Plastic Carboys

[Hippie]

Be sure to only use it after it has aged a while. It can contain lots and lots of tiny weed and grass seeds that horses can't digest, and your garden and landscaping will be taken over.

 

[MedPretzel]

Oh, I know about the weeds. It's really minimal, actually. But the rotted stuff is even better.

 

[Hippie]

The last I hauled back home wasn't minimally infected, for sure. I raised beggar lice and bermuda grass that summer!

 

[MedPretzel]

Rabbit manure is good too. Too bad I don't have time/room for them anymore.

 

[Hippie]

Rabbit manure is probably the best fertilizer for the garden. You can put the fresh pellets right up against tomatoes without burning them. The red worms love it, and if you have those, you have health. I miss my rabbits, but I just don't have a good quiet place for them to raise, and I don't want them for just pets, they are one of my favorite foods.

 

[RAMROD]

I'll bet you just lost points with MedPretzel

but I love them to, like em just as much a turtle!

 

[Maui Joe]

Cooked, or as a pet Ramrod?

 

[RAMROD]

Most definitely cooked!

My wife is Cajun (coon-ass) and with enough seasoning she can make those pop sickles Stinkie's dogs were eating taste good! ROFLMAO!

 

[Maui Joe]

I ate some "Cajun" cooked shrimp, etc. once. I really liked it. I don't know if it really was the authentic style or similiar since I have not eaten the "real Cajun food." But I found it spicy with mixed flavorswhich I can dig on! (I would probably like Poiwiththat as well too!)

 

[Hippie]

I had snapping turtle one time, it had dark meat and white meat. I like to put the rabbits in my Cookshack smoker after breaking the backs so that they lay almost flat belly down. Put em on 225 with a little apple or cherry or muscadine wood.

 

[Maui Joe]

Ah, smoked rabbit. We make alot of smoked sausage using meat from wild pigs, venison, beef, goats, etc. It seems whatever can be smoked is good stuff.

 

[Hippie]

In Hawaii,I am sure lots of 'good stuff' is smoked.

 

[Maui Joe]

Lots!

 

[OldWino1]

What a trail from plastic carboys to county livin to smoked rabbit.


Are the plastic carboys harder to keep clean and sterrile? I have only glass

 

[masta]

Yes it is funny how some topics go astray!

The plastic carboys clean and sanitize the same as glass.

 

[Maui Joe]

I have both, although I do feeler alot safer with plastic when cleaning...if you clean "right away," they are both good. I favor long aging in glass though.

 

[peterCooper]

MJ,

Why do you feel safer?
I know hauling a glass carboy is a bit of extra effort but I worry that it is
easier to scratch plastic which could harbor stuff.

I had a discussion months ago, I think with either Hippie or Masta, on using
empty 5 gallon water bottles and was told that was a bad idea because they
do allow some air in. The Better Bottles, I am sure are a totally different
quality though.

 

[Maui Joe]

My first choice would be to use glass...however there are times when the plastic ones are used, and not for long term aging.


I have not seen or read any scientific evidence to date, confirming that "plastic carboys" are permeable other than a bad seal at the cap or leakage at the air lock. I have filled and sealed a plastic carboy with water and left it in the corner for over six months and no evaporation was noted. And whether any "off tastes" would be noted would be another issue and one would have to compare a batch of the same wine in both glass and plastic carboys to determine that which I have not tested.


On the issue of "feeling safer" using plastic vs. glass, I meant in "respect" for weight and caution issues regarding breakage etc. Obviously, if the plastic carboy has gouges and scratches, on should discard the use for winemaking. In conclusion, I would prefer glass above anything else, but "new-free" plastic carboys when needed, are good back-ups for first racking needs.