Can I use old peanut oil container as a fermenter?

[BrewBoy19]

I have a turkey fryer and I have a couple of 5 gaallon jugs of peanut oil. Can I use these old containers as fermenters? If so what should I clean them with soap and water then some bleach? Just curious. I have some grommets and spare airlocks so....................

 

[gungadin]

If you like beer that tastes like peanut oil, I say go for it.

 

[lurker18]

I would think you would need a little more than that to get them totally clean. Maybe pressurized steam? Any oil left in the tubs would absolutly kill any head retention that you get. With plastic being pourous, I am not sure if just soap and water would be enough.

 

[BierMuncher]

If the capacity is exactly 5 gallons, you would need to scale back any recipes to around 4.5 gallons. Fermentation will cause a foamy head called krausen to rise and expand. Krausen is highly unpredictable and can end up "boiling over" out of the fermenter.

As far as cleaning. Hot water and Dawn should break up most proteins left behind. Bleach will help with the smell...if there is a smell. If after the containers are clean and dry there is no smell, you should be good.

 

[BrewBoy19]

I figured I could clean them and use two of them to split batches as long as you could remove all the oil residue. just wondered if anyone else had tried this before and if it was successful. Seems like a waste to just toss um if I could use them.

 

[malkore]

It seems like a pointless risk to try using them when primary buckets are so cheap. They weren't meant to be re-used so they won't hold up to wear and tear. Likely WAY too soft to resist minor scratches, where bacteria love to hide out to spoil the beer.

I'm sure they are recyclable, rather than tossing away.

 

[BrewBoy19]

Just a quick update. Washed the peanut oil container several times with dawn and hot water and boiling water. That oil is nasty stuff......will NOT come out at all. It smells like peanut oil and you can still feel the oily residue inside the container.

 

[Andy_LV]

IMHO, unless cleaning that peanut oil is some sort of zen exercise for you (well, bleaching and brushing bummed nasty glass bottles is for me lol), its easier and probably costs about same in time spent, energy spent, detergents spent to buy a new plastic fermentation bucket with the lid...

 

[BrewBoy19]

That is what I was getting at lol. Lost cause.

 

[msa8967]

If you are looking for a cheap 5 gallon capacity go to your local Walmart and in the paint sectiuon you can buy white food grade 5 gallon plastic buckets with lid for $3.50. I use these when making 4 gallon batches. I have made over 20 batches with these buckets and have never had a problem.

 

[92greenyj]

i have several of those containers as well that I get from work from time to time. I use them for used motor oil storage. makes it nice and convenient to take my used oil to auto zone to recycle it. one container holds 3 changes or so worth of oil before it needs to be emptied

 

[Banjoman76]

Make the trip to Siciliano's and pick up a 7.9 Gallon fermenter and a bottling bucket. Take time to drool over all the other gadgets they have. :cross:

 

[BrewBoy19]

I have a 6.5 gallon primary bucket and bottling bucket currently. I was just looking for on the cheap way to make my own fermenters and since I had several of those around I just thought I would try; but the oil will NOT come out. I have been to sicilianos. I love that place. I plan on going back after the holidays and buying a carboy. I'm impatient and I want to see whats going on inside. Only $29 for a 6.5 gal. not a bad deal compared to what I have seen online.