An idea for carboys

[Flyer]

The plastic bottles that water comes in for the fountains. They are 5 gallon jugs.

Anyone think of a good, valid reason these wouldn't work?

 

[Walker]

they let air through and will make your beer taste funny and stale quickly.

don't use them.

 

[captaineriv]

Hi. I'm still new at homebrewing, but a book I've read says, "I don't recommend secondary fermentation in plastic vessels. Even food grade plastics used to make homebrewing equipment are not impenetrable by certain gasses over an extended period of time." But I've never tried it myself.

captaineriv

 

[Flyer]

Good enough for me. It was a good idea I thought, at the time at least.

 

[Walker]

hmmmmm..............

since the main concern is that they allow air through, you can probably eliminate that if you really want to use these (I can see the attraction... they are CHEAP.)

Anyway, if you submerge the beer-filled plastic carboy in a large tub of water, you could almost eliminate any contact with the air.

That might actually work just fine...

 

[Orfy]

I'll let you know.

 

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Look, I understand that many people want to save money any way they can but sometimes you should just spring for what works. The way I figure, you spend $20 to $40 just for ingrediants for one batch, while a glass carboy is only $25, and its reusable. Try and skimp on the equipment, and you might lose the $40 in ingrediants, maybe multiple times before you realize whats causing it.

Buy the glass!

 

[Walker]

that's wine, though... the fermentation requirements might be very different than those for beer. (never made wine, so I'm talking out of my butt here.)

-walker

 

[Walker]

Look, I understand that many people want to save money any way they can but sometimes you should just spring for what works. The way I figure, you spend $20 to $40 just for ingrediants for one batch, while a glass carboy is only $25, and its reusable. Try and skimp on the equipment, and you might lose the $40 in ingrediants, maybe multiple times before you realize whats causing it.

Buy the glass!

Some of us like to theorize and experiment. Let us have our fun!

 

[Orfy]

One of them's a 1 day ginger beer and the others a cheapy party wine.
I don't think I'd risk it on a decent wine or Ale.

 

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Some of us like to theorize and experiment. Let us have our fun!

Dont get me wrong, im not trying to flame, just throwin my $.02 out.

 

[sudsmonkey]

I've used plastic carboys for the past year without a problem. I just bought a 6.5 gallon glass one because I got tired of small batches or having to use two containers. I'll still use the plastic ones as secondaries . I'd say that going so far as to immerse the carboy in water to prevent air from leaking in seems a bit overcautious. Let me also say that my own brewing style is a combination of trial and error, what I've learned from you guys, and total incompetence. Luckily, the Beer Gods continue to smile on me.

 

[El Pistolero]

Luckily, the Beer Gods continue to smile on me.

This may be a topic for another thread, but who are those beer gods...other than the FSM I mean? Pan? Or is he the god of wine? I know St. Arnold is the beer saint, but who's the beer god?

 

[sudsmonkey]

Well.... The FSM ( His Name Be Praised) is the primary god in the beer pantheon, but there's any number of lesser demigods and imps. For instance: there's Hopsulus, the little known god of bitterness and aroma, Carbonata, the Bringer of Bubbles, and let us not forget Yeastivus, Bringer of Light and Numbness. You surprise me, sir. You being a Disciple of the FSM ( His Name Be Praised, all hail His pastaness, Chef Boy-Ar-Dee be thy name), I'd think you of all people would be better versed in the Scriptures. What happened to you in that hurricane? What have you done with El Pistolero ?

 

[Sir Sudster]

Is this him? He was handing out beers in New Orleans just after Katrina.
Definitely has his priorities straight.

 

[sudsmonkey]

That's Yeastivus . I can't say as I blame him. If I was ass-deep in flood water/sewage/?????, A tote full of beer would be foremost in my mind. Besides, power's out. Gotta drink them before they get hot ! That guy is a true Samaritan.

 

[Sir Sudster]

Looks like a festivus.

 

[sudsmonkey]

Man, the three of us have a real problem with Thread Hijack Syndrome. Mabe we should start a thread headed Idle Talk and good-natured Hijinx and just roll with that. If I could ever figure out your schedules and try to synch mine to it. I think my biggest problem is being in the Eastern time zone and starting drinking earlier than you guys. Maybe you could write me a note for my boss so that I can go to work later in the day. That way, I could stay up an hour later and play.

 

[Sir Sudster]

Yeah, I feel kinda bad sometimes knowing I am off the thread but I can't resist the fun. I was wondering if people were getting a bit irritated. Thats a good idea about some other means to make snide remarks and stupid comments. Put it in EL. P's suggestion box and I'll go ahead and start on that letter.

Dear Warden, .....

 

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Have you guys ever belonged to a message board where they start a thread that moves from one topic to the next, just to see how long they can keep it open? Ive seen threads with hundreds and hundreds of pages. I could see you guys pull that off, make sure its in the chit chat area

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, I feel kinda bad sometimes knowing I am off the thread but I can't resist the fun. I was wondering if people were getting a bit irritated.

Someone was a little irritated last night.

Put it in EL. P's suggestion box

I have a suggestion box?

 

[El Pistolero]

Man, the three of us have a real problem with Thread Hijack Syndrome.

Actually, the rate of threadjacking here is much lower than in most industrialized forums.

 

[Orfy]

What was we talking about?

The Beer Gods are good to me but punish me the nest day!

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

This may be a topic for another thread, but who are those beer gods...other than the FSM I mean? Pan? Or is he the god of wine? I know St. Arnold is the beer saint, but who's the beer god?

I nominate Aegir the Norse god of the ocean. Here is a quote for a description of him.

'Aegir brewed ale for the gods after Thor brought him a big enough kettle. Every winter the gods would drink beer at Aegir's home. He was, therefore, famed for his hospitality.'

Sounds like I could worship him.

 

[Orfy]

Back to topic,

I've heard people say brewing buckets pop lids sometimes so they the just place the lids back on and the CO2 build up stops the oxygen from spoiling the brew, if this is true then surely the od air leak doesn't matter. Or have I got mixed up somewhere?

 

[El Pistolero]

The odd airleak won't matter in a primary, but if you're looking to secondary something for a few months then the permeability of those plastic bottle could be a problem.

 

[Orfy]

Right, I guess because the primary is very active then it is safer.
Secondary need more protection from the nasties?

 

[El Pistolero]

The primary is putting off a lot of CO2, and the beers usually in there only a short time. The secondary is putting off much less CO2, and sometimes for big beers people will secondary for months. It's not the nasties you're protecting from...it's the oxygen.

 

[SteveM]

Primary topic: I use bottled spring water that comes in four gallon jugs for my brewing. It tastes so much better than my tap water that I assume it makes better beer. But I would not use a jug as a secondary, mainly because of the size but also because the CW is, don't rack into plastic. I've heard it so much, it must be true!

Back onto the tangent: Hathor (also known as Het-Hert) is the Egyptian goddess of beer - why invent a god (or goddess) when there is already a perfectly good one?

http://www.hethert.org/

 

[homebrewer_99]

Some of us like to theorize and experiment. Let us have our fun!

I think the point was...someone else has already done that for you.

Why would you continue to waste your time and brew on something already proven to not work?

That was a rhetorical question...