20 gallon HDPE barrel.

My father just gave me a 20 gallon barrel the once held 7-up. The barrel is blue and is stamped HDPE on the bottom. I opened the barrel and it still smells like 7-up, so I am fairly confident that there has been nothing else in the barrel. My father bought the barrel from some place (not sure where) that sells them, or had a bunch on hand to sell ($3 i think he said).

Question is, can it / should it be used for a fermenter. I would assume it is food grade (HDPE, 7-up), but wanted expert opinions...

I'm also looking for any other suggestions on how I might be able to incorporate this barrel into my brew system.

Thanks in advance.

 

$3?! Can you send me a couple?

Are you sure it had 7-Up? The sanitizer they use to clean kegs smells exactly like 7-Up, and it might have been sanitized.

Regardless, I'd rinse it well, soak it in some StarSan or a similar acid-based sanitizer, and call it good. One note: Resist any temptation to scrub with anything rougher than the soft side of a kitchen sponge. Rough scrubbing on HDPE can create nasty scratches that can harbor bacteria.

 

With some modifications it could be used as either an HLT or MLT.

 

Thanks doggage,

My bad, it was Ginger Ale. Here is a pic. So I shouldn't worry about the blue leaching?




I was also thinking that arturo7. I have kegs for that though. Maybe Mashtun?

 

I have two of those in the 15 gallon size I plan on using as fermenters at some point... Trying to figure out how to put a racking arm in one down low so I don't have to siphon that SOB...

 

Cut off the top and make a lid out of it.

Add a drain and a false bottom.

Wrap the vessel in flexible insulation sheeting.

You're set.

 

I would be interested in one of these, can you find out where your father got it?

 

He got it somewhere local (So. NH) I will ask him where exactly next time I see him.

 

Call your local Coca-Cola bottling plant and ask about buying used drums.
Here in Nashville, they sell both the 15 and 55gallon drums for under $10/per, and give away as many of the 5gallon drums as you can carry.
(I think it was $3 for the 15gallon, and $8 for the 55gallon)

(In other news, you can fit 2x55gallon drums, 2x15gallon drums, and 4x 5 gallon drums inside a Jeep Cherokee with the back seat folded down. but you can't see out the back.)

 

If anyone needs plastic drums, we have Pepsi syrup drums...15 & 55gal.
Matt