Pharmaceutical Grade Buckets?

[mtnjam7]

long time lurker, first time poster

I'm going to be doing my first batch this friday while watching the NCAA tourney with the help of my brother, Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout clone, I'm pumped to finally get into this as I've been reading on here for months now and researching. But to the topic at hand, I was talking to a friend who also brews last night that works for a compounding pharmacy. He said he has a number of 5 gal. Pharmaceutical Grade Buckets that he has that he uses for secondaries. I don't know the difference in food grade and pharmaceutical grade, but I'm assuming the pharm grade would be higher. He is going to give me one or two so that I have add'l secondaries. He said that he personally cleaned them and everything stored in them was in bags. He has also used them in the past with good results, just drilled a hole in the top for a hydrolock. Does anyone know the difference, and if these buckets would be ok to use?

Thanks in advance.

 

[spitfire]

You are going to get a variety of answers I'm sure. I would check on the bottom of the bucket and see what number is in the triangle. If it is 1 or 2 you should be ok. Any other number I wouldn't use it.

 

[bull8042]

You are going to get a variety of answers I'm sure. I would check on the bottom of the bucket and see what number is in the triangle. If it is 1 or 2 you should be ok. Any other number I wouldn't use it.

I would have a tendency to agree here.... as long as the compound it originally housed was NOT cyanide or something similar.

 

[llazy_llama]

But if it was vicodin or codine, we really should arrange a swap.

 

[Ballistic]

If it says "viagra" on the label, you'll end up with a beer that keeps you up all night and definately has a good head!

 

[bull8042]

If it says "viagra" on the label, you'll end up with a beer that keeps you up all night and definately has a good head!

HAHAHA! If your fermentation experiences a blowoff lasting more than four hours....!!!!

 

[peepfoot]

HAHA!

Pharmaceutical grade plastics are just about the same as food grade. I agree, check the number. 1 or 2 and you wll be drinking great beer in no time! RDWHAHB.

 

[mtnjam7]

Awesome, thanks guys.

 

[Beau815]

You sure wouldn't have to use any gypsum, because your water would already be extremely hard.