Plastic used in ale pails
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gcdowd
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My pail is a number two. I believe 1 and 2 are safe, but if I'm wrong someone let me know.
iammatt
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Most plastic buckets are made from HDPE. They can be used. A whole can of worms regarding plastic buckets being used for fermentation will probably be opened.
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keep in mind that HD buckets are 5 gallons. Most ale pailes are at least 6.5, sometimes 6.9 and bigger.
It will be impossible to ferment a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bucket.
It will be impossible to ferment a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bucket.
TopherM
Well-Known Member
Most Ale Pails of HDPE #2 (High Density Polyethylene), which is the safest plastic for the storage of food-grade materials, including beer. You can get away with #1 PETE and #4 LDPE, but both are slightly O2 permiable, so you wouldn't want to store anything in those types of plastic long-term.
collinsDPT
Well-Known Member
Just dont use something with a lot of abrasions/scratches in it.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
Many five gallon buckets are actually 5.5 to the top. With a blow off tube you could ferment five gallons. I've never tried because I can get six gallon buckets cheap (really 6.5 to the top.) I have fermented six gallons in them.
Not all HDPE containers are food safe, and from what I have read, Home Depot containers are NOT food safe.
However, it turns out you can get food safe containers at WalMart (5 gallon buckets). Here's a link discussing it:
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/food-grade-buckets-walmart/ Note that only certain colors (e.g. white) are food safe. Also, I had trouble finding the corresponding lids, but I have some Gamma Seal lids (which are awesome but also expensive) that I use for frequently accessed stuff. Also, if you are using them for fermenting, you would likely buy a lid with a hole for the airlock anyway. I picked up a lid to use for $1.50 or so from my lbhs.
Final note. You can find used food grade containers in other places. For instance, some people talk about getting them from Dunkin Doughnuts. I've gotten some from my local co-op that sells them for $1.
Edit: After doing further searching, some people have mentioned that the WHITE buckets at Home Depot are food safe, but the ORANGE ones are not. At this point, I wouldn't trust anything without calling the manufacturer of the bucket and verifying for that lot etc that they are/are not food safe.
Hope this helps.
However, it turns out you can get food safe containers at WalMart (5 gallon buckets). Here's a link discussing it:
http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/food-grade-buckets-walmart/ Note that only certain colors (e.g. white) are food safe. Also, I had trouble finding the corresponding lids, but I have some Gamma Seal lids (which are awesome but also expensive) that I use for frequently accessed stuff. Also, if you are using them for fermenting, you would likely buy a lid with a hole for the airlock anyway. I picked up a lid to use for $1.50 or so from my lbhs.
Final note. You can find used food grade containers in other places. For instance, some people talk about getting them from Dunkin Doughnuts. I've gotten some from my local co-op that sells them for $1.
Edit: After doing further searching, some people have mentioned that the WHITE buckets at Home Depot are food safe, but the ORANGE ones are not. At this point, I wouldn't trust anything without calling the manufacturer of the bucket and verifying for that lot etc that they are/are not food safe.
Hope this helps.
collinsDPT
Well-Known Member
I have over 6 gallons in my 5 gallon bucket. Gonna hook up a blow off hose soon.... haha.
The walmarts around here often have six gallon buckets (for food storage.)
On a side note my Bayou Classic 30 qt pot only holds 28.
Lowes has some graduated five gallon buckets in the paint section that are food grade but are exactly five gallons to the top.
On a side note my Bayou Classic 30 qt pot only holds 28.
Lowes has some graduated five gallon buckets in the paint section that are food grade but are exactly five gallons to the top.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
I thought I could get some cheap buckets, so I went to Lowe's one day and there were two huge problems:
1. They are only 5 gallons.
2. The buckets were HDPE, but the lids were not.
1. They are only 5 gallons.
2. The buckets were HDPE, but the lids were not.
I thought that plastic 1 was the safest. Isn't that what better bottles are made of?
If 2 is best, that's great! I dont have a local homebrew supply, so the cheapest ale pail I found online was $11 plus s+h. The lids were $3 extra! I got two buckets and lids for $7.50 at home depot.
I can drill my own hole and stick an airlock on there no problem.
If 2 is best, that's great! I dont have a local homebrew supply, so the cheapest ale pail I found online was $11 plus s+h. The lids were $3 extra! I got two buckets and lids for $7.50 at home depot.
I can drill my own hole and stick an airlock on there no problem.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
Oddly, my 6 Gallon PET Carboy from Brewmaster's Warehouse spills over the top if I try to add 6 gallons of water to it. I think it is actually 5.5 or 5.75.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
Yep, lids also have the 2 insignia. Not positive if they are food grade though. Might call home depot and see if they can tell me the manufacturer so I can ask them.
I just thought food grade plastics were needed for hot liquids. I'm not really sure though.
I just thought food grade plastics were needed for hot liquids. I'm not really sure though.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
I think "food grade" is just some stupid certification thing that manufactures have to pay extra for. It doesn't mean that you can't use it for food.
They are probably aren't certified as "food grade", but that is also probably one of the reasons why they are cheaper.
The reason for them being expensive is that they have to be purer, and free of certain harmful compounds.
I don't believe it's an active certification process (the administrative overhead would be enormous), rather, the FDA samples randomly selected products.
At my LHBS, 6.5 gallon plastic beer buckets are $8 + $2 for lids. Not that much more than the Walmart buckets.
I get the six (and a half) gallon buckets for $7 plus a dollar for the lid at a food storage place. The lids have the ribs on the inside so they take some time to clean. A hole and a 35¢ grommet and it's a fermenter.
Better Bottles are #1. #7 is the worst but food can be found in just about any kind of plastic.
Better Bottles are #1. #7 is the worst but food can be found in just about any kind of plastic.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
Better bottles are PET (#1)
Well a friend of mine works for a company that makes pickles. The buckets they use for packaging are number 2. I'm not sure how dependent pickles are on not being oxygenated, but it seems to me that would mean 2 is ok for long term storage.
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