Home Distiller

Are gal milk jugs safe to store distillate in?

Thanks,
BG

no plastic. its easy but no good

I use both gallon and 1/2 gallon milk bottles that are glass with a cork. I use them for storing, infusing, or sometimes with oak chips in the aging process.

+1 what banter king said.

But is does remind me of a funny story. Warning I do not condone or approve of this. It's just a real story.

My first exposure to moonshine was from my father. My Stepmom was from Tennessee. The two of them would go down for the family reunions. One time my father got to joking with the family down there. He said "Well where can I get some moonshine?". One of my aunts looked at him and said "Drinkin or Sippin?" He responded "I don't know" She got up walked in the kitchen and called someone on the phone. Talked a minute then went back and set down. Like nothing had happened. My father didn't say any thing cause he was joking. They went on talking. 40 minutes later my aunt jumped up and said "It's here" and motioned for my father to follow her to the door. When he got up he looked out the window to see a Sheriffs car parked out front. With a Deputy walking up the sidewalk to the house. He had 2 plastic 1 gallon milk jugs one in each hand. One was clear and the other brownish. My father stopped and looked at my aunt like what the hell. She smiled and waved him over. The deputy said hi to my aunt and handed her the two jugs. She told my father "Pay the man" and headed off to the kitchen with the 2 jugs. My father payed the deputy and he thanked him as he walked back to his car. My father went into the kitchen where my aunt had gotten some glasses out and was ready to pour some drinks. My father asked "What just happened" My aunt said " You wanted some moonshine didn't you? That's just how we do it here." So she preceded to learn my father of what drinkin and sippin moonshines were.

My father kept that stuff in his freezer for probably 8 years. He would sip on it every once in a while. The last time I saw it was the first time I came home after joining the military. He pulled it out and poured the two of us drinks. And he proposed a toast for my commitment to the military.

Knowing then what I know now. I wouldn't have drank it.

Find a wine drinker, who drinks those gallon or 4L sized (glass) earnest and julio gallow wines. There are other wine makers also who package in large glass, but that is the one I know. I have about 30 of those. They look 'sort of' like the old moonshine jugs. They have the finger hole handle, etc. Another source for these bottles is a restaurant that uses them. Ask around. They are wonderful for storing smaller amounts of distillate, and for aging.

If you have larger amounts, then 5-6 gallon glass carboys (old style water bottles), or corney kegs, or even sanky kegs all work well as storage. The larger the amount, the more you want to put it into stainless, and away from fragile glass.

Plastic milk jugs, even though usually made out of PP, are not the quality you want to store your nice finished product in. Why take the time and effort to do it right, then ruin it with unknown plastics.

The exact quality / usefulness of plastics for our hobby should be self apparent, when you realize that water in plastic bottles has an expiration date on it That screams loudly at the stability of the material, for storage. Ethanol is a considerably more destructive agent/solvent than water.

H.

I got all my glass gallon jugs from the recycle center. They used to have some sorta organic apple cider/juice in them. Easy to de-label and clean. They look nice with amber colored liquid in them.

Gallon milk jugs in North America (at least, all that I've seen) are made from HDPE - same as my fermenters. I have used them as fermenters (for excess - where all would not fit in with the main batch) and for backset/dunder short-term storage and/or long(er)-term freezing.

I have heard that some use them for 40% abv finished product - Most would suggest/insist that's definitely not advisable. Glass or stainless ONLY for me for anything that come out of the still

bought some glass jugs today, 1 gallon US, for about 6 bucks a piece. they have the finger hole on the neck and all I gotta do is mark XXX on them.

Only bad side is they come with plastic tops with paper wax gaskets. I think the wax gaskets will be ok for storing my 95%. Let me know if I am wrong.

Torp wrote:
I think the wax gaskets will be ok for storing my 95%. Let me know if I am wrong.

There are more dangers than leaching plastics into your spirits, storing @ 95% is no different than storing gasoline in glass jugs, it is certainly a fire hazard.

Mud Mechanik wrote:

Torp wrote:
I think the wax gaskets will be ok for storing my 95%. Let me know if I am wrong.

There are more dangers than leaching plastics into your spirits, storing @ 95% is no different than storing gasoline in glass jugs, it is certainly a fire hazard.

Be careful. Might want to lower that 95% likker to something reasonable and store it in a stainless container, away from everybody.

Thank you guys, I never even thought about the fact that it is so flammable. I mean I am aware and always careful when stilling but didn't click to being so careful when storing also. Gonna water it down today.

XXX stands for triple distilled, just so you know...

X = Single
XX = Double
XXX = Triple

Pretty simple, eh...???

Torp wrote:bought some glass jugs today, 1 gallon US, for about 6 bucks a piece. they have the finger hole on the neck and all I gotta do is mark XXX on them.

Only bad side is they come with plastic tops with paper wax gaskets. I think the wax gaskets will be ok for storing my 95%. Let me know if I am wrong.

Where did you get the jugs from?

Gallows wine. Pore the wine out, or use it as deck stain and keep the jug.

Here check this place out. It's my local HB shop. 1 gal jugs $4.88 each. Their bottles are reasonable for a HB shop.
http://stores.homebrewproshoppe.com/-st ... gories.bok