difference between better bottle and a spring water jug

[grinder143]

what is the difference between the two. i have access to the 5 gal spring water jugs that fit on the water cooler. i am going to use them for the water for the boil. just curious.

 

[Revvy]

There's about 50 threads on this very topic, a month....all the info you need to know has been posted in there...a lot of it my me...

Start here....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search.php?searchid=2926380

 

[doubleb]

I know of one difference. The plastics are different and the better bottle is less permeable to the air outside it.

 

[Revvy]

I know of one difference. The plastics are different and the better bottle is less permeable to the air outside it.

Pretty much wrong on both counts...and if you look through some of the threads in the search I provided, you will see that...

Many of the waterbottles out there are now the same as the better bottle, and the oxygen permeability is pretty much a myth perpetuated by the glass bottle industry...and then the glass carboy industry...for short term fermentation it is not an issue...

 

[Fingers]

Revvy, you're getting a little cranky....

Grinder, the water bottles are a poorer grade of plastic than Better Bottles. Some claim to use them with no ill effects, but I think you'll find that most agree that the oxygen permeability is not worth the risk. There's also the issue of chemical leaching with some of the poorer quality plastics. They aren't designed for beverages other than water. Check the bottom of the bottle for the recycle logo. If it has a 1 in it, you're good to go. It likely has a 7. Not so good.

 

[Nurmey]

I know of one difference. The plastics are different and the better bottle is less permeable to the air outside it.

Not only less permeable but made of "safe" plastic; meaning it will not leach chemicals like some water bottles.

Water bottles have a thin, jagged rim instead of the thick, finished rim of a BB. Better bottles are also just better made.

 

[grinder143]

only reason i ask is we have about 20 of them around the office.

 

[Dave R]

I've read that some of the water bottles are MADE by Better Bottle Corp.

Either way, to answer the OP's question, I use them and all of them have a #1 except for one, it has a #7, which is classified as "other". I notice no difference between the beer made in the 7 from the ones with the 1.

I like them because with the regular cap on top, the hole in the middle is 5/8", so all I do is stick a 5/8" OD vinyl hose in it for a blow-off tube. Simple.

I don't hesitate to use any of them and have for 2 years now. I have no issues with them at all. As far as O2 permeability, I've never heard of anyone who actually had a beer ruined because they used a water bottle and O2 permeability was the DEFINITE (as in proven) culprit. But yet it keeps being repeated as gospel.

I also use 4 buckets (#2) with no problems. And they don't have rubber o-rings on the lids so they don't seal airtight. I've also used a bucket that doesn't have a lid, so I rubber banded a clean towel over the top. Worked fine.

But I admit, I've only been doing this for 2 1/2 years and have made only a little over 300 gallons of beer. I guess if I keep taking chances like this, I'll have a ruined batch one day.