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Hey

I saw some 1L glass bottles which I though would be good to store distillate in, however, i noticed that the tops of the bottles are made from a rubber and plastic stopper (ie, a plastic plug with a rubber 'washer' to create the seal). They're those ones with the wire sort of frame which 'snaps' the lid on when u lift up a wire lever (sorry, hard to describe)

They're pretty cheap quality, so no guarantees as to the type or quality of the plastic or rubber used, but, if the bottles are stored upright and the alcohol doesn't actually come into any, or at least much, contact. Is there any problem using such a bottle?

ps the alcohol will be about 80 proof

Hi all just thought I drop in and say hi to all who are using these new forum pages.

Anyway I was a bit short on storage bottle and then had a great Idea. I went down to my local pub and asked the bar tender what they did with empty 2 litre scotch and rum bottles. Guess what they just tough them out. Anyway I now have a ready supply of bottles.

I think you would be OK with the bottles, Will. The common glass thermometer bungs are rubber.

these bottles and their tops will be just fine if storing at 80 proof. 80 proof is only 40% and if you think of it, that's the standard abv at the local liquor store right? now think about how many of the bottles you see on the shelf at said liquor are made of plastic.....

I have about 50 'swing top' bottles (Rieme french carbonated grapefruit juice, really good) from the '99 cent' store locally. I got 'em for beer bottles. I also have for the same purpose about 100 of the 'grolsh' bottles. Well , I dont brew anymore, so I used the riemes for 93-94% neutral, and they worked fine till I reused one that had been sitting a year or so with about a teaspoon of spirit it. It had the most gawd-awful taste and smell in it. I replaced the plastic 'tops' with some old grolsh tops ( the old ones were ceramic) (I broke some bottles but didnt throw the tops away) I went to a local shop where they had some small pieces of silicone sheeting, cut-out remnants of something larger. I made gaskets of them. and problem solved. -hey-

Using plastic or silicone for storing potable alcohol is a bad idea even if it's just a cap/seal. The commercial guy do it but they have resources and knowledge at their disposal that we don't.

I wouldn't suggest using it but it you do don't post about it, your looking to get flamed.

RD

+1 RD. I wouldn't use anything with rubber, plastic or silicon, not even for 40%.
By all means use the glass bottles, but replace the existing corks with a pull-able wine bottle cork.... Very safe indeed...
I read on the net that some, but not all, vodka manufacturers line the inside of the aluminium cap with PTFE..
I would want confirmation on that from a proven source...

Let's think about it for a moment...
We've done a clean ferment, run our wash and done proper cuts to get a excellent beverage, then...
We stick it in a bottle with a rubber seal.... Not me....

Stick to the pull-able wine bottle corks... Much safer...

Just my 2 cents...

Not to mention, I have never even seen the commercials put more than champagne in one of those bottles. That is alot lower proof than 80.

I have no idea if special materials are used but 360 vodka (80 proof) uses plastic swing top bottle tops with rubber washers.

Does anyone read the rules we live by anymore?

Yunus and others, this forum has done and will continue to advise against the use of plastics until somebody provides absolute proof that said plastic is 100% safe. Other forums may say otherwise, but we won't.

Having said that, we can't stop you from doing whatever you wish - afterall we are largely talking to folk in democratic nations. You're free to do whatever you wish - even murder folk - as long as you are prepared to accept the consequenses. So, please don't come here asking the forum members to condone using plastics with distilled likker. Pretty please even.

this looks like a good place for this information.

i have recently been in contact with three cork makers and asked what is the process of making composite corks. natural corks are just that . composite corks are bits of cork bonded together in the shape of a cork or sheets or tiles. i ask how are they bonded together. no answer. i asked what is the binder. no answer. the only answer i got was not from the manufacturers, but a local winery, their answer is that some sort of solvent is used to dissolve the cell wall of the cork and this natural binder is used. this has not been substantiated. i will continue to try to find real answers. in my opinion use only natural cork untill the process of making composite cork can be proven to be safe with higher than champagne strength alcohol. the thermometer bung reference will be overlooked because of the time stamp difference. bottom line if i can extract good information from the makers of composite cork, or get an msds i will post. cob

irishmike wrote: now think about how many of the bottles you see on the shelf at said liquor are made of plastic.....

Yunus wrote:I have no idea if special materials are used but 360 vodka (80 proof) uses plastic swing top bottle tops with rubber washers.

These types of bottles have an "ethanol resistant" coating on the inside to prevent the alcohol from slowly dissolving the bottle. It breaks down over time, even faster after being exposed to the atmosphere. As such these should never (ever!) be re-used in any sort of long term operation. I wouldn't go (eventually) drinking any "20 year" scotch out of em either, but usually just the cheap stuff goes in them; so no one is saving it.

This is based on info from a chemist friend of mine who worked said lining in the 90's, so maybe it's better now, but why take the chance?

interesting points here made by all. +1 to rubber duck and samohons comments, i stand corrected. yes i think a refresher read of the rules we live by is in order for me and others on this forum as well. thanks for the reigning in guys. tomorrow im on my way to the local home wine making shop to get me some natural corks. one question though: any suggestions for the tops of mason jars with the rubber lining? other than not using them that is, i like the nostalgia of likker in a mason jar...
m.

rubber duck wrote:Does anyone read the rules we live by anymore?

Errrrr, No is the short answer, RD.

therealraycharles wrote:
These types of bottles have an "ethanol resistant" coating on the inside to prevent the alcohol from slowly dissolving the bottle. It breaks down over time, even faster after being exposed to the atmosphere. ... This is based on info from a chemist friend of mine who worked said lining in the 90's, so maybe it's better now, but why take the chance?

So as soon as the plastic container is opened and therefore 'exposed to the atmosphere' the coating begins to break down??
I wonder if this information is printed on the label? It should be to encourage drinkers to use the product as fast as possible and thus sell more to achieve even greater profits , and of course, Taxes.

irishmike wrote:interesting points here made by all. +1 to rubber duck and samohons comments, i stand corrected. yes i think a refresher read of the rules we live by is in order for me and others on this forum as well. thanks for the reigning in guys. tomorrow im on my way to the local home wine making shop to get me some natural corks. one question though: any suggestions for the tops of mason jars with the rubber lining? other than not using them that is, i like the nostalgia of likker in a mason jar...
m.

The no BS answer is that lots of folk are using mason jars with the lid and yes the red rubber seal. All I'm saying is that it's a common practice, I wouldn't suggest you do it. Have you ever opened a bottle of shine in a masson jar and had to pry the lid off because the lid was melted on?

As for a alternative how about turning the lid upside down. If you really crank the ring down you can get a seal.

Said it before an I'll say it again, no plastic, rubber, silicon or any other not proven material to be used either in the vapor path or in bottling...

I'm done...

blanikdog wrote:

rubber duck wrote:Does anyone read the rules we live by anymore?

Errrrr, No is the short answer, RD.

I did read the rules to live by and I am continuing to read more and more, there is a lot of suggested reading and it's not all in one place. I didn't think what I was posting was an endorsement of plastics, just a statement of what I have seen in a commercial product.

I wouldn't make any endorsement of anything beyond how to ferment at this point as I have no experience in anything but beer/wine.

first liquor bottles are not made to be reused, and at least in the states they have laws against reusing them.
leaving the labels on makes even more so as this could be considered counterfeiting."disguising" the contents as something it is not.
many water bottles have a label that states not to be reused.
I not saying you can not reuse glass bottles,but just keep a low profile, If the right person sees one on the shelf with colored water
nothing is said but if seen by the case full with "unknown" contents there mite be.ya say nobody sees this but my good buddy?
that could be just the one that does just that. by bragging or getting pisst at you for not sharing more with him. more people
are ratted on by "best buddies" than enemies.even just "innocently".

Have an idea as far as mason jar lids. White oak is used for flavoring, so what if you take white oak veneer and drill some lids with a hole saw in a drill press. I say drill press because you would have to remove the centered bit. The smaller mason jar tops would probably be better suited. Guessing the vapor would slightly swell the oak veneer to prevent splitting. I've got the tools to give it a go, but welcome input before I try. What do ya think???

I think the oak lid has been done, northcountry... There should be at least one topic on the matter here in these forums...

I use 5lt glass jars with the clamp down type lids to oak and age my likker, they come with rubber seals, I remove the seals and throw away, this allows the jar to breathe.



OD

Yunus wrote:

blanikdog wrote:

rubber duck wrote:Does anyone read the rules we live by anymore?

Errrrr, No is the short answer, RD.

I did read the rules to live by and I am continuing to read more and more, there is a lot of suggested reading and it's not all in one place. I didn't think what I was posting was an endorsement of plastics, just a statement of what I have seen in a commercial product.

I wouldn't make any endorsement of anything beyond how to ferment at this point as I have no experience in anything but beer/wine.

I did kinda take a shot at you. Upon further reflection I see that you where just adding some relevant input on what the commercial industry is doing.

I was wrong and I apologize.

Rubber Duck

blanikdog wrote:

therealraycharles wrote:
These types of bottles have an "ethanol resistant" coating on the inside to prevent the alcohol from slowly dissolving the bottle. It breaks down over time, even faster after being exposed to the atmosphere. ... This is based on info from a chemist friend of mine who worked said lining in the 90's, so maybe it's better now, but why take the chance?

So as soon as the plastic container is opened and therefore 'exposed to the atmosphere' the coating begins to break down??
I wonder if this information is printed on the label? It should be to encourage drinkers to use the product as fast as possible and thus sell more to achieve even greater profits , and of course, Taxes.

Yes, as soon as you open it it starts to break down. However, as soon as you're born you start dying. I have no idea how long it actually takes to break down, but I wouldn't go re-using the plastic bottles forever the way we reuse glass. I'll just refrain from reusing them at all.