ElyIrishBrew

Recipes 

Hey all:

Trying to get started on the cheap, and it occurs to me the big plastic water bottles that you see at the water cooler in some offices would work pretty slick. I have access to some of these, and they look like 5 and 10 gallon bottles. My guess is, because they are for water for human consumption, that they are food-grade plastic and will not impart iimpurities/flavor in the beer.

Seems like a good way to save some $ in startup costs, but I'm interested to see if I'm missing something.

Thanks!

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"Ain't but one thing I don't do about your country music, and that is care."

WhiteEagle1

Recipes 

No. They will not work. Spend the money and get a fermentation bucket if you was to save money.

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Zogman100

Recipes 

Why won't they work? I use one for secondary (For fruit additions, dry hopping or if I just want to free up my primary) Not enough head space for primary though unless you are doing smaller batches.

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Keg Condition - Devul (Duvel Clone)
Keg - Black H'Ops - Black IIPA
Bottled - "James" (Brown Ale)

Revvy

Recipes 

??? They work quite well actually.


ElyIrishBrew there's a ton of threads on this subject. There's at least 5 a week. Plenty of people, including myself use them. Here's a good thread for you.

Just try to find recycling code <1> or <2> on the bottom. And be aware that if it's only a 5 gallon water bottle (and not a 5.5-6 gallon one) that you'll need to use a blowoff tube and/or brew slightly smaller batches.

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Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew

cknittle

Recipes 

The aren't the right plastic. Better bottles are made out of polyethelyne (i think). If you can find the drinking water bottles that have a 1 one the bottom those can be used for brewing, but pretty much all the others (commonly 5, and 7) will impart flavored and impurities. Some people still use them with no problems though.

Revvy

Recipes 

They will work fine. This has been a non-issue for a LONG time.

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Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew

Revvy

Recipes 

Since the bpa recalls began, more and more of them on the marketplace are made of the correct plastic. If they have a <1> or <2> on the bottom they are perfectly fine to use. Even as far as last week people have sighted them in more and more places, even some walmarts have made the switch. In fact the BetterBottle company is manufacturing many of them for the water bottle industry, so you may actually be using one by them nowadays.

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Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew

ElyIrishBrew

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Thanks for the replies, folks. I used the search feature first but didn't find much. Thanks again for taking the time to helo a noob out with a common question. And Revvy, thanks for the link!

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"Ain't but one thing I don't do about your country music, and that is care."

knox_brew

Recipes 

I use a smaller 3 gallon water jug from Walmart for my 2.5 gallon batches and not one problem or off flavor at all. I would use them and not think twice. It's not like your distilling through a car radiator

porcupine73

Recipes 

Right supposedly the ones with <1> or <2> on the bottom are safest. I noticed at work the water bottles have a <7> on them so I stopped drinking out of those. I used to get poland spring water delivered at home and I checked those, and they were <7> too.