That plastic flavour

[panspermian]

So I've been brewing for around 3 years now.
After cooking I usually put my pot in an ice bath to cool down. This time I thought I would try something different. I put the fermenter in an ice bath and filled it hot, straight from the pot.
Thinking this should be the same plastic as in cubes, I thought I was being smart. Now I'm worried after trying a sample that I'm getting plastic flavour coming through.
Is this poison?


I also recently filled a cube for the first time which was originally from a fresh wort kit. Is this the right kind of plastic for hot wort? I would hate for that batch to taste like plastic too.

 

[real_beer]

It isn't going to poison you, but you should fill cubes with hot water a couple of times before use to get rid of the taste your talking about. It's a live and learn type lesson I'm afraid.

 

[luggy]

If the cube had been used for a fwk it should be ok, what kind of fermenter do you have?

 

[real_beer]

If the cube had been used for a fwk it should be ok, what kind of fermenter do you have?

Oh yeah, that's right I was thinking of new cubes well spotted.

 

[Blind Dog]

You can tell if its HDPE or not from the resin identiifier / recycling identifier. It's usually on the base (don't tip your full fermentor upside down to see it; that's the kind of thing only I do) and is a number inside a triangle of arrows. HDPE will have a number 2 inside the triangle (PET is 1; can't recall the others)

Is the fermentor new or well used?

 

[panspermian]

Yeah it has - number 2.
2x 15l fermenters, both used once before. I like to make a brown ale and and Scottish light at the same time. Flavour was more noticeable in the brown. I have washed them multiple times after use, and then before use.... even boiling water from jug.

It was only a week in the bottle so maybe it might dissipate.
The two tasters I had today was the last beer from bottom of fermenter. They both filled about half a 330ml bottle each. Both were carbonated too.

 

[S.E]

Not sure why yours has a plastic taste but cooling wort in the fermenter is not or at least never used to be unusual. With traditional BIAB old HB books often advised tipping the brew into the fermenter and cooling it in a bath of cold water if an immersion chiller wasn’t available.

 

[panspermian]

Since my beer was surprisingly carbonated after one week, I couldn't resist opening another.
Maybe it's paranoia suggesting its plastic but it is still there.
The only difference this brew is I used Windsor yeast instead of S-04.

Anyone had similar tastes from Windsor?
Maybe it's an "off flavour"(?), I really don't know what's going on.

Still drinkable btw.

 

[manticle]

Can you describe plastic more accurately? Disinfectant, melted plastic, smoky, medicinal?
Do you use any kind of vinyl tube, or fill the brew using tap water and a garden hose?

 

[panspermian]

Put boiling water into fermenter, you get that plastic smell wafting out.
This is what I believe I am tasting.
Transfer with high temp tubing. It's thick and opaque. (This is also a new technique).

 

[manticle]

Check the tube. Some vinyl hoses can give plastic taste. However if the new fermenter is producing that with hot water, that is the likely culprit.

Fill to the brim with boiling water, leave to cool, taste the water. When there is zero plastic character, you are good to go, otherwise empty and repeat. If still there after 3 times, get a new fermenter and look at silicon hose.

 

[Jack of all biers]

I know the flavour you are talking about and I have noticed it sometimes in commercially brought brews too. I'm not sure it is the HDPE, but I'd avoid heating plastics above 80C as most start softening at that temp or above. I'm no expert, but if the plastic starts softening, then I would think it could start to release things we don't need to be consuming. The experts say it is food grade and therefore safe, so I think you will be fine, but something tells me to avoid heating it if possible.

EDIT - I too use HDPE fermenting and conditioning vessels so I'm far from against it.