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Date: 28 Jul 2006 05:24:19
From:
Subject: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
the 1st stage of fermentation?
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 09:41:13
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
I switched from glass to plastic a couple years ago and I couldn't be
happier.
------------- >Denny
--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 15:13:37
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On 28 Jul 2006 05:24:19 -0700, <pddipiero@gmail.com > wrote:
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
Plastic should be fine for the primary fermentation. Lots of people use
plastic buckets afterall. Just make sure that whatever you are using is
food grade and that you clean/sanitize it.
John.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 15:22:16
From: Andy Davison
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On Friday 28 July 2006 13:24, pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
Plastic is no problem. You will read a lot about oxygen permeability but as
I use plastic buckets with no lid or airlock for primary this is not going
to be a problem. It might be a problem with an extended secondary but I
secondary in a plastic bucket with the lid on and have no problems in that
direction. I have kept a RIS in plastic for 4 months in the past and would
have no qualms about doing so again. After that it was bottled and kept
another 6 months before drinking. I use buckets sold as homebrew products
so I cannot comment on plastic jugs. If they are water jugs they will be
food grade. I still use a couple of buckets I bought in 1976 and they
haven't deteriorated yet.
--
Andy Davison
andy [at] oiyou [dot] ukfsn [dot] org
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 15:18:02
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 15:22:16 +0100, <andydvsn@yahoo.co.uk > wrote:
> On Friday 28 July 2006 13:24, pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
>> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>
> Plastic is no problem. You will read a lot about oxygen permeability but as
> I use plastic buckets with no lid or airlock for primary this is not going
> to be a problem.
Yeah, permeability isn't much of a concern during the primary.
> It might be a problem with an extended secondary but I
> secondary in a plastic bucket with the lid on and have no problems in that
> direction. I have kept a RIS in plastic for 4 months in the past and would
> have no qualms about doing so again.
Assuming they're talking about a plastic water carboy, it's a lot more
oxygen permeable than the typical fermentation bucket. I'm not sure I'd
leave a beer in one of those for that long.
John.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 09:54:19
From: bregent
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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In article <slrneckap4.56g.spam@weizen.shagg.net >, John 'Shaggy' Kolesar says...
>>Assuming they're talking about a plastic water carboy, it's a lot more
>oxygen permeable than the typical fermentation bucket. I'm not sure I'd
>leave a beer in one of those for that long.
Depends on the type of plastic used. I think most water carboys are
polycarbonate, which is almost twice as O2 permeable as hdpe at a given
thickness. But some are made from PET, which has a very low O2 permeability
compared to a typical bucket.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 18:24:06
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On 28 Jul 2006 09:54:19 -0700, <regent@dontspamme.newsguy.com > wrote:
> In article <slrneckap4.56g.spam@weizen.shagg.net>, John 'Shaggy' Kolesar says...
>
>>>Assuming they're talking about a plastic water carboy, it's a lot more
>>oxygen permeable than the typical fermentation bucket. I'm not sure I'd
>>leave a beer in one of those for that long.
>
> Depends on the type of plastic used. I think most water carboys are
> polycarbonate, which is almost twice as O2 permeable as hdpe at a given
> thickness.
The ones I've seen are *really* thin though, at least compared to a
typical bucket.
John.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 09:29:20
From: Gerard Eberlein
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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<pddipiero@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1154089459.022134.111940@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>
If you're making 5 gallons of beer I suggest you use a 6.5 gallon bucket to
allow for the krausen.
Gerard
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 14:04:35
From: Joel
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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Gerard Eberlein <dormouse@charter.net > wrote:
><pddipiero@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:1154089459.022134.111940@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
>> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
>> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>
>If you're making 5 gallons of beer I suggest you use a 6.5 gallon bucket to
>allow for the krausen.
Oh yeah, there's that, too. I use the wide, squat,
8-gallon plastic fermenters as primaries. All but the
most vigorous ferments (like tripels with Wyeast 3787,
or the one time I made a weizen) have plenty of head
room. I've got 6 gallons of dry stout fermenting now,
and anticipate no problems with handling it.
--
Joel Plutchak "Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and
plutchak@[...] sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea
is quite staggering." - Arthur C. Clarke
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 06:12:09
From:
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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Plastic is ok for primary fermentation. Just make sure it's food safe
and doesn't have any little scratches. Plastic tends to be oxygen
permeable, so don't leave it in there too long after the kraesen has
fellen and the airlock activity dies down.
-Nick
pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 12:41:02
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>
I do all my fermentation in glass, but a couple close friends have
been doing their primaries in plastic for almost 15 years, without any
troubles. They do replace the buckets once in a while, though, when
they become discolored.
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 13:20:32
From: Joel
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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John Bleichert <syborg@earthlink.net > wrote:
>pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
>> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
>> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>>
>
>I do all my fermentation in glass, but a couple close friends have
>been doing their primaries in plastic for almost 15 years, without any
>troubles. They do replace the buckets once in a while, though, when
>they become discolored.
I still use a plastic bucket for primary fermentation,
and replace then every 5 or so years.
However, plastic buckets are easier to clean than
plastic jugs (I assume something like a plastic water
carboy). I'd be a little more worried about something
I couldn't use hands-on scrubbing on. (With glass
carboys there's not as much concern with scratching,
so a plastic-bristled brush works fine for cleaning.)
--
Joel Plutchak "Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and
plutchak@[...] sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea
is quite staggering." - Arthur C. Clarke
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 13:39:16
From: John Bleichert
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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Joel <plutchak@see.headers > wrote:
> John Bleichert <syborg@earthlink.net> wrote:
>>pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
>>> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>>>
>>
>>I do all my fermentation in glass, but a couple close friends have
>>been doing their primaries in plastic for almost 15 years, without any
>>troubles. They do replace the buckets once in a while, though, when
>>they become discolored.
>
> I still use a plastic bucket for primary fermentation,
> and replace then every 5 or so years.
> However, plastic buckets are easier to clean than
> plastic jugs (I assume something like a plastic water
> carboy). I'd be a little more worried about something
> I couldn't use hands-on scrubbing on. (With glass
> carboys there's not as much concern with scratching,
> so a plastic-bristled brush works fine for cleaning.)
Doh! I misread the OP and thought he meant a plastic bucket. Thanks
for clarifying that. I don't know anyone that primaries in a plastic
jug. Sounds like a beotch to clean.
-----------------------------------------------
John Bleichert syborg@earthlink.net
The heat from below can burn your eyes out!!
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Date: 29 Jul 2006 03:33:46
From: Adam Preble
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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pddipiero@gmail.com wrote:
> Can anyone share their thoughts regarding using a 5 gal plastic jug in
> the 1st stage of fermentation?
>
Plastic is OK, 5 gallons isn't. You'll need more capacity, especially
for krausen foaming out of it. The lid doesn't even have to be airtight
for a primary. I hear people--in the UK particularly--just leave
buckets wide open.
I don't know what you mean by the plastic, so some caveats. It has to
be food grade. The conventional wisdom is not to clean it with abrasive
pads of any kind; little nasties will wedge themselves in there. If the
jug is filled with sanitary liquid that's less of an issue.
If you're talking about PET carboys, they're perfectly fine to use even
for long secondaries. Just don't try to steep grapes in them for making
wine because the plastic will warp a little. I may or may not have
first hand experience in this.
All this comes from somebody who doesn't even have a glass primary. I
screw up my beer in other ways.
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Date: 30 Jul 2006 00:52:43
From: Andy Davison
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On Saturday 29 July 2006 04:33, Adam Preble wrote:
> I hear people--in the UK particularly--just leave
> buckets wide open.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oiyou/188373583/
--
Andy Davison
andy [at] oiyou [dot] ukfsn [dot] org
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Date: 30 Jul 2006 00:55:55
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 00:52:43 +0100, <andydvsn@yahoo.co.uk > wrote:
> On Saturday 29 July 2006 04:33, Adam Preble wrote:
>
>> I hear people--in the UK particularly--just leave
>> buckets wide open.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/oiyou/188373583/
Looks like they need a bigger bucket. ;)
John.
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Date: 30 Jul 2006 02:01:18
From: Andy Davison
Subject: Re: Using Plastic for 1st fermentation
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On Sunday 30 July 2006 01:55, John 'Shaggy' Kolesar wrote:
> Looks like they need a bigger bucket. ;)
I keep thinking about getting some bigger buckets but the yeast head usually
just pops over the top or comes up level with the rim depending on how
close I fill it. That is one of my newer buckets. My older ones are now 30
years old and I think I need to brew an anniversary ale in one of them.
--
Andy Davison
andy [at] oiyou [dot] ukfsn [dot] org
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