Man, I love Apfelwein

[Revvy]

99.9% of the ones that you see like that are not PET and are only meant for water or similar uses like that.

If they're pet use them....but most of them are polycarbonate NOT PET or PETE.

Polycarbonate uses BPA (bisphenol-A) in it's production. BPA may mimic the natural female sex hormone estradiol. In animal research it has been linked to female reproductive disorders, breast and prostate cancer, and attention and developmental problems.

Basically polycarbonate bottles have the potentiality to leach stuff into your water or beer...

I just found a home water purification company online that switched to shipping better bottles with their filter systems, because of the difficulty of finding ones that weren't polycarbonate.

I'm betting in the near future more and more water distributors will be going the same route because of all the press about estradiol in water bottles, and we'll be able to find more and more Pet water jugs at the big box stores then there are now...

And since it looks like the Better Bottle people are one of the few producers of the product, more companies are jumping online to fill the need. Which of course means the prices will go down.

Evidently some people are already finding Pet bottles in the water section of Homedepot and other big box stores now...so some places are making the switch already.

 

[skier!]

Anyone have any idea what type of apples are used for making traditional apple juice? Traditional apple juice is very clear. I started a cider tonight with 5 gallons of apple juice made from macintosh apples. The juice was very dark, almost as dark as unfermented cider...

 

[DeadDoc]

Anyone have any idea what type of apples are used for making traditional apple juice? Traditional apple juice is very clear. I started a cider tonight with 5 gallons of apple juice made from macintosh apples. The juice was very dark, almost as dark as unfermented cider...

I think it can be done from many apples.... Most fresh juice is dark if I recall correctly. The clear juice has been worked with. GA happens to be a huge apple state ad only an hour away from a huge apple area! Would have bought all my juice from there but the cost was twice as much.

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

A guy I ride the train with was saying something about cider apples (alcoholic cider) being from specific tree varieties, ones that produced apples with terrible juice (unfermented). He sent me a link to some random website that discussed the decline of the varieties of these trees. Anyone else hear about this?

He also mentioned something about tannins. I was very sleepy, it was an early train.

 

[DeadDoc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_juice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_cider
Ciders are generally multiple apple types in one batch to produce a balanced taste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cider Hard Cider

Lots of knowledge on these pages.

 

[solidghost]

Is there anyway to check whether a bottle is PET or not?
Those coke bottles should be PET right?

 

[DeadDoc]

Is there anyway to check whether a bottle is PET or not?
Those coke bottles should be PET right?

The plastic 20oz?

 

[solidghost]

The plastic 20oz?

Yup. Should be right?

 

[skier!]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_juice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_cider
Ciders are generally multiple apple types in one batch to produce a balanced taste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cider Hard Cider

Lots of knowledge on these pages.

Absolutely nothing to do with my question but apparently apple juice is made from a blend of apples. I bought a juice that is made from 100% macs. Should be interesting how it comes out.

http://www.motts.com/product_info/varieties.asp

 

[Shaggy]

Well, all the interest here drew me in and I bought supplies this past weekend to make a batch per the original specs. What a fun thread...
Walmart had 100% pure Apple Juice (only ascorbic added) for $2.50 per 3qts. fwiw.
I'll be starting this weekend!

 

[DeadDoc]

Absolutely nothing to do with my question but apparently apple juice is made from a blend of apples. I bought a juice that is made from 100% macs. Should be interesting how it comes out.

http://www.motts.com/product_info/varieties.asp

heh forgot to put that it was very generic stuff there.

 

[Homercidal]

99.9% of the ones that you see like that are not PET and are only meant for water or similar uses like that.

I don't know how many are out there, but I'm glad they are being used here!

To see if the bottles are PET, or PETE, simply look on the bottom of the bottle (or the top, if they are inverted on top of the cooler/dispenser). It should say PET, or PETE. Then you know.

 

[Revvy]

It'll have this symbol,

Here's some of the other codes....and some info.

1. PET or PETE – Light gauge containers such as store bought pop bottles should be a one time use only. Heavier gauge containers show no evidence of leaching chemicals.

2. HDPE – not known to leach unwanted chemicals.

3. PVC or V – Bad – Strong evidence to show the leaching of DEHA, a known human carcinogen.

4. LDPE – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

5. PP – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

6. PS - suspected to possibly leach harmful carcinogens

7. Assorted but usually polycarbonate – Bad – may contain leaching BPA.

Basically though 1 is the best 2 is ok....the other ones besides leaching problems are also the most succesible to oxygen permeability.

 

[BigKahuna]

I just checked the Deep Rock Jugs here in the office....They say "PET Approved for Drinking Water"
Does this mean that I just got a nearly unlimited supply of primary fermentors for the $5.00 deposit?
Man! I'm gonna have to build an addition to the house.

 

[chione]

I just checked the Deep Rock Jugs here in the office....They say "PET Approved for Drinking Water"
Does this mean that I just got a nearly unlimited supply of primary fermentors for the $5.00 deposit?
Man! I'm gonna have to build an addition to the house.

YES IT DOES!!

 

[chione]

If they're pet use them....but most of them are polycarbonate NOT PET or PETE.

Polycarbonate uses BPA (bisphenol-A) in it's production. BPA may mimic the natural female sex hormone estradiol. In animal research it has been linked to female reproductive disorders, breast and prostate cancer, and attention and developmental problems.

Basically polycarbonate bottles have the potentiality to leach stuff into your water or beer...

I just found a home water purification company online that switched to shipping better bottles with their filter systems, because of the difficulty of finding ones that weren't polycarbonate.

I'm betting in the near future more and more water distributors will be going the same route because of all the press about estradiol in water bottles, and we'll be able to find more and more Pet water jugs at the big box stores then there are now...

And since it looks like the Better Bottle people are one of the few producers of the product, more companies are jumping online to fill the need. Which of course means the prices will go down.

Evidently some people are already finding Pet bottles in the water section of Homedepot and other big box stores now...so some places are making the switch already.

Pet leaches
Plastic Identification Code Type of plastic polymer Properties Common Packaging Applications
1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE) Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture. Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars
2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas. Milk, juice and water bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; trash and retail bags.
3 Polyvinyl Chloride (V) Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness. Juice bottles; cling films
4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture. Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.
5 Polypropylene (PP) Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture. Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups and plates.
6 Polystyrene (PS) Versatility, clarity, easily formed Egg cartons; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers; yogurt and margarine containers
7 Other Dependent on polymers or combination or polymers. Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

If the water I drink at the office all day comes from a type 7 water bottle how can apple cider from the same bottle be any worse?

 

[BigKahuna]

If the water I drink at the office all day comes from a type 7 water bottle how can apple cider from the same bottle be any worse?

Alcohol tends to do very funny (or Not So Funny) things to plastics. If you don't have the right kind of plastic...you'll at best come up with off flavors. The chemicals can make you sick as hell.

 

[solidghost]

Thanks to all for the information on the bottles.

 

[PeteOz77]

Yeast is so cheap I wouldn't bother. Haven't tried it with my 4 batches, but $1 of yeast vs $18 in juice isn't worth messing with.

It's not so much a matter of cost as it is convenience. I am thinking that if i can reuse the yeast 2-3 times, it means that I don't have to clean and sanitise, plus pitch etc. If I can just siphon and top up 3 times in a row, that makes life a lot easier, especially since I intend on ALWAYS having a batch fermenting....

 

[DeadDoc]

Ok so I guess they have finally swapped their jugs now.

I know my dad picked one up long long ago back when they were glass.... so I have a 5 Gallon sick as hell looking Glass Carboy. Maybe I will take a picture when my beer runs clear or just when its empty.

 

[PeteOz77]

COOL!! All of those bottles have MY name on them!

 

[DeadDoc]

COOL!! All of those bottles have MY name on them!

I will surely look around for those

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

Alcohol tends to do very funny (or Not So Funny) things to plastics. If you don't have the right kind of plastic...you'll at best come up with off flavors. The chemicals can make you sick as hell.

Does anyone have a metafilter acct so we can toss an inquiry to the hive mind?

Something like "does alcohol cause problems with plastic bottle x?"

 

[Shaggy]

FWIW...just checked my office 5gal water cooler bottles and they're stamped number 7 with "approved for water use only" as well.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

So my Apfelwein has been fermenting for a week now. Original recipe, but used Mott's applejuice and a 6 gallon instead of a 5 (with 5 gallons of juice). After a week it has a pretty strong vinegary smell coming out of the airlock. The rhino farts are gone, but this doesn't really smell pleasant right now. I had to put the installation rod into the better bottle a few times to tighten the spigot. I did sanitize it, but I'm worried it maybe wasn't enough. Could this be a sign of infection? Never had one before, don't really know what to expect when it happens.

 

[DUCCCC]

So my Apfelwein has been fermenting for a week now. Original recipe, but used Mott's applejuice and a 6 gallon instead of a 5 (with 5 gallons of juice). After a week it has a pretty strong vinegary smell coming out of the airlock. The rhino farts are gone, but this doesn't really smell pleasant right now. I had to put the installation rod into the better bottle a few times to tighten the spigot. I did sanitize it, but I'm worried it maybe wasn't enough. Could this be a sign of infection? Never had one before, don't really know what to expect when it happens.

Do you still have bubbles? It should be actively fermenting still. I know that after only a week, and depending on the yeast you use, it might not smell too pleasant.

That said, I don't really know for sure what an infection, particularly a vinegar bacteria one, would be like for sure as I've never had one yet myself (knock on wood).

 

[Empty Bottle Man]

Vinegar bacteria? As far as I know Vinegar is the oxidization of the ethanol. Is there such thing as a vinegar bacteria?

 

[Mr. Awesome]

Still bubbling a lot, yeah.

 

[DUCCCC]

Vinegar bacteria? As far as I know Vinegar is the oxidization of the ethanol. Is there such thing as a vinegar bacteria?

"In the second process, a group of bacteria (called “Acetobacter”) converts the alcohol portion to acid. This is the acetic, or acid fermentation, that forms vinegar. Proper bacteria cultures are important; timing is important; and fermentation should be carefully controlled."

 

[431brew]

Want to make my first batch, and have two questions:

1. Ed's original 5 gal recipe used 5gr pack of Monty. I'm making 2.5 gals and want it a little sweeter, so considering Wyeast 3068 that I picked from another thread here. Since I am halving the recipe, would I simply use 2.5gr of this yeast, or another amount since it is a different type?

2. I bottle my small batches of beer in PET with screw on caps. This works for me since they do not sit around long after 3-4 weeks of conditioning. From reading the posts it seems that the AW may take longer to ripen than beer, so I am wondering if my screw on caps will be okay for this or if I need to get glass bottles?

Thanks.