Secondary Fermenter Question

[johnny2014beerman]

Are 5 gallon plastic water "jugs" from water distributors like Ozarka ok to use as secondary fermenters?

 

[cluckk]

They would work. I would wonder though about how easy they are to clean--shape, seams, material, etc. I use Better Bottles and supposedly they are hydrophobic making them easier to clean.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Try craigslist.org

You can find 5g glass carboys pretty easily there. Search for "carboy" or "glass water bottle." They average about $10-$30... depending on where you live.

Plastic water bottles will work too. Sometimes the neck can flex a bit and won't hold a good seal. Depends on how much abuse it has taken.

 

[shaggy727]

Surprisingly enough, most of those bottles are not actually food grade plastic. #1 is the only true food grade as some #2's are not actually food grade and below #2 is not in general. You want food grade for a multitude of reasons. Don't use non food grade for anything that will touch your beer/wort. If you do not want to spend quite as much on a glass fermenter try the bucket style ones. They are generally pretty cheap brand new and are food grade. To top it off, they are extremely easy to clean and carry.

 

[sfgoat]

Surprisingly enough, most of those bottles are not actually food grade plastic. #1 is the only true food grade as some #2's are not actually food grade and below #2 is not in general. You want food grade for a multitude of reasons. Don't use non food grade for anything that will touch your beer/wort. If you do not want to spend quite as much on a glass fermenter try the bucket style ones. They are generally pretty cheap brand new and are food grade. To top it off, they are extremely easy to clean and carry.

Actually, if you want to review the chemical dexterity of the plastic I would say #2 plastic is actually better as #1 can leech the chemical antimony when exposed to liquid for long periods, especially if any high temps or temp fluctuations are involved. While this chemical won't be tasted in your finished product it can be present and is a carcinogen. But really I would still use either #1 or #2 plastic so long as it is clear or white (usually these are food grade). # 5 plastic can also be food grade and works well.