Hello from Northern California

[arbadarchi]

I'm Brian. I live in Redding Ca, and have been hanging around in the background for a while learning and waiting for the optimal time to start brewing. I bought some stuff around a year ago to start brewing but realized that I spent too much and took most of it back...

I recently came across an idea that I hadn't considered before. There are alot of home brewers in the UK that use PP plastic buckets with 240v heating elements as brew kettles, so after watching a few videos it got me thinking. I had an old electric tea kettle sitting around so I took it apart, bought an 8 gallon pp plastic fermenter bucket, a stc-1000 and a couple other odds and ends i was missing.

I built and tested the kettle today. It's slow but works... I'll eventually put another 1500 watt element in there (I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible to start), wired up the stc-1000 with my old minifridge, got a recipe with some malt, hops, and yeast, and am planning to brew tomorrow! I already had a bunch of food grade buckets so I just bought a gromet and airlock. Wish me luck for brew day tomorrow!

 

[ColoHox]

Welcome to the forums and good luck.

The PP bucket is probably okay for now, but PP is known to leach chemicals. Consider an HDPE bucket instead, or of course, an aluminum or stainless pot.

 

[arbadarchi]

Welcome to the forums and good luck.

The PP bucket is probably okay for now, but PP is known to leach chemicals. Consider an HDPE bucket instead, or of course, an aluminum or stainless pot.

From my research it's the other way around. HDPE buckets melt at 110 c where PP melt at 130 c. And chemically they are not supposed to leech into liquids, unless there are other additives in the plastic. My bucket is designed for fermentation not for other uses so it won't have additives to make it softer or flexible. Thanks for your input!

 

[ColoHox]

From my research it's the other way around. HDPE buckets melt at 110 c where PP melt at 130 c. And chemically they are not supposed to leech into liquids, unless there are other additives in the plastic. My bucket is designed for fermentation not for other uses so it won't have additives to make it softer or flexible. Thanks for your input!

I've seen the articles about talc in the plastic causing breakdown problems at high temps, but most of those were in the >250F range. Too bad the price difference between food-grade plastic and a metal pot is $50 or more. Good luck.

 

[ncbrewer]

Welcome and good luck.

 

[arbadarchi]

Too bad the price difference between food-grade plastic and a metal pot is $50 or more. Good luck.

Very true. I know someone who works for a beer distribution company who I may be able to score an old keg from... I'm not hoping to stick with plastic very long.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

 

[Johow]

Hi arbadarchi!!! Did you brew? How did it go? See ya in a couple of days, too bad that brew won't be ready then...

 

[arbadarchi]

Johow?! That famous guitar builder?