I made the mistake of making my second batch with only 19 liters of water rather than the usual 23 liters. I want to secondary, but I only have one Carboy. Can I use a 18.5 liter water jug for a secondary? It's one of those big plastic ones that you buy spring water in.
Water jug secondary.
- Thread starter Antler
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RugerRedhawk
Well-Known Member
I've always heard you only want to use PET jugs (like better bottles) but I'm interested in hearing the reasoning exactly.
I have used one as a secondary, but it's hard to clean out afterward. I can't say whether or not it adversely affected the beer since it was many years ago pre-HBT when my beer was mediocre to begin with.
Any way you can do a quick local appeal to borrow a carboy if you really feel you must secondary your batch? I'm in a small town and I've used that approach before.
B
Any way you can do a quick local appeal to borrow a carboy if you really feel you must secondary your batch? I'm in a small town and I've used that approach before.
B
oldedustygoat
Member
I have thought about this too but never actually used one...anxious to hear the replies on this one...
Oxyclean will clean out any container. As long as the water jug is <1> or <2> recycling code it's okay to use.
While not as ideal as glass, PET, or HDPE plastic, it is likely polycarbonate, use it if you like. Some IMO "fear mongers" will spew forth about BPA being in polycarbonate and the potential, yet really unproven health hazards. To this I ask, "why are baby bottles made out of polycarbonate, and used the world over?"
You cant answer the question by brewing in one. It will hold liquid, the yeast will ferment and you will end up with beer. The issue is the leaching of potentially toxic/carcinogenic by-products in your beer. All plastic water bottles leach to some degree into the water, even PET-1. You also should note the bottle you are planning on using is made for water and hasn't been tested with beer which is acidic and contains a solvent (EtOH). In addition most PET bottles are intended to be safe for single use. With age they undergo thermal and oxidative degradation.
Having said that, it is probably safe to use as long as it is PET 1 and probably wont impart a detectable off flavor. On the other hand glass definitely is and wont.
Antler
Well-Known Member
brewit2it said:
These bottles aren't meant for single use. I bought the bottle for $20 and got a free fill-up. When I need more water I turn my empty jug in for a full one for ~5 bucks. They sterilize and refill my jug and sell it again.
Not PET 1 then, most likely Polycarbonate. I wouldn't use Bleach in it.
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