55 gal plastic barrel (food grade)

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mthollyciderhead

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mtholly
Howdy,

I'm thinking of making 50 gallons of cider in a food grade plastic barrel. I made 30 gallons in carboys last year but have a wedding coming up!!
Anyone ever done this? Any tips or tricks? Or is it just to much?

Thanks

Kevin
 
WOW, only the obvious. Pitch a ton of yeast and leave a nice gap in the top so the kreusan has space and a blow off tube. You'll probably will want to brew one 5 gallon and the pitch the whole yeast cake.
 
If you want to store it in the barrel for any length of time you need to have as small a headspace as possible. The ideal thing is to have 2 barrels so you can do primary then rack it into the other for storage. One technique is to use plastic liner bags which make it easier to control the o2 in the headspace.Also using the bag system you don't have to empty the whole barrel at once.
 
DEAR GODS! You must tell me if this does work! I would love to brew 50+ gallon at a time. Hell and night I do not even need a wedding as a reason, just the thought of it is worth it. Where did you get a 50 gallon drum like that if I may ask.
 
I see food grade barrels on craigslist all the time, you would be amazed at how many companies use them and just end up tossing them. The bakery my SWMBO works at blasts through them than donates them to local garden charities who turn them into rain collectors.
 

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