Why use glass?

[Flumpy]

I see that most experienced people use the same type of glass jug to ferment their mead. I'm wondering why, since with plastic you can discard it after it's done. It seems that glass jugs with narrow tops would be very hard to clean, especially if fruit is added. I saw a youtube vid of a guy pushing slices of orange through the small spout of his glass jug and thought to myself, "He's going to have a fun time getting those out!"

I suppose if you're doing larger 5-gal batches you might have to, simply because you could reuse them rather than buying a whole new expensive 5-gal plastic jug, but is there a reason to use 1-gal glass jugs?

thx for the info!

 

[Golddiggie]

Many mazers use buckets for melomels. For traditional meads, it doesn't really matter (no flavors added other than honey).

Personally, I ferment mostly in sanke kegs. I do have a few glass (and PET) carboys. I use the glass for mead and the plastic for transporting water. The opening in the sanke keg is wide enough that you can fit a good sized item in there. Still, I probably wouldn't insert fruit wedges or quarters, into it. If you get the fruit into small enough pieces, then it really won't matter.

I've only used the 1 gallon jug for a single batch. That was with cacao and coffee additions, so the small opening size wasn't much of an issue. I wouldn't even think about using it for anything with fruit though. You could try using something like this glass jar though. It has just over a gallon capacity, so it would be a good option. Plus the opening is large enough. You would just need to fit an airlock into the lid, which should be pretty easy for most people here.

 

[Onihige]

It seems that glass jugs with narrow tops would be very hard to clean

There are wide opened demijohns, too: http://homemakeit.cart.net.au/include/classes/external/phpThumb/phpThumb.php?src=%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2F02008405_3504145.jpg&w=0&h=0&f=jpg&q=80 - There are even wider than that, but they look just plain silly.

 

[brewingmeister]

Because using anything but glass would be uncivilized.

 

[fatbloke]

Glass is the tried and tested material as its inert and airtight. There's a good range of different types of carboy/demi-john jugs available, with corresponding bungs/stoppers.

Getting the Orange slices out isn't a problem either.

Plus, there's still some suspicion as to whether the plastic equivalent is ok to use, because some types of plastics can stain and hold aromas. That said, it would seem that its fine to ferment in P.E.T. or HDPE, but a lot of people will still use glass to age their brews, I think the idea being that long term exposure to alcohol won't cause any off flavours or extract any chemical components from the container if its glass.

 

[Matrix4b]

The other thing is most plastics are not safe for alcohol over time. The plastic will degrade and that's not good for consumption. Anything that is disposible will fit this description.

Go beyond a disposible society. Many people are into recycling. I have heard some get yeast from their lees for other batches and even use their lees and pulps in compost. Personally I am not that into recycling but hey, If I don't need to throw away my brewing bucket, I wont.

Matrix

 

[Tw0fish]

All of the above, plus: when you ferment fruit it gets all smooshy because the yeast eat their way in (this is my theory anyway, all I know for fact is smooshy fruit) and smooshy fruit comes out quite easily.

 

[GinKings]

I can't find smooshy in my Funk and Wagnalls.

 

[KevinM]

1 gallon glass jugs: Reusable, easily sterilized, can age in them without an issue. Can be used later on when you want to give a gallon of something to someone, or when you do a 6 gallon batch and need a gallon sized space because your keg only holds 5 gallons.
Bulky to keep a lot around cause you don't toss them.

plastic cider jug or disposable water jug: Not much more than one use. Wouldn't want to age in these aren't really made in quality condition. easily disposable though if you don't want to wash the gunk out. They come free when you buy water or cider.

I've used both. Now that I keg, it's mostly glass for storing extra in. Any messy test batches with extra fruit and such, I'd use a plastic jug.

Based on the original post, I don't think this is about using plastic in the other forms other than the disposable ones. So we're not talking about carboys or buckets. Just the typical "milk/cider" 1 gallon plastic container vs a carlo rosso container.

 

[biochemedic]

I just worry that the (even minimal) oxygen permeability of plastic (even HDPE like Better Bottles) will become significant given the significantly longer fermentation and aging times of mead. I use Better Bottles for all my beer, but still use glass for mead and cider. I have considered using the Better Bottles for primary, but have enough 6 gal glass carboys that I've never really had too much of an issue with my current production schedule. I would still always use glass for secondary, although I suppose this could be added to the list of things to try as an experiment: 2 identical batches, one fermented/aged in glass, the other in Better Bottles.

 

[dummkauf]

Depends on what I'm making. Melomel's with fruit, it goes in a bucket for primary, and then a glass carboy for long term aging. If I'm not adding fruit I either use the bucket or the glass carboy depending on what's available, but it always goes into glass after fermentation is complete.

 

[lawpaw]

Better Bottle is PET, not HDPE. PET has an insignificant O2 permeability. You will get more air exposure through your enclosure (bung) then the bottle.

PET is also not degraded by alcohol. They sell hard alcohol in these PET and it holds up undamaged for years.

Plastic is more easily scratched, and so may become a sanitation issue, but is otherwise more durable than glass. Glass had a tendency to brake, especially if you aren't careful about temps. It is also lighter, and I even vac rack in plastic (it sucks in but holds up fine).

 

[mmead]

A small hook on a wire coathanger will pull out any orange rinds or other fruits as you hold jug upside down. This operation smells heavenly!:cross:

 

[biochemedic]

Better Bottle is PET, not HDPE. PET has an insignificant O2 permeability. You will get more air exposure through your enclosure (bung) then the bottle.

Yeah...I realized I had that one wrong when I was moving some of my carboys around the other day...I had still thought that there was some potentially significant oxygen permeability with PET that made glass superior (even if only slightly....) I can't remember where I read this...I'll have to look through my library at some point.....

 

[huesmann]

Glass does have its drawbacks but one reason it's superior vs. PET (or any plastic, really) is that it doesn't deform. Well, it might deform, but it's practically unmeasurable. Moving plastic carboys around can cause minor issues with the fluid level in the carboy, if that matters to you. It might in some situations, might not in others.