Glass vs plastic

[C-Rider]

Living here in Paradise, Hawai`i, in an un-airconditioned (ain't needed just open the windows and let the trades blow through) house my fermenter has to be in a swamp cooler or something like that. That said, it's out of sight cept when I replace the ice and remove the towel.

So for me a plastic bucket is all I need. Can't see thru the towel and into the dark muck bucket 1/2 filled w/water under the back deck in the shade.

 

[kwksilver]

And I would say that your approach is reasonable. There is no arguing with the convenience of plastics and I think it is not the question of whether they react with thigns, but rather a matter of degree and amounts.

 

[kwksilver]

I'm retiring this bottling bucket/ fermenter. All the mold on the outside has me worried about contamination. i havent had any contaminated batces but this thing just looks nasty and wont get totally clean! For $15 i dont mind replacing after 10 batches. If i could only afford a conical! Anyone ever try the V-vessel for beer?

How do you feel about fermenting in corneys?

I am not in any way affiliated with these guys, but I have 6 of these 'clearance" things. He actually guarantees they hold pressure. other sites only do that on their rebuilt ones. It really doesnt get much cheaper and all you do is unscrew the gas side and put your choice of blow off solution there. You cna transfer corney to corney without air exposure. it just doesn't get cheaper or better for fermenting imho.

I don't even bend the dip tubes. try this:

1.) do primary fermentation per your gusto, let some pressure build up.
2.) take 2nd corney connect gas to beer and flush with the natural CO2
3.) connect beer to beer and gas to gas after you bleed out some gas pressure from the empty corney.
3a.)tilt the primary fermenter corney AWAY from the dip tube. This way you transfer very little gunk and are left with a very agreeable amount of beer and yeast for culturing
4.) instant no hassle transfer

At less than $25 shipped per "fermenter" I really see no reason not to.

 

[viking73]

And you might eventually get to the point where you debate plastic verse stainless conical.

There's actually a debate over this?

 

[joety]

I go with Better Bottles and/or Buckets. I've never had a problem cleaning a better bottle, a good soak in hot PBW solution gets all the gunk out. Better Bottles don't seem to hold the odor that the buckets do and the fact that you can easily stick stuff in the bucket leads me to think that its easier to scratch the bucket. I've never stuck anything other than a thief in my better bottles. I have a pair of glass carboys that were given to me and knowing a guy that almost had his thumb cut off because of a glass carboy dropping incident, makes me very cautious of using them.

+1

One of the guys I work with quit home brewing over a similar incident. He has some ugly scars on his hand.

I have broken one myself. I was using a homemade carboy drainer. Needless to say I purchased a couple commercial ones since.

 

[ewibolo]

This will at least take away the "plastic is way cheaper" argument. In no way am I affiliated with the seller of these or amazon. I am not sure if this is ok to do here, but I saw these a little too late.....I bought them locally for 12.50 more each one! My LHBS probably bought them here also.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VFXW5W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[danorocks17]

I have both and I like both. I use my glass for beer, and the BBs for apfelwein. never had a problem with either. I doubt this helps you much hahaha.

 

[bcryan]

i don't know anything about anything but i know that in canada they have banned certain types of plastics because they are know carcinogens. even plastics that were "food safe". i threw out all my plastic water bottles and tupperware. go glass. better for ya. so they say

 

[kwksilver]

+1

One of the guys I work with quit home brewing over a similar incident. He has some ugly scars on his hand.

I have broken one myself. I was using a homemade carboy drainer. Needless to say I purchased a couple commercial ones since.

There was some sort of incident in iraq where donated soda cans had become harmful because the plastic liner inside was unsafe at the temperatures that were reached. it had to do with a reaction between the aspartame and the plastic liner? I cannot recall the details. I wouldn't even wash with hot water if my carboy was plastic.

 

[joety]

There was some sort of incident in iraq where donated soda cans had become harmful because the plastic liner inside was unsafe at the temperatures that were reached. it had to do with a reaction between the aspartame and the plastic liner? I cannot recall the details. I wouldn't even wash with hot water if my carboy was plastic.

I think they are rated up to 120 degrees, so you do have to be a little careful.

 

[kwksilver]

I think they are rated up to 120 degrees, so you do have to be a little careful.

Good to know. I am sure they have a rating, I just did not know what it was.

 

[brewit2it]

Talk about timely. Morebeer has 6 gallon plastic carboys as their deal of the day today plus free shipping with orders over $39.00 right now.

A carboy and an ingredient kit for around 40 bucks shipped =

 

[Gwitz]

There's actually a debate over this?

Sorry, internal debate, price wise anyways. But iv decided im going to eventually get some hoppers from toledo spinning or find them locally and build some 30 ish gallon conical fermenters. At least thats my plan/dream right now.