Carboys alternatives

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deesloop

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I wondered if I might use the 5l water containers as carboys rather than the ones brew shops sell?
Have a local supermarket that sells them as getting deliveries here in the North of Scotland is real game of chance with extortionate rates more often than not

Something like this?
 
If it's a PET bottle, it should be fine, but flimsy. I have used both the 4 gallon type sold here with spring water and soda/juice bottles as fermenters before. I tend to toss them after use, as what I have been putting in them is very fragrant, and the bottles very flimsy and flexible. They also might not clean very well. The "Better Bottle" carboys are PET, so type of plastic is fine, as is polypropylene. That isn't as transparent though. Now that I have collected enough glass, I am not using them as much, but plenty of people do. I know people who also use other types of thicker sturdy plastic refillable water jugs without problems, but I don't like that most have handles where sludge can gather.
 
as like franc1969, when i started,,, I used the 5 gallon water bottles that they use in water stands to get a drink, which was not as well made as pet. getting started can get expensive. even during that time, I even bulked aged in them, so when you have to, you can get by in many ways, but keeping an eye out on improving your equipment slowly over time, best of luck,,,
Dawg
 
PET is the commercial standard plastic. It has excellent resistance to oxygen transmission.
I would enlarge the choice to say that for the first month you are out gassing CO2 so any food grade bottle will work. For clean wine where you have no lees and no CO2 left storage in a metalized bag in box or an EVOH bag work.
I have used polyethylene however the material has a low oxygen transmission (like micro oxygenation) and will produce a sherry like flavor.
 
PET is the commercial standard plastic. It has excellent resistance to oxygen transmission.
I would enlarge the choice to say that for the first month you are out gassing CO2 so any food grade bottle will work. For clean wine where you have no lees and no CO2 left storage in a metalized bag in box or an EVOH bag work.
I have used polyethylene however the material has a low oxygen transmission (like micro oxygenation) and will produce a sherry like flavor.
I guess I'll have to buy me some sherry, all my life I've heard of it,, both in cooking and in sipping, yet it is one of the few types I've never tasted, I recon the best drink I've ever had,, has been some very vintage cognac , the right ones are like drinking in heaven, sherry huh?, why not..
Dawg
 
But don't forget that water generally will have a pH of close to 7.0 Most wines have a pH closer to 3.2. Water is a good solvent but nothing like the solvent power that alcohol has and if your wines are at say 12% ABV then in every gallon of liquid you have 1 pint (.5 L) of almost 100 % pure alcohol. In other words, plastic designed to store water may be wonderful for water storage but it may be rather more unstable when it comes to storing solvents of high acidity alcohols. PET is OK but other plastics may leach chemicals and some of those chemicals may be toxic.
 
I guess I'll have to buy me some sherry, all my life I've heard of it,, both in cooking and in sipping, yet it is one of the few types I've never tasted, I recon the best drink I've ever had,, has been some very vintage cognac , the right ones are like drinking in heaven, sherry huh?, why not..
Dawg

Cream Sherry over Thick Rich French Vanilla Ice Cream is just about the best dessert I have ever had. Almost makes me diabetic just thinking about it though.
 
Cream Sherry over Thick Rich French Vanilla Ice Cream is just about the best dessert I have ever had. Almost makes me diabetic just thinking about it though.
thanks, I am diabetic and that sounds so good, that's exactly what i am going to try, I love a good French vanilla ice cream, so I'll be checking to see where i can get a cream sherry,,, I'll more then likely have to go toward a city, Little Rock, AR. 150 mile one way, Memphis Tn. 145 mile one way, that's why I have to order all my wine supplies and bottles online,, ,lol ,,,
Dawg
 
thanks, I am diabetic and that sounds so good, that's exactly what i am going to try, I love a good French vanilla ice cream, so I'll be checking to see where i can get a cream sherry,,, I'll more then likely have to go toward a city, Little Rock, AR. 150 mile one way, Memphis Tn. 145 mile one way, that's why I have to order all my wine supplies and bottles online,, ,lol ,,,
Dawg

Stone Hill Winery will ship to Arkansas. Might save you a trip somewhere. They do make some sugary sweet stuff you might like to combine with it.
 
Stone Hill Winery will ship to Arkansas. Might save you a trip somewhere. They do make some sugary sweet stuff you might like to combine with it.
they wont ship to Arkansas, i just added 2 bottles to my cart and it said cannot be shipped to Arkansas,,, I'LL have my brother bring me a bottle at thanksgiving, he lives in Kansas city, Mo. my county just got a soft liquor license, no spirts, and i reckon no wine, just beer in Lawrence county Arkansas,
Dawg
 

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