Ferment in 5gallon carboy w/built in handle?

[lakedawgs]

HI,
Just getting my brewing started and want to get some more batches fermenting. Any reason not to ferment in a water bottle with a built in handle, see the pic in the link please.
I will be getting a couple of more proper fermenters as time goes on but was thinking of using these I have on hand for a 4 gallon batch or two.
THANKS
Lakedawgs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60118381@N03/5489181180/

 

[BeerIsDelicious]

No reason why that shouldn't work as long as it's cleaned & sanitized, and you have a bung and airlock that fits the mouth of it.

 

[rycov]

it should work. there is some debate as to the type of plastics you can use. (i hear the beer's ph can affect some plastics) you can do a search and see if the kind of plastic you have is ok for brewing. but i would use it, if that helps.

 

[IRmeterman]

Some people say that those water jugs can be permeable to oxygen. So you might want to transfer to glass carboys once it's available. I don't envy having to clean dried-up krausen out of those. Good luck.

 

[lakedawgs]

Got the bung and will pickup an extra airlock or two. Just wanted to make sure the shaped handle would not cause anything odd during fermentation. I did not think so.
Think I'll be brewing a small batch in the next week or so!
Lakedawgs

 

[lakedawgs]

I agree about clean up. These just have been sitting around forever. Once cleaned up I plan to only use for a short time.
Maybe use later as a bottle bucket.

 

[rycov]

Some people say that those water jugs can be permeable to oxygen. So you might want to transfer to glass carboys once it's available. I don't envy having to clean dried-up krausen out of those. Good luck.

but you have positive pressure on the inside of the fermenter pushing co2 out. i agree it may be less than ideal. but im sure it will work just fine.

 

[brewmonk]

Got the bung and will pickup an extra airlock or two. Just wanted to make sure the shaped handle would not cause anything odd during fermentation. I did not think so.
Think I'll be brewing a small batch in the next week or so!
Lakedawgs

The shaped handle will not cause anything odd during the FIRST fermentation.

That will stay true only as long as you kill everything, no I'm sorry, I meant EVERYTHING, that grows on the micro-gunk you didn't clean off of any part of it after your first beer. (That is difficult for me with smooth glass carboys and a brush, and gets worse for everything else.)

 

[jeffmeh]

A hot oxiclean soak should take care of cleaning it out after you use it. If necessary (probably not), you could pull a soft cloth through the handle.

And I certainly would not worry about oxygen permeability issues, as the amount of oxygen to permeate the plastic will be negligible.