Oldest Plastic Fermenter Still In Use!

[mikk]

Just wondering how much life people get from their HDPE plastic fermenters?!

I have 5 various size plastic fermenters (proper sealed type- not buckets) in constant use, 3 newish, 1 old one (7 years) & one VERY old (12-13 years). The very old one is a Coopers brand, & apart from new taps/airlock seals every now and then is still in constant use.

Just wondering if this is common for other AHB'ers?

Mikk

 

[Muscovy_333]

Good mate of mine in Ballarat is using an old black vessel used by his wifes grandpa from back in the 70's.
As long as the seals are good, and its not beaten up too much should not be a problem IMHO.

 

[jimmyjackpot]

One of mine is a Coopers fermenter that I got about 10 years ago and still going strong. Replaced the tap on it once and that was only at the start of this year.

 

[seamad]

Still using my coopers one from when i was at uni, must be nudging 25 years. Reckon got my moneys worth outta that

 

[cam89brewer]

It could contain BPA at that age which if a potential carcinogen.......

 

[mikk]

I don't believe that HDPE or LDPE are a danger with regards to BPA, like other plastics can be.

Seamad, 25 years is pretty impressive- seems there's no hurry for me to replace mine! (Except with a bling stainless one, if i'm feeling overly wealthy one year).

 

[Brewing_Brad]

Still using my coopers one from when i was at uni, must be nudging 25 years. Reckon got my moneys worth outta that

I thought mine of 8 years was gettin' on, 25 is bloody impressive!

 

[Fourstar]

to be honest, you might want to start questioning small scratches in your fermenters. The oldest i have is 5 years however there have been two i have disposed of during this period (one had a ginger beer in it that was all sorts of wrong and i just couldnt get the smell out of it and the other had chalk scale and some strange streak on the interior i just couldnt budge.)

Im about to do away with another soon, only becuase its being sacrificed to the roselare gods! :lol:

 

[cam89brewer]

I don't believe that HDPE or LDPE are a danger with regards to BPA, like other plastics can be.

Seamad, 25 years is pretty impressive- seems there's no hurry for me to replace mine! (Except with a bling stainless one, if i'm feeling overly wealthy one year).

In the 70's they weren't even required to state if something contains BPA and is generally the cheapest way to make plastic and the only way to know for sure is by the recycling symbol and the numbers used and im not sure if they even had them back then either.....

 

[stux]

I tossed my '95 era coopers 30L eurotainer bucket fermenter a few years ago now

It left a nasty plastic flavours in every brew which graced it, even as a secondary. Never had a sink tipper until then

 

[Greg.L]

I've noticed a definite tendency for people on this forum to blame their fermenter when they have problems. My oldest is about 12 years. So long as they are only used for fermenting, and kept out of direct sunlight, they should last well. A few scratches won't hurt, boiling water will sanitise any fermenter.

 

[benno1973]

I inherited my dad's fermenter when I took up homebrewing, and my earliest memory of its use was him syphoning beer into king browns (as he swore and beer flowed all over the laundry floor) when I was 8. Now I'm 38, so that's a 30-year old fermenter at least. Still makes fine beer, side by side with my new fermenters...

 

[damienkelly87]

I have an original "Olinda" fermenter from 1968! Still going strong! Thats the bad thing about some plastics, they just never dissappear...

 

[QldKev]

Mine are really old, I've got one at least 2 or 3 years old. :lol:

Actually my Coopers one must be a few years, but anytime they look a bit iffy out they go.

QldKev

 

[pete porter]

I have two black AMPAC branded fermenters with the dates stamped into the bottom.

The older one is September 1977, and the other is 1980, but it's full of fermenting witbier, and I can't check the month.

PP

 

[Fish13]

I had a TWOC one that lasted 5 years out in the sun before it completely broke down.....