Scored some Demijohns!

[PeteOz77]

I answered and advert in the local classifieds and picker up 3 X 21 litre, and 1 X 10 Litre in their baskets for $50! I already have one of them full of Apfelwien, and will get another one going later in the week. I have been using plastic fermenters exclusively, and I think these are going to be a LOT harder to clean, but it's SO cool to watch the fermenting happening, and I think watching it clear will be even cooler. These are the old school fermenters.

 

[ChrisKennedy]

Never understood why people think carboys/demijohns are difficult to clean. Where elbow grease cannot reach, simply depend on heat and chemical means. Those look pretty slick too, a bit more exotic than a carboy.

 

[PeteOz77]

Never understood why people think carboys/demijohns are difficult to clean. Where elbow grease cannot reach, simply depend on heat and chemical means. Those look pretty slick too, a bit more exotic than a carboy.

Sanitising is easy enough, once it is clean, but I reckon it's a LOT easier to clean a fermenter that has a 18" mouth, rather than a 2" hole that you need to try to clean with a bottle brush...

 

[mad hops]

i have four of them. Here in Italy they are abundent! And cheap to get. Actually am getting ready to go buy three more since my wife broke two..... Told her they wernt meant to ast as weights for cloths racks!

 

[karbinator]

If you rinse them immediately after use, you
should never have an issue cleaning w/bottle
brush.

 

[PeteOz77]

If you rinse them immediately after use, you
should never have an issue cleaning w/bottle
brush.

That's what I am hoping for, jus tlike bottles

I just know how difficult it can be to get the scum off the top liquid level of a plastic fermenter, and that's when I can get right in there and scrub it with a scotch brite pad. The main reason I started with an Apfelwien in the Demijohn was that there is a LOT less scum at the top of a ferment. We will see how ths ferment goes...

 

[Revvy]

Bottle brush? What this thing you speak of?

Oxyclean soaks. Let the fizzy bubbles do the work.

I haven't used a bottle or carboy brush in ages....

 

[TerapinChef]

+1 on the oxyclean, a few hour soak and most of the work is done for you...

 

[PeteOz77]

Ahhh yes, just another of the wonderful chemicals that I cannot get in AUS. I'll add it to the list for the family to bring when they come to visit me in August.

 

[Revvy]

Ahhh yes, just another of the wonderful chemicals that I cannot get in AUS. I'll add it to the list for the family to bring when they come to visit me in August.

So there's nothing comprable over there?

Oxyclean is just sodium percarbonate. There has to be a comprable product.

*EDIT* I just did some googling, it looks like a product over there called Nappy Soaker is the same thing.

An oxygen based stain remover and detergent designed for soaking heavily soiled linen.
Available in 5Kg, 15Kg, 20Kg.

Look for powdered products calling themselves oxygen soakers or oxygen bleach soakers....looks like it's the same thing.

 

[AllHoppedUp]

Ahhh yes, just another of the wonderful chemicals that I cannot get in AUS. I'll add it to the list for the family to bring when they come to visit me in August.

Try TSP. Tri Sodium Phospahte if I remember correctly. Available in most hardware stores. Besides cleaning carboys, it is used a lot I think to clean glass in preparation for painting. Just rinse well.

 

[Revvy]

Try TSP. Tri Sodium Phospahte if I remember correctly. Available in most hardware stores. Besides cleaning carboys, it is used a lot I think to clean glass in preparation for painting. Just rinse well.

But TSP isn't fizzy though is it? I haven't used it in years....It's the fizzyness of Oxyclean type products that replaces the need for a brush of any sort...

 

[tentacles]

I've been using Diversol to clean my glassware, and it works very well - I've never needed to scrub anything afterwards.

The oxyclean sounds cheaper, though, I will have to get me some.

 

[Revvy]

I've been using Diversol to clean my glassware, and it works very well - I've never needed to scrub anything afterwards.

The oxyclean sounds cheaper, though, I will have to get me some.

I just googled diversol..it says it's both a cleaner AND sanitizer though...so will it really be cheaper to use 2 products, when one does both things? I've never heard of it, so that's why I looked....seems like great stuff...

For Oxyclean, get the unscented...and the generic stuff from the big box stores works just as well as the name brand....I got an 11lb box of Oxyclean at Sam's club for 14 bucks btw....In most stores it comes in 6 pound tubs for 8 or 9 bucks, so shop around. (You'll need to rinse thoroughly and you'll still have to sanitize after though)

 

[PeteOz77]

I just did some googling, it looks like a product over there called Nappy Soaker is the same thing.

Ahh! Nappy San! I have heard of people using this for cleaning and sanitising their bottles.

I'll give it a try.

Cheers!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Try a bleach soak. 2 shots in 5 gallons of water. Overnight all the crusted stuff is off and floating in the water.

I dump or syphon out w/ my autosyphon and then use the jet wash and sanitize.

I never scrub and I rinse until the smell of bleach is gone.