Are these gonna be ok as fermenters?

[Wolverine]

Got two big water containers the type office use in water machines they say ase plastik on them and not to refilled ? Is there any reason why I cant make wine in them they look about 5 gallon

 

[Moley]

They are food grade and will be 19 litres, go for it :thumb:


They are taken away by the water suppliers and refilled, they just don't want office users refilling their own.

 

[Wolverine]

Your right they are 19 liters if my wine kit is 21 litters and I just make 19 will that make it massively to strong a 21 liter kit is 12.5% so will it end up being like 15% and taste horrible?

 

[Egon]

Can you get two and split it or is that too much head room on them?

 

[Moley]

What wine kit is intended to make 21 litres? That seems like a very strange volume.

Anyway, 21 litres @ 12.5% abv would reduce to 19 litres @ 13.8% abv, but you would bring that abv down again if you topped up with water after racking.

Personally, I would think that short brewing would improve any kit wine.

Is it a “just add water” kit, or one which requires sugar?

 

[Wolverine]

It's youngs cellar 7 Pinot grigio just add water job
It makes a decent wine for a quid a bottle. short brew it is then

 

[Marrsy86]

If it's the plastic bottles that go upside down on top of water coolers I had the same idea and done some research but won't link it here as it's a link to a different forum.

I found out that if you turn it upside down and check the number inside the recycle symbol then they are fine to use for home brew provided it's a number 1 or 2. Anything else shouldn't be used especially the ones with number 7 in the symbol as fermentation gets a chemical out of the plastic that has been linked to fertility problems and cancer.

Hope this helps.

Marrsy

 

[Moley]

If it's the plastic bottles that go upside down on top of water coolers I had the same idea and done some research but won't link it here as it's a link to a different forum.

There's no problem with cross-referencing to other forums, post your link please :thumb:

Are you suggesting there's an issue with using no.5, polypropylene, or why it is used for so many FVs?

 

[Marrsy86]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/ice-mountain-water-jugs-better-bottles-56936/

There you go mate, got most my info from that thread and there's no direct mention of number 5 but they say use only 1 and 2 and to never use 7.

They guy had over 30000 posts so thought he should be pretty reliable.

 

[Wolverine]

I've just given them to my mum and the did say 7 inside the recycle arrows ! I better get them back

 

[Moley]

Thanks for that, but no. 5 needs adding to your safe list, here are the resin codes which also suggest a problem with no. 7 polycarbonate.

On water bottles, fermenting buckets etc. you will usually also find the food grade symbol:

 

[Moley]

Hang on Wolverine and anyone else finding 7s inside triangles, do some more reading, follow my link about resin symbols and then the link about Bisphenol A.

Some but not all polycarbonates may have been manufactured using BPA, but

In December 2009, responding to a letter from a group of seven scientists that urged the UK Government to "adopt a standpoint consistent with the approach taken by other Governments who have ended the use of BPA in food contact products marketed at children", the UK Food Standards Agency reaffirmed, in January 2009, its view that "exposure of UK consumers to BPA from all sources, including food contact materials, was well below levels considered harmful".

In countries where it has been banned, that seems often to be limited to babies' bottles.

Use your common sense, but it sounds like scaremongering to me, and even our own nanny state do-gooders and jobsworths aren't convinced.

 

[Wolverine]

that's interesting. the problem is now that the seed of doubt has been planted and it's my mum so I'll pass on the info an let her make her own mind up . I'm in the clear then : )

 

[Marrsy86]

Sorry about that :p

Say a few forum threads only saying 1 and 2 were safe and took it as a given. Was only trying to help, least it's cleared up now :)

 

[Marrsy86]

Sorry to bump the thread but I guessed it's better than making a new one.

The Supply Squadron on my base use these bottles on all the water coolers in the base and I have had a word with the quartermaster and he is happy for me to take a few empty ones.

They all have the number 7 in the triangle but after reading what you linked moley I think I will give them a bash.

Have you used them in the past ? Can you just attach the normal 5 gallon carboy rubber airlock to them or did you have to use something else to make the airlock ?

Cheers

Marrsy

 

[Moley]

Can you just attach the normal 5 gallon carboy rubber airlock to them or did you have to use something else to make the airlock ?

Carboy rubber tops would be ideal, but I just whittled bungs or cut holes, see photos half way down this topic.