Sealing plastic fermenters for aging

[DaveSeattle]

Hi all,

I have a number of plastic Better Bottles and Big Mouth Bubblers. I would like to use these to age beers including sours and clean beers. Per the manufacturer the O2 permeability of the plastic used is negligible and should not present an oxidation risk. However I'm concerned, especially with the Bubblers, that the top seal and airlock will be a weak point. My thought was to wrap the entire thing with saran wrap, using electrical tape to affix the wrap to the airlock body. Alternately I could skip the saran wrap and just use electrical tape over the edges of the stopper. What do you all think?

Thanks!

David

 

[noggins]

Seems like overkill, are you storing these bottles in a sewer for seven years? I wouldn't call saran wrap or electrical tape air-tight, I doubt electrical tape is anywhere near food safe, and I've never seen anyone using either in homebrewing. To each his own I guess. Be sure and post tons of pics of your monstrosity if you do do it.

(tee hee, I said do do)

 

[Hopper5000]

If you are worried about a bubbler then get a a breathable silicone bung for the long term aging. As stated I wouldn't go with saran-wrap and tape.

I am not really sure how to better seal off a big mount bubbler but most people wouldn't worry too much about the bubbler running dry.

 

[z-bob]

I'd probably use a rubber stopper and a 'S'-type airlock filled with glycerin. (it won't evaporate out like water or vodka, but check it occasionally for mold)

My boss is a member of a winemaking club, and when they rack the wine or take some out with a thief, they take up extra space in the carboys by adding glass marbles.

 

[DaveSeattle]

Sorry when I was referring to the bubbler, I meant the fermenter - the Big Mouth Bubbler . I'm not worried about the airlock running dry, I will be able to check and refill it easily. What concerns me is O2 ingress through the connection points - the places where the stopper meets the airlock, the stopper meets the carboy, and on the BMB, where the lid meets the vessel (if you've never used a BMB, there is a lid that screws on and off, with a hole in it for a normal stopper+airlock setup). Is this overly paranoid and I shouldn't worry? I'd just hate to spend a year+ aging a $60 barleywine only to find out that it's gone stale.

 

[z-bob]

That sounds like a good excuse to buy glass.

 

[DaveSeattle]

I don't do glass after I lost a whole batch to a dropped carboy. Never again. Plus I already have six spare fermenters, and the glass BMBs are quite expensive.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Howza' 'bout, stretch a surgical glove over the opening, and a zip tie around the glove cuff, below the bottle threads?


Edit: may want to use a Nitrile glove, as I think the latex may be O2 permeable.

 

[DaveSeattle]

That's a great idea, I will totally do that! A blown-up glove will easily fit around the airlock, providing two layers of O2 barrier that should very effectively stave off oxidation.

The reason I'm so concerned about this is that some of these beers may bulk age for a year+ before getting put into a keg for further aging, so any minimal oxygen ingress will still be potentially problematic.