Bucket Liner Success

After happening across a thread recently about lining the fermentation bucket with a plastic bag, I got to thinking about the benefits. I have long been unhappy about the fact that I have a slight color to the plastic bucket, and a very slight odor. So I bought a box of very large turkey roasting bags and they fit my 5 gallon bucket perfectly. Did a brew with one this past weekend and it worked out perfectly. The cost of the bag is around a buck when you buy a box of 50 and each time I brew I will have a pristine, new plastic surface in contact with my beer. Additionally, it seems to have tightened up the seal between the lid and the bucket. The big plus will come when it is clean up time and all I have to do is pull out that bag and toss it, not having to worry about cleaning the crud from the bucket.

 

I've been considering this for some time. According this blog on Fermware.com, you can use trash bags at a much less expensive price.

 

I've been thinking the same but didn't think of those turkey/ham bags! In fact, I took a look and found one from the kitchen... This could indeed work! But how does the yeast settle there? The bag is bound to get some wrinkles, how did it work out for you? All good when siphoning? Also, I wonder if just using Star San is enough to sanitize?

 

Check the link below. Genesis makes a fermenter based on the throw away liner. At 6 bucks a piece for the liner, kind of pricey, but may solve your stain/odor issues.

https://www.homebrewsupply.com/6-5-gallon-plastic-bucket-7165.html

 

I considered the trash bag method as well. But then I felt better using something that was intended for use with food. I cannot be completely certain of that with trash bags. I am still in the fementing process at the moment so have not done the siphon yet. Will update when that is over. And I am willing to pay 1 buck per batch for the turkey bag, but I am not willing to pay 6 bucks per liner. Especially when it's likely a turkey bag marketed specifically for fermenter liners.

 

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/15...MItJzDsbmU2QIVUVqGCh0RKgooEAYYAiABEgJuDvD_BwE

 

Using a liner could extend the life of a bucket that is too scratched or otherwise not really okay to use with the wort coming into direct contact.

 

I started doing this in 2009. Loved it ever since.

The nub only wiggles when I get excited.

 

I can see the benefit, but I’d be worried about using a trash bag in my fermenter. Many trash bags on the market have a scent added to them and I am not sure any of them would be considered food grade. We have to remember that alcohol is a solvent, and therefore will strip whatever chemicals went into the production of the bag.

I still recommend to my customers to treat their buckets gently and usually retire them after 6 months. This may vary on the brewer of course, as I’m going off the brewing schedule we had when we were still brewing at home which was twice a week for 15 years. For the low cost of the bucket I feel 6 months is pretty fair considering after you retire it as a fermenter it’s still good as a sanitizing bucket, trash can, general storage, bulk grain storage, etc.

I think after the price of bags and a bucket I’d just as soon recommend a glass or stainless fermenter, but I am a huge advocate of only buying something once.

The other concern I’d have is yeast harvesting. For me and many of my customers, we want to collect the healthy viable cells left in the bucket and wash the yeast for future pitching. This seems very difficult to accomplish with a wrinkled trash bag

 

Yes, but I am not using a trash bag. I am using a turkey roasting bag. Food safe. Made for using with items that will be consumed.

 

The math just doesn't add up to me. At a buck per food grade bag you could've bought 3 buckets by the time that 50-pack of bags is gone.

 

I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, but in the links I provided you'll see that the trash bag liners are indeed FDA approved for food contact, while not necessarily approved for alcohol contact. However, I doubt the turkey/ham bags are approved for alcohol contact either.

But then you're still cleaning the bucket... My main reason for considering the liners is the ability to pull the bag and throw it away. What can I say, sometimes I'm lazy!

 

I'll drink to lazy!

 

I can totally get onboard with lazy. I’m probably the epitome of a lazy brewer. I like the method of soaking the bucket in hot water and PBW for about an hour then using a paper towel to wipe it out. That’s pretty lazy and efficient

 

These are 40 cents a piece. I used a whole roll over the course of about two years. I only had one tear, but the beer still turned out fine as the bucket was clean.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LY5XX96/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

Yeah, there's really no math to figure out. Not having to clean the bucket is a plus. Starting every fementation with a liner that has no residue form past batches, no chance of contamination from any source, is a plus and worth a buck a batch to me. Yes, after 15 batches I could buy a new bucket. And after the first fermtation in the new bucket, I have discoloration and a strange odor. I am not trying to convince anyone that this is the way everyone should do it. Just trying to say "Hey, I tried this and it seems to be of benefit". Is it being lazy? No I don't think so. If I were lazy I would simply go out and buy beer, then sit on the deck in the sunshine and drink it.

The trash bags I have seen say FDA compliant. I really have not seen ones that say FDA approved for food contact. I don't have any idea what FDA compliant means. Perhaps it means food safe, but I don't know.

 

I have read a few posts referencing discoloration and flavors left behind by previous batches. This is both concerning and confusing. In 15 years of brewing the only thing I’ve ever had that has discolored my bucket was iodine based sanitizers. I can’t recall ever having my bucket discolored or effected by a previous batch. Even my wine buckets come out sparkling white after each use with a good hot soak in PBW and a gentle wipe down. I would be more concerned with what is causing discoloration and flavors left behind than I would using a liner to avoid it.

I use two Half barrel Ss conicals now, and after every brew when beer is pushed to the brite tank we use hot water and PBW with a CIP ball. 10 minutes of self cleaning and the stainless is sparkling like new.