Rubbermead

[Aquavitae]

Ok. Here's the deal. As some of you know, I am a noob mazer. I have a couple of empty Rossi gallon jugs I have yet to fill. One will soon be filled with JAOM when the fruit all sinks. I have no stoppers or airlocks. So I went to Lowe's and picked up some rubber chair leg tips. They fit absolutely perfectly. All I have to do is drill a hole to fit an airlock or some aquarium tubing. The problem is that they smell absolutley horrible. I have a hard time describing the smell. Just know that it is strong and transferable. And not sulphuric. My question is this: is there anything I can wash or soak these guys in to get rid of that smell? I'd hate to get that smell anywhere around or in my mead.

 

[WIMARIPA]

I recommend paying a visit to a homebrew store or placing an online order for some airlocks and stoppers. These things are cheaper than a ruined batch of mead.

 

[ButcherBoy]

I would not use them, or anything I thought was not food grade, you will probably not be able to eliminate the odor from non-food grade plastic. Also some plasticized compounds will release very nasty chemicals into your brews, I wouldn't want even trace amounts in mine. Get drilled rubber bungs from your LHBS or online, I think most 1 gal jugs use size #6. They are not expensive and won't contaminate your brews.

 

[fatbloke]

The only rubber I like near my brews, is the elastic band that holds a piece of cling wrap in place when I run out of airlocks.....

 

[biochemedic]

You're far better off for active primary fermentation with a piece of sanitized aluminum foil than a non-food grade product. Use the intervening time to get yourself a proper airlock and stopper for when fermentation finishes!

 

[Aquavitae]

Poo. I guess it's good I'm only losing $1 and a bit of change. How would I go about using said aluminum foil? I've never seen a method mentioned on the forums.

I don't have a LHBS, so I was trying to find effective alternatives that don't require me to pay $3-4 shipping for $1-2 items.

 

[ExoticMeadMaker]

I don't have a LHBS, so I was trying to find effective alternatives that don't require me to pay $3-4 shipping for $1-2 items.

Who says your shopping cart only has to have 1-2 items @ $1-$2 each? lol, splurge alil stock up on dry yeast, extra stoppers and airlocks, etc...

 

[fatbloke]

The foil technique is the same as the clingwrap one. Just cut a square that fits nicely over the top of the opening, so it hangs down the side far enough that you can then secure it with an elastic band. Any CO2 that needs to escape around the edge with no problems........

 

[dummkauf]

I'd go back to the hardware store and buy some rubber bands and balloons before using those. Put the balloon on top of the jug, rubber band to hold it in place(optional), and just periodically vent the balloon as it blows up.

More work than an airlock, but probably a better solution than stinky rubber.

 

[dummkauf]

or as others have said, just order some stoppers and air locks online

 

[Intheswamp]

Sorry to drag up an older thread, especially for my first post here, but I've done *a lot* of searching the internet and still haven't found a good answer.

This thread was left for the OP to order some stoppers and airlocks online. I'm just starting into making mead and have the oft recommended JAOM at three weeks old now. I started out with a balloon and rubber band used as a connector to a blow-off tube setup until I could get my rubber stoppers. The setup worked fine, though I could smell the rubber and was glad to get the stoppers...glad at first, anyhow.

These stoppers all came to me with a strong rubber smell. Only one has been around anything fermenting yet (the one now on the JAOM). I got in white stoppers from two of the larger homebrew suppliers and they all have the strong smell. Aquavitae, did you ever get a remedy for your smell?

So far, there's been suggestions of heating the stoppers up, letting them air out in the sun, and washing them in white vinegar and baking soda. I'm thinking of boiling them a few times along with these other ideas. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
Ed

(Howdy fatbloke!)