Plastic carboy?

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Kevin K

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I'm still flip-flopping about where to buy my equipment kit from (several local sources).

One local supplier has kits that are super cheap, but they come with a 23L plastic carboy.

Does anyone see a problem with this? Anyone have any experience using plastic carboys?

Kevin
 
Anyone have any input on this?


If I buy it, and it's a piece of ****, I'm going to blame you guys for not telling me not to buy it. :D
 
Okay... okay.... lol

Since you say it is a cheap kit, I suppose it is plastic other than PET that is used to make Better Bottles with. Got a link to the site?

A lot of people use plastic for a primary vessel. Hardly anyone uses plastic for a secondary. I would advise against plastic carboys unless they are the new fangled Better Bottles. Get glass for a secondary!
 
Most kits use plastic buckets.

The only thing I can think of is the better-bottle.com plastic PET carboys.

Are those the ones? Most likely not if the kits are 'super cheap' (The plastic better-bottles are as much as glass carboys).

The big thing with plastic is it's O2 permeability (how much O2 can get through the plastic over time). Thusly oxidizing your beverage.
 
Plastic is fine for primary, because it is generally pretty quick. The O2 permeability becomes an issue over time, so it isn't as good for secondary, esp. if it's going to be in there for some time.

I'd get it, and get a glass carboy for secondary. You'll be fine with that.
 
What Swami said, but I'd like to add something...natch!!

Just an opinion, if you do ONLY ales (fast ferments and fast clearings) then you can get away with not having a glass carboy and use only plastic fermenters for primaries and secondaries.

I have about 7 primaries and 4 carboys. I do a lot of ales (Hefe Weizens are ales), but I also do lagers so I NEED glass.

I have no experience with the PET bottles so I really can't give an intelligent call/comment on them.:drunk:

Anyone? Beuller? Beuller? Beuller?:confused:
 
Thanks for the input guys. Unfortunately, I don't have any links. The retailer isn't online, and isn't a LHBS, they're a hardware store.

I have no idea if the plastic carboy is 'PET' or not.

The info I do have is this:

The kit is made by Paklab Inc, and is called "The Kit" Wine & Beer Starter Kit - 8 pc.
1 - printed primary fermenter
1 - 23L plastic carboy
1 - rubber bung
1 - air lock (#7.5 bung)
* - sterilizing powder
* - siphon package
* - digital thermometer (cool!)
* - spoon

Price is about $45 CDN.

I may pick it up and buy a glass carboy & hydrometer from the local LHBS. This way I'll have a 23L carboy for my primary (plastic), a glass carboy for my secondary, and a bottling bucket/sanitizing bucket (will need to add a spigot).

Does that sound like a good plan? :mug:

My only concern would be cleaning the plastic carboy, although it shouldn't be much harder than a glass carboy - it isn't like I can get much of anything in there to scratch it.
 
I would be concerned about cleaning a plastic carboy. If you have to do any scrubbing in there to get the trub gunk off the sides it will probably get scratched. They say scratches are a place for bacteria to hide and the carboy becomes harder to sanitize. I scrub my glass carboys vigorously with a nylon brush. There is no way you could do that with plastic. You would have to use a cleaner that would remove all the gunk by soaking and not by scrubbing if there is such a thing.
Just my .02 worth
 
homebrewer_99 said:
It may be more difficult to clean/scrub if the plastic carboys are "ribbed" for strength.


I thought the plastic carboys were ribbed not for strength, but for her pleasure?
 
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