Plastic bags/liners

[chevalcider]

I see some posts on the various forums about using food grade bags as liners in fermenting buckets. I am thinking of it because I fear some of my buckets are scratched and perhaps infected. I need volume as I only ferment what I press and that only happens once a year. I am only looking to do this in primary as I have glass for secondary. I really can’t justify going out and buying four or five buckets just for once a year use.

I’m wondering if any of you have more current experience using bags as liners and if you do, where do you source them in small enough quantities for Home brewing. I asked on a Facebook group I’m in and I found it was not the place to ask. This community has been much more understanding than some of the members there!

 

[Miraculix]

I am wondering the same!

 

[gregbathurst]

If you are keeping the cider in bags for more than a week or 2 you need bags with metallised foil layers to keep out oxygen. Unfortunately they are usually only sold in cartons. Google IBC liners.

 

[Miraculix]

If you are keeping the cider in bags for more than a week or 2 you need bags with metallised foil layers to keep out oxygen. Unfortunately they are usually only sold in cartons. Google IBC liners.

Don't know if this is true if the plastic bag would be used as in inlay in a bucket. technically, there should not get more oxygen inside than with a bucket only.

 

[chevalcider]

Don't know if this is true if the plastic bag would be used as in inlay in a bucket. technically, there should not get more oxygen get inside then with a bucket only.

While I don't intend to leave the cider in there for more than two weeks anyway, you do have a point there. I've left cider in plastic buckets for months at a time and it turned out alright but my goal is to be more disciplined moving it over to glass for long term storage this fall.

I was just at the hardware store and I saw clear plastic bags for a good price. The one conversation I saw on here had people brewing in clear leaf bags.