Is this tank ok to use??

I have a connection for some 15 gallon HDPE tanks

i'm wondering if they are ok to use as a primary fermenter on maybe even more than that - the plan was to use them for 10 gallon batches and then transfer into two 5 gallon glass carboys

they we used for cranberry concentrate so i assume that they are food safe

i just got 2 today that were going to be thrown out so i'm hopeful i can use then

here are some pics






Thanks, i need the help on this one for sure

I can't answer you specifically about the use of the HDPE plastic but I think that you are probably safe in your assumption that it is food grade since thats what was in it. Somewhere on here is a good breakdown of what all of the different types of plastics stand for such as HDPE, PET, etc.

I would be more concerned with a lingering cranberry flavor in all of your beers. Most fruit flavor concentrates are extremely strong and may be difficult to completely get rid of from a plastic container.

Otherwise, through an airlock on that thing and try a batch. As long as its food grade what have you got to lose. Maybe try a wheat beer first so that if you do extract some cranberry flavor you can just call it a cranberry wheat. Good luck.

surfbrewer said:

Maybe try a wheat beer first so that if you do extract some cranberry flavor you can just call it a cranberry wheat.

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Yeah that's about what i was thinking

a good oxi clean soaking and give it a try

i know that HDPE stands for High Density Polly Etheline - only because i work in the business

thanks

Just brew a hef first, that way the cranberry flavor would not be completely out of place if it does leach in

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) is good to ferment in I believe.

conpewter said:

HDPE is good to ferment in I believe.

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what about as a secondary? that's probably a no go huh?

i talked to one of the old timers and he said that it depends if they added some kind of chemical to the plastic that would make in impervious to O2

we talked about it for a while and it made sense that if they wanted the cranberry extract to have shelf live that they would have wanted it to be immune to O2 so they would have added the chemical - especially considering that they reuse these containers

what do you guys think??

like i said i can get a bunch of these for free so if i can use them it would be a huge boost to my production capacity

If it works out i could even sell them on ebay after i convert them