Argon method using plastic milk bottles.

[Silver]

I've just tested a 2ltr plastic bottle with boiling water and it holds without falling apart. Has anyone used these containers for this method?

 

[Proffs]

Do you mean no chilling in milk bottles? If so I'd say no. Too much stuffing around and risking infection.

Or do you mean using milk bottles only for the portion to be chilled to 4*C? If so, I'd say your confused about the method. You need to get the whole batch down to around 4*C so when you add the mini boil back to the chilled wort it all combines to be around 18*C.

 

[bradsbrew]

I've just tested a 2ltr plastic bottle with boiling water and it holds without falling apart. Has anyone used these containers for this method?

Leave the boiling water in it for 24hrs and give it a taste. I would think that although the bottle has not melted you may get a plastic taste? Could be wrong though.

 

[Silver]

I may well be confused but my take on what i read yesterday from adaptations to this method was, boil up a batch of bittered wort, cube that but also a couple of ltr into another container that you add your flavour/aroma hops which you then chill rapidly.

 

[Logman]

I may well be confused but my take on what i read yesterday from adaptations to this method was, boil up a batch of bittered wort, cube that but also a couple of ltr into another container that you add your flavour/aroma hops which you then chill rapidly.

This way works fine and is pretty simple. I use a Bunnings 5 ltr cube and a 17 litre from a FWK (Bunnings have 15 litre cubes I think). You throw the 5 ltr cube in an ice bath or whatever after hopping.

 

[bradsbrew]

Why not cube as usual, then when tipping cube into fermenter save a few litres in the cube. Pitch yeast into fermenter then go boil up your saved couple of litres put your hops in for the desired amount of time then rapid chill it in the sink, wont take long with a small volume then add to fermenter.

Cheers

 

[Silver]

I figure wort is already boiled, throw 2ltr wort and some hops into milk bottle and pop it in a water barrel, done. No double handling.

 

[sp0rk]

I figure wort is already boiled, throw 2ltr wort and some hops into milk bottle and pop it in a water barrel, done. No double handling.

The point of putting the boiling wort into a cube is so that the high temps kill any bacteria in the cube
You won't be killing any possible bacteria in the milk bottle with cold wort

 

[Silver]

The point of putting the boiling wort into a cube is so that the high temps kill any bacteria in the cube
You won't be killing any possible bacteria in the milk bottle with cold wort

The plan is to sanitize the milk bottle, add hot wort and hops, lid on, give it a minute or 2 then chill in a tub of water.

 

[sp0rk]

Fair enough, Let us know how it goes
Though I'm expecting there to be plasticy tastes

 

[Pickaxe]

+1 to plastic tastes. From even rinsing out milk bottles for recycling, u get huge plastic smells, and storing water in them gives plastic odours.

 

[Pickaxe]

I don't buy milk in plastic for this reason.

 

[Silver]

Leave the boiling water in it for 24hrs and give it a taste. I would think that although the bottle has not melted you may get a plastic taste? Could be wrong though.

+1 to plastic tastes. From even rinsing out milk bottles for recycling, u get huge plastic smells, and storing water in them gives plastic odours.

I don't buy milk in plastic for this reason.

I did a little check and my research suggests plastic milk containers are made from HDPE, same stuff as my cubes. I'll give it the taste test Brad and go from there.

 

[Pickaxe]

did not know that. HDPE.

 

[Silver]

Cheers for the replies, but i'm now steering towards cubing a bittered only batch using a hop which will not impact too much on whatever flavour/aroma i choose. This method means on brew day before cubing a batch I'll put flavour/aroma hops into 1ltr of boiling wort and strain it into FV then dump 27ltr of 15C- 16C wort straight onto it. This should bring temp to 18C ish, pitch yeast. I'm believe there are others who do similar procedure. So effectively each brewday means cubing a new batch and fermenting the previously cubed batch without the hassles of cooling wort with an immersion chiller and wasting water.

 

[Silver]

Tested said milk bottle for off flavours. Tasted like plain old water, no plastic. Don't think i'll use it anyways. Have changed tack after reading some players just steep hops and dump them in. So in a nutshell, planning the following.
Cube a bittered only wort using neutral bittering hop.( perhaps Magnum )
NC and drop temp to 16C ish via fridge.
Steep flavour/aroma hops in 1ltr boiling water in thermal flask. (15/5mins)
Strain hops into FV and dump wort on top.
Pitch.
If this works then I should have more flexibility, especially when splitting batches, different hops/different yeasts using the one base wort.
Would be very keen to here from anyone who does similar.
Cheers
Silver