Plastic Cooler Bottles

[johnno]

Hi all,
I have access to a couple of those plastic water bottles that are used on the water coolers you see around. Capacity is 18.9 litres.
I was thinking of using these as fermenters for emergency brews when the other fermenters are being used. Like at the moment.
On the bottom of these containers it says to not use for anything but water. I'm thinking if they are safe for water they should be safe for beer.
Does anyboby know if they would be a problem in any way?

Having said that I will make a 10 litre extract batch and use one of these as soon as possible. This is to use up my home grown hops to see what they are like.

cheers
johnno

 

[Wortgames]

Johnno, they are safe for beer but my understanding is that the plastic is semi-permeable, so you probably wouldn't want to use them for long slow lager ferments or aging etc due to oxydisation issues. Should be fine for a normal brew though.

I think the warning is so that people don't fill them up with battery acid then leave them next to the cooler...

 

[johnno]

Thanks Wortgames. That will do me.

cheers
johnno

 

[Darren]

Johnno,
They are going to be hard to clean and sanitise too. Guess you wont car as you will simply exchange them when the batch is finished

 

[Asher]

Johnno

Have a read here.... I posted a link to some research done on Polycarbonate gas permeability...

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/Plas...rboy-t4800.html

Asher for now

 

[Jesmol]

These bottles being made from Polycarb as well, do not have great resistance to chemicals, eg acid and alkaline, so it wouldn't be a good idea to store with sterilizer in it long term.
Just thinking about these bottle though, and they would make good conical fermentors, with the addition of some sort of closing system on the base, a second tap a bit further up and then some sort of sealable lid. :blink: ie use them upside down......

 

[Jim - Perth]

I have just used 2 of these on my last brew as secondary fermenters.

I posted some comments on the Grumpy's website under the topic "Mini AG fermenters".

I found they worked very well for secondary mainly due to minimal headspace.

Mine are 15L but I think you can also get 11L.

 

[ozbrewer]

I used those containers for years to brew in, they are fantastic, . To clean soak over inght with Nappy san, gice a good rince out, and youll be fine

 

[Kai]

Safe for water does not automatically imply safe for beer. I do not know whether they actually are safe or not, though.