Using Plastic Fermenter for Cider?

[superslomo]

Everyone in photos and discussions seems to use glass carboys for cider. Given that I have only one carboy, and a bunch of fermenting buckets, couldn't I just as easily use a plastic fermenter for making cider? Any particular reason that wouldn't work?

The problem with using glass is that I may have a few brews this winter that need to go into secondary, and I would like to be able to start the cider and hold it if needed.

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[ACbrewer]

there is a sticky on 'this verse that' which gets into all the ins and outs of one over the other and mostly it becomes personal preference.

The best reason for not using buckets is that they are a little air permable and glass isn't, so over a very long storage, you could get some O2 into your ferment and have it ruin.

I use glass for things over the 1 month mark. I use a bucket for anything less than 1 month. (personal preference here). Additionally I have had a beer in a bucket for 6 weeks before bottling (all primary) with no ill effects that I'm aware of - Since it was the only time I made that beer, and many other factors I don't control like temp it is a little hard to say if it could have been better, it was 'good enough' for me to drink.

Additionally, I've got some lambics which have been in PET bottles for over 1 year now, and recently I opened one up and it tasted about the same as one I opened 6 months ago or even 9 months ago.

So there you are. Maybe O2 is an issue, maybe not. Others will have different experience with plastic. Makesure you have a good seal and let it rip. Obviously every time you rack or open it, you open it up to O2 issues. so if you will need to check the gravity a lot, then you should consider a Carboy - the narrow neck gives less volume to hold O2 and less surface area for it to get in through.

 

[superslomo]

I'm doing a non-bumped-up plain cider cider, so I doubt I'll need to do a lot of gravity-checking... I usually just "set it and forget it" for a while... I'm going to do it in a 7.9 gallon bucket, if possible, and leave the lid on for as long as it's likely to take. I'm generally a fan of not doing primaries, I'm just too lazy. Likewise, I may be too lazy to rack constantly. This is not life and death, would like it to come out somewhat drinkable, though