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skippyf16

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I've done a couple extract batches and used walmart water in a 5 gallon jug. Any reason I can't load up the empty jug with Ed Wort's Apfelwein, a bung and an airlock? Seems a shame to waste a 5 gallon jug. Thanks for any inputs you guys have.
 
I'm not 100% on this as I'm new, but at least you'll get a bump out of my response. And if I'm wrong I'm sure to inspire a heartfelt response :D

I'm pretty sure that the type of material that most plastic jugs are made out of are not suitable for brewing. probably has something to do with leaching oxygen and PH levels or something. I am sure that there are markings/numbers on the jug that can tell you exactly what kind of plastic it's made out of, and then you can Google whether or not it's suitable for brewing, or maybe post them on here and someine may be able to tell you.


joe
 
Cleaning the handles is brutal. That is the only reason I have heard not to use water bottles. If the handle is solid you are good but if it's not, it's really hard to clean it.
 
I'm not 100% on this as I'm new, but at least you'll get a bump out of my response. And if I'm wrong I'm sure to inspire a heartfelt response :D

I'm pretty sure that the type of material that most plastic jugs are made out of are not suitable for brewing. probably has something to do with leaching oxygen and PH levels or something. I am sure that there are markings/numbers on the jug that can tell you exactly what kind of plastic it's made out of, and then you can Google whether or not it's suitable for brewing, or maybe post them on here and someine may be able to tell you.


joe

Cleaning the handles is brutal. That is the only reason I have heard not to use water bottles. If the handle is solid you are good but if it's not, it's really hard to clean it.

i don't think the water bottle will keep Oxygen out of the wort while it's fermenting. check out the Permeability section at BB web http://www.better-bottle.com/technical.html

These are all pretty wrong/outdated comments, especially those about "oxygen permeability" most of that has long been disproven.

As to the handles being hard to clean, that's why god created oxyclean soaks. And if it doesn't get clean (which I've never had a problem with that) then so what pitch it after one use.

fermentation_closet.jpg


Never had a problem with getting anything clean with oxyclean and then my jet bottle/carboy rinser.

There's literally a million threads about using water jugs on here. The biggest issue is in the type of plastic they are made out of. The recycling codes on the bottom are what matters. since the advent of the Better Bottle, and the BPA recalls which seems to have caused a lot of number 7s in the market to be replaced with <2> or <3>by the water bottle industry (many of them made by the Better Bottle Compnay) it's not as cut and dried as he may seem to think.

It is perfectly fine to use plastic water bottles or food grade plastic buckets (like frosting buckets), plastic jerry cans (called aquatainers very popular with no-chill brewers ), really anything these days as long as it is made of Pet or HDPE, or labeled with the recycling code on the bottom <2> or <3>.

A seven is iffy, since that is the dumping code for all manner of plastics. BUT for one shot of Apfelwein, I would use it for maybe another time.

It's better than just throwing them away.
 
Just stop at ~4 gallons when you start it. Unless you have a spare sink you can put it into. :eek:

Yes....You could even maybe go to 4.5 gallons with a blowoff tube.

I've done 1/2 gallon headspace with little or no issues even without one. I always do 2.5 gallons in my 3 gallon water bottles, betterbottles and carboys.
 
These are all pretty wrong/outdated comments, especially those about "oxygen permeability" most of that has long been disproven.

As to the handles being hard to clean, that's why god created oxyclean soaks. And if it doesn't get clean (which I've never had a problem with that) then so what pitch it after one use.

fermentation_closet.jpg


Never had a problem with getting anything clean with oxyclean and then my jet bottle/carboy rinser.

There's literally a million threads about using water jugs on here. The biggest issue is in the type of plastic they are made out of. The recycling codes on the bottom are what matters. since the advent of the Better Bottle, and the BPA recalls which seems to have caused a lot of number 7s in the market to be replaced with <2> or <3>by the water bottle industry (many of them made by the Better Bottle Compnay) it's not as cut and dried as he may seem to think.

It is perfectly fine to use plastic water bottles or food grade plastic buckets (like frosting buckets), plastic jerry cans (called aquatainers very popular with no-chill brewers ), really anything these days as long as it is made of Pet or HDPE, or labeled with the recycling code on the bottom <2> or <3>.

A seven is iffy, since that is the dumping code for all manner of plastics. BUT for one shot of Apfelwein, I would use it for maybe another time.

It's better than just throwing them away.


Well, at least I was right about something :)

JoeDaddio said:
And if I'm wrong I'm sure to inspire a heartfelt response


joe
 
If you make the appfelwein with Montrochet yeast...there is no krausen, thus no need to leave room for headspace!

Agreed. Last batch we filled all the way up to the mouth of the better bottle, leaving maybe an inch of headspace. No problems, and less air contact too
 
HDPE #2 is HDPE #2. Doesn't really matter what the original purpose of the jug was. The only thing that really varies is virgin vs. recycled plastic and color, but there really is no need to discuss that. As for the "fullness" of the jug for apfelwein, it can be pretty full assuming you are sticking to the recipe and using Montrachet yeast. When I made it, I did it in a 5 gal glass carboy. It was fine. The yeast doesn't really krausen, it just sort of bubbles a little.
 
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