55 Gallon plastic barrels for fermenters?

[Erroneous]

I've seen http://orlando.craigslist.org/for/2420484297.html on CL on and off for a while now. Would you use something like this for fermenting or mash tun or something? At $20 each, it's a good deal.

 

[1ratdog]

are they food grade?

 

[badmajon]

As long as it is #2 HDPE it'll be fine. I'd say go for it.

Keep in mind some people believe HDPE is bad for long-term aging of beer (more than a few months). I don't know, I've never aged anything for that long.

 

[1ratdog]

also what was in them b4

 

[Erroneous]

also what was in them b4

I don't know, but

BARRELS Contained a FOOD GRADE Product , NO Chemicals, NO Soaps, NO Oils.

Leads me to believe they are food grade. Post also recommends use for water storage.

Is 55 gallons too large to deal with? I mean, even in 10 gallon or 20 gallon batches you aren't even half way there! Seems more like something a microbrewery might be able to use.

 

[Erroneous]

Seems my googling skills are lacking.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/55-gallon-plastic-barrels-decreasing-permeability-236236/

Grain storage might be the best use for them. Also Oviedo is right next to Orlando so I think the OP was talking about the same barrels!

 

[JRems]

I made 40 gallons of cider in one last year. It worked great. It was only in it for 3 weeks then went into demijohns.

 

[Boy]

I'm actually thinking this would make a pretty decent bottling bucket at the nano scale.

 

[arturo7]

I used 15 gallon HDPE barrels. They work great. Just make sure they don't have any funky odors.

 

[samc]

For something that big I'd want an open headed drum to make cleaning easier. You would either have to create some kind of spraying/recirculating cleaning system or waste a lot of water & solution to clean them as is with those small openings.

This is what you would be better off with. http://www.bayteccontainers.com/plastic-drum-55-gallon-opentop-reconditioned.html

 

[BrewThruYou]

I've seen http://orlando.craigslist.org/for/2420484297.html on CL on and off for a while now. Would you use something like this for fermenting or mash tun or something? At $20 each, it's a good deal.

I went to a local winery that fermented wine and mead in those exact same barrels. He rigged airlocks onto them.

 

[FSR402]

I have one of these that I cut the top off and made an MLT for my 1bbl system. Works great. Insulated it with water heater blankets.
I also have one that I cut the top off and turned into a 55 gallon bottling bucket. It did the job the day I needed to bottle a 35 gallon batch. But I'll never do that again.

There are a few breweries around here that ferment in the 55 gallon open top barrels and use food grade liners for easier cleanup.

 

[Stankonia]

Geez, what size batches are you brewing?

Also, where in Orlando are you?

 

[Erroneous]

Geez, what size batches are you brewing?

Also, where in Orlando are you?

Ha, atm I do 5 gallon batches in stinking 20 and 16 qt pots (BIAB mash half the recipe in 16 while boiling in the 20). Like I mentioned I've seen this on CL for a while so I'm figuring they'll be selling in the future as well. I figure I might get a barrel to hold potable water if a hurricane comes along until I actually do have use for it.

I live on the east side, about 6 miles from UCF.