Lagering in Plastic vs Glass

[smokehausbrewery]

I am trying to decide how I would like to lager my beer. I have heard that lagering in plastic fermenters like a speidel fermenter would not be as good as lagering in either glass or stainless steel. Wondering what others are using. Thanks.

 

[Feeny]

I think it would depend a little on how long you are wanting to lager. But I don't really know, hopefully someone else will chime in.


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[Teromous]

Wondering what others are using. Thanks.

I use glass carboys and stainless steel corny kegs.

 

[kh54s10]

Oh Boy! Here we go again.

 

[brewbush]

IMO, it doesn't matter. Lager with whatever you have available =)

 

[BrewerinBR]

I ferment in plastic buckets but I use glass to lager in. Largering requires 6 weeks at very low temps and glass is the best IMHO... that said I have heard that others do lager in plastic. ... I guess you can choose is which is best for you!

 

[QuercusMax]

I've lagered a month in plastic with no ill effects (unless you consider a bronze medal an ill effect!). I've also bottle conditioned lagers and lagered in the bottle, which also works just fine.

If you're bottle conditioning and you're concerned about sitting too long in plastic, I might suggest what I've also done: ferment in 6.5-gallon ale pail for about 2-3 weeks, rack to 5-gallon plastic bucket and lager for 2 weeks, then bottle, let it carbonate at room temp, (probably ~3 weeks), then put back in the fridge.

I personally can't tell any difference between the various techniques, except that my lagers all taste better after 4-6 weeks of cold then they do with 0-1 weeks of lagering. Except for that one schwarzbier I made that I kegged after a month in primary (started fermenting at 45, then raised about 1 degree per day till I got to 65), which tasted awesome with no lagering time at all. It was also only 1.046 OG.

 

[Braufessor]

I generally primary in plastic bucket for about 3 weeks with lagers. Then I transfer to corny keg and just lager it right in the keg.

 

[ArcLight]

I use plastic buckets as a fermentor.
Plastic buckets are not as air tight and are more Oxygen permeable than glass or better bottles. 4 weeks probably wont matter. But if you plan on aging for 3+ months consider lagering/aging not in plastic buckets.

 

[mlakota]

Ive done one lager. Primary in bucket for 2.5 weeks, then lagered in better bottle for 40 days. Earned a gold at a German beer competition. Plastic is fine.

 

[Georg]

I think plastics is fine for lagering, unless it has something different than beer before that, then you should clean it thoroughly