Home Distiller

It is getting annoying for me to have to use 2 gallon buckets that I got at the brew store for fermentation. They are just two small and I always have to use them both. So instead of buying a carboy or something else I was thing about using one of those 5 gallon water dispenser bottles. They sell empty ones at home depot for $4 and some change! They are used for water so they would have to be food grade. So I was thing of just sticking a bung that would fit in it and using that. Think it would be ok? I guess it's either that or find some other cheap container. Here's what I'm talking about:

I use them at work, and I've used em for fermenting. I really prefer to use a keg with the top cut out tho. Kegs are common here and cost about $18. and they last forever.

I would not use the plastic water jugs for fermenting. When I first started out 15 years ago I tried them. They worked for a bit but in a short time the alcohol started to break down the plastic. As my pallet got educated I could tell a difference in taste. Just go and get a fermenting bucket at the brew shop and ferment in that. When the S gravity is low enough then rack into a glass carboy with an air lock to finish fermenting and storage until ready to use. Or like many others use, get an old keg.

Really? The plastic came off in your taste, even when it's at that low of an alcohol content? I would rather not have to buy the ones at the beer shops but I guess I can put some on my christmas list . I guess I'll have to get glass, I don't know about you guys but I just like to be able to see it while it's fermenting. It drives me crazy when I can't see inside those white buckets. Wait what about the plastic carboys they sell? Should I stay away from those too?

I rack into those bottles and let it sit for a week to clear .. never had a problem with mine but im no expert ..maybe some else can give some input.

Yeah I would have thought that they would been fine if the plastic food grade buckets are. The buckets at my brew store are high density polyethylene (HDPE) they say that on the bottom. So if those bottles are made from that (which I think they are) shouldn't they be ok. new_moonshiner could you do me a favor and look on the bottom of those bottles and see if they have the number 5 recylcing number. If they are then they are make from HDPE. Any reason why you don't ferment in those too?

Yes it did come off in the taste. I was making wine in mine. I noticed it more in the white wines than the red. You do not notice it right away. It takes a wile to start breaking down but it will. If you need something for short term you can use them. It has been a wile since I did it but I think it was after about 20 batches. Plus one more thing. If you put something with a strong flavor in it is sometimes in the plastic. You have a good idea you to put one on your Christmas list. I know I got a few over time for Christmas..

Mine have a number 7 in the recycle emblem I use a 20 gal plastic barrel.. I'll find a pic of it and post it in a sec .. still looking for a pic
here is what I use to do the primary ferment then let it clear in the 5 gal bottles ..this is mine

Here:
http://www.pressedforwine.com/equipment/carboy.shtml

That says not to use any plastic containers for wine because it can give them off taste. But it doesn't say anything about other things. I know that doesn't mean anything for sure but I'm just having trouble understanding why it would come off in taste when it doesn't for the plastic buckets they sell at the brew stores. What do you think about the plastic ones that they sell at the brew store? Those say that they supposedly don't give off any taste. I would rather not use glass but I guess I will if I need to.

Just looked it up and it looks like as long as you get PET plastic they shouldn't give off any flavor/taste or any oxygen. You said that you used them 15 years ago, maybe its possible that they were made of a different material which is why they gave off flavor. I think for only 4 bucks it may be worth a try, but I will think about it some more. New_moonshiner can you check to see whether those containers are HDPE or PET, hopefully it will say on the bottom.

Do they say anything other than 7 online all it says is that number 7 means a mixture of plastics. How long have you been using them? I will think about what I should use I have a couple weeks before christmas.

Nothing else that I can find just the number 7 im looking into it more ..using them about a year now ..found this
http://www.plasticsmythbuster.org/resin_code_5.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.epa.gov/jtr/jtrnet/plasbott.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Well since I did try them a log time ago maybe the plastic has made some improvements. The buckets you get at the brew shop I only use as a primary fermented. I start out with it and when the specific gravity drops to 1.040 then I transfer it to a glass carboy. It is usually only in the primary for about a week. I have some primary’s I used to make beer and wine and only use them for that purpose because of the flavors left in the plastic.

My black plastic ferment barrel has #2 and HDPE stamped on the bottom. It came from a brewing supplier.

Yeah thats what my fermenting bucket says. Maybe I'll get a glass carboy and a few plastic buckets, for $4 I guess it wouldn't be horrible to try it. I could always leave some old wine in there for a month or so just to test if it gives any off taste before I put a whole batch of mash in there.

anyone else have any opinions on these Jugs?

new_moonshiner wrote:anyone else have any opinions on these Jugs?

Had a girlie say that to me once....

Use thoes jugs four low ferment
do not stor hy-prof


I mite be over the hill but i still like nice jugs

There is a grocery store nearby that sells those 5 gallon jugs for $3 filled with purified drinkingh water. They then tack on a $7 deposit. To me it has been amazing because I get cheap water for my hobby ... then a decent job rinsing out this fermenter and trade in for a new one. I love my system. The only thing better would be if they were filled with distilled water instead of the purified drinking water. Use em.

Sweettuff wrote:There is a grocery store nearby that sells those 5 gallon jugs for $3 filled with purified drinkingh water. They then tack on a $7 deposit. To me it has been amazing because I get cheap water for my hobby ... then a decent job rinsing out this fermenter and trade in for a new one. I love my system. The only thing better would be if they were filled with distilled water instead of the purified drinking water. Use em.

I would normally say something at this point.........

thanks for input guys .. lol alice i like the way you think .....

Another option.

I do 80 liter washes in a 105 liter opaque white Rubbermaid storage container
complete with lid.

In Canada these containers are available at Canadian Tire and Walmart.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

They work like a damn and they are inexpensive.

G

Sweettuff wrote:There is a grocery store nearby that sells those 5 gallon jugs for $3 filled with purified drinkingh water. They then tack on a $7 deposit. To me it has been amazing because I get cheap water for my hobby ... then a decent job rinsing out this fermenter and trade in for a new one. I love my system. The only thing better would be if they were filled with distilled water instead of the purified drinking water. Use em.

Where I live the places that sell those water containers have spring water and distilled water. You could try home depot, I know they have them. Birdwatcher that sounds like another good idea too.

birdwatcher

The Rubbermaid storage container you use are they the square ones? do you have a photo of the kind you use?

Bsnapshot wrote:birdwatcher

The Rubbermaid storage container you use are they the square ones? do you have a photo of the kind you use?

They are rectangular or square depending on capacity. They are not round.

G

igloo cooler (120) drilled hole in lid put in a piece of tubing for blowoff.
put cork in hole from bottom of lid when using to keep beer cold.
multitasker!

jake wrote:igloo cooler (120) drilled hole in lid put in a piece of tubing for blowoff.
put cork in hole from bottom of lid when using to keep beer cold.
multitasker!

Hi Jake,

Is that beer cooler 120 liters or bottles? If bottles, what is its capacity. What is it made of and where did you buy it? Are they available at Lowes or Walmart?

G

Birdwatcher, I have seen them at Wal-Mart many times, 120 refers to quarts, so should be about 30 gals.

arkansas wrote:Birdwatcher, I have seen them at Wal-Mart many times, 120 refers to quarts, so should be about 30 gals.

Just thinking out loud here; but assuming this is an insulated metal container
with a hinged top; through that drilled hole in the top you could dangle
an appropriate wattage aquarium heater to heat your wash.

I'll check these puppies out. Thanks.

G

Insulated plastic container, big white dude.

Yeah I don't think they even make metal ones that much anymore, you can get the plastic ones for good prices though.