Fermenting Cider

I have some plastic water jugs (5 Gal) lying around and were wondering if the same risks of using a lower quality (7 in the recycle triangle) plastic jug existed for fermenting cider. If anyone has used these with any success,let's hear it. If they're alright to use, I can get my cider going even faster.

theganda said:

I have some plastic water jugs (5 Gal) lying around and were wondering if the same risks of using a lower quality (7 in the recycle triangle) plastic jug existed for fermenting cider. If anyone has used these with any success,let's hear it. If they're alright to use, I can get my cider going even faster.

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I have - almost all of my primaries are.

I'm still alive and my brews taste great.

just don't bulk age in them for more than 2 months or so and you should be OK.

# 7 plastic is the stuff that's banned in Canada because of BPA concerns. Many of the bottles in the US are #7, though.

I guess I'd say to decide for yourself. My thought is that if BPA can leach into water, it would probably be worse with a beverage with alcohol in it. I wouldn't touch one even to drink water out of- but I'm a hippy alarmist who is very careful with my food and drink. Some place in the middle is probably a safe place.

Are plastic bottles dangerous?
Updated repeat after me: "No more plastic bottles, or #7 plastic, or things that leach BPA or aluminum...": Brave New Leaf

definitely not good to use - nalgenes are illegal in places for a reason. cancer! and alcohol will leach more carcinogens from plastic than will water so i'd say that's a resounding no no

what about #3 and it says use for water only?

I stick with #1 or nothing at all as far as plastic goes.

Does anyone know if it's bad to pitch yeast into juice that isn't room temperature. I added 5 gallons of local apple juice with k sorbate in it on to a large 1056 cake. The problem is it wasn't room temperature. Any advice?

Room temperature as in much cooler or much warmer? If much cooler the yeast will create heat to reproduce, if much warmer how many days has it been since you pitched your yeast?

It was much cooler. The juice is fermenting slowly now. If anyone tells you that juice with k sorbate won't ferment. I am here to tell you that with a healthy yeast cake it will. Although I will add more dry yeast to it.

Yeast will survive freezing w/o damage, so pitching cooler than their normal range is no problem, the yeast will acclimate as the must warms up. Pitching too hot can cause all kinds of nasty flavors to show up in your cider.

I am sure you are aware that 1056 may very well ferment your cider to very, very dry; are you wanting bone dry cider?

I plan on back sweeten it with some more of the same juice. I have six gallons and will split it between two kegs and add juice to top it off. OG was 1098 to start.

MindenMan said:

Yeast will survive freezing w/o damage, so pitching cooler than their normal range is no problem, the yeast will acclimate as the must warms up. Pitching too hot can cause all kinds of nasty flavors to show up in your cider.

I am sure you are aware that 1056 may very well ferment your cider to very, very dry; are you wanting bone dry cider?

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I know that 1056 is high performance yeast I was worried about k sorbate. If needed I will back sweeten this batch.