shit! I hope you have a quick recovery Chad, although it sounds like you have some hard work ahead. And thanks for posting. We do things at home that you wouldn't get away with in a workplace (in Australia anyway). I had some dangerous practices with my brewing (lifting heavy pots of boiling liquid etc) which was the main reason I recently changed my system. All the best mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Bloody hell! As my brother would say, "Well, at least you did a good job of it..." Sorry to hear about the mishap, but glad to hear it wasn't worse! A gash like that in the forearm could have resulted in nerve/tendon damage and would have been quite a hurdle to brewing (and other stuff, I suppose). Rest up and best wishes for a speedy recovery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hey Chad Sorry to hear about you unfortunate accident. Best wishes for your recovery. Glad to hear your boy was unharmed and luckily you weren't home alone. Get Well Soon Scottie Valley Brew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattrox Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Sorry to hear that. That's horrible. A speedy recovery to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiphile Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Holey moley, CanCanMan. At least you saved the beer. Seriously though, thank goodness you're going to come good. And thanks for letting us know, even if it's to remind us all to take care. As someone mentioned, the things we do at home that aren't covered by OHS rules can easily have severe repercussions for not only the new brewers among us, but often the more experienced because it's always been done that way and there's been no problems yet. And the environment is often not marvellous: very heavy containers of liquids, boiling fluids, mixes of electricity and water, makeshift setups, very effective open gas burners, floors that are slippery when wet, often less than great lighting, pressurised vessels etc etc. There but for the grace of Vishna go I. Look after yourself as much as possible, and take this opportunity to give your wife a crash course in 3V brewing. And keep us informed of your progress. Cheers, Phil. Edit added: i'm sure you don't follow this technique, Chad, 'cos I've heard Canadians are mostly sensible people, but I've been known to brew when it's possible I might have failed a random breath test. Once, I think. That might also explain why I had to wait at Accident and Emergency for 8 hours, after the circular saw slipped and I stopped the blade with the fingers on my left hand. And they say blondes are silly. Hah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnaman Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Sorry to hear of this disaster Chad and glad your boy was safe, I hope you have a speedy recovery, all the best mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Thanks for all the words of encouragement gang. It's early stages and at times bloody painful. but I'm planning a full recovery. I can only be up and about for short periods before I need to rest. I'm wearing a cast from finger tips to elbow and it feels rather heavy to haul around. There is is no position I can hold my arm that is comfortable, but i can still wipe my own arse even if I have to tear the paper with my teeth. I'm planning to use my lay-off wisely. I plan to brew a few batches and work on my fledgling HERMS set up. I just aquired a seconds temp. controller that will be permanently wired into my 3V with coffee urn, Herms set-up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Pictures or it didn't happen! (saying from the mtb world) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antiphile Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 In short, Can-Do Man, if you do send pics, Banana10 will feel so guilty he'll fly over there and (a) Tear off the loo paper for you personally and Wipe your bum; and/or (b) Install a bidet for you. He's really a very generous man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 I Would gladly post a pic if I only knew how. I never did figure out the instructions you guys gave me for photobucket I don't think I would like Ben around here tearing the paper for me. It would make me feel kinda weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 imgur.com upload. copy and paste the link that is fifth down. done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 You silly boy Chad! I'm glad both you & your son are OK, albeit you sound like you've copped a very nasty cut in the process that will likely leave you with a visual reminder of what transpired that day. Cold to boiling in glass, then shaken under pressure. Definitely not your best recipe Chad! Sincerely, best wishes for a speedy recovery mate. Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICzed Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Oh man that sucks to hear. Wishing you a speedy recovery mate. I had a finger ripped open by a dog a few years back and that was painful enough, I can't imagine how your forearm must feel right now. Thanks for the tip by the way - I've seen those glass carbouys on youtube videos before and they give me the creeps. Cheers + beers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I wanted GORe.... but all good, gotta laugh or we cry right???? Drinking a big and nasty rye beer for you now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Down but not out. Thanks for the technical help, Benana 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Nice beard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Bloody hell mate! That's not good to hear! Glad to hear you are ok and on the road to recovery though, and your boy was unhurt. I did something similar with an erlenmeyer once except the other way around. It boiled dry and then I put tap water into it straight away and it cracked (lesson learned there). Nothing like the degree of yours though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Oh man that sucks to hear. Wishing you a speedy recovery mate. I had a finger ripped open by a dog a few years back and that was painful enough' date=' I can't imagine how your forearm must feel right now.[/quote']Yeah, I I've had a few dog bites over the years and one particularly nasty bite from a feral cat. They were all quite painful. This one is equally as painful. the difference is the size and depth of this one. It's a serious, friggin gash! Scary! Thanks for the tip by the way - I've seen those glass carbouys on youtube videos before and they give me the creeps. I've used glass carbouys for years. I've broke three now that come to mind. This was the first injury. You know what's funny? I recently brought a DIY kit (not cooper's) that came with a bucket and a plastic carbouy. These new additional vessel had lead me to decide to retire my three glass carbouys. I was literally washing this bottle out for the last time! Weird' date=' eh? [img']rightful[/img]Glass carbouys are DANGEROUS and HEAVY!!! They should be a think of the past for us brewer's I've known all this for a while. I just took too long to phase them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Nice beard It's a Mountain man thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownsworthy Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 G'day Chad Glad to hear your healing up well and even more glad that your retiring those glass carboys! Always thought they looked dangerous. All the best mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Nice beard It's a Mountain man thing With that beard in Sydney, you could hang around the trendy breweries in the inner city, wearing your cardigan and ride your fixie bicycle home with a growler on the back. Very hipster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 With that beard in Sydney' date=' you could hang around the trendy breweries in the inner city, wearing your cardigan and ride your fixie bicycle home with a growler on the back. Very hipster![/quote']Or you could join a ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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