Hey quick question... we have 3-5 of those 5 gallon water jugs that we go through every month at my office. The ones that go upside down on the water dispenser... they seem like a very inexpensive carboy... And im not really all that concerned with cleaning them because every time I rack into a secondary I'll just use a new one and throw it out when its done. We go through one of these things every week at least... So I have a ready supply. Will this work?
Disposable Carboys
- Thread starter dukesbb37
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They are pretty porous and will let in oxygen, which you don't want. They may also cause an off taste, if utilized long enough.
They look the same as a good, plastic Better Bottle, but they are not at all the same.
If you are going to make wine, invest in a couple of nice glass carboys. They will last years.
They look the same as a good, plastic Better Bottle, but they are not at all the same.
If you are going to make wine, invest in a couple of nice glass carboys. They will last years.
Charlietuna
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There are many arguements against the plastic water jugs. But, there are some for them too. I posted a similar question & have done a little research.
Some say: Don't use them for more than a month. Others say don't use them at all. One member posted that he lived in a country that glass carboys were not available & he had always used plastic with no issues.
If you do some searching on the triangle number on plastics you'll find some descriptions. The one I find interesting is the #1. Better bottles are #1 plastic.
Everyone is boasting about the "better bottle" I don't quite understand this because they are not much cheaper than glass & you can not vacuum these bottles. In some senarios glass is cheaper. Some arguments for the better bottle are they are lighter & don't break. And, for some this may be worthy of discussion, but for me it's not. I can pick up a full glass carboy & i'm carefull enough not to break one (yet).
Secondly, the better bottle is a number 1 plastic. But, Glacier Mountain water bottles(mostly) are also number 1 plastic. And, I have found absolutely no information that shows how a better bottle #1 is different than any other #1 plastic. (I will not get offended if someone proves me wrong) maybe I just didn't do enough searching.
At this early time in my wine making, I prefer glass mainly due to visability of the wine & ability to vacuum. But, if all you have is a plastic water jug & want to use it, I don't think it will hurt (as long as you use a safer #, especially a #1). But, hey, I'm just a newbie.
My thoughts,
Brian
Some say: Don't use them for more than a month. Others say don't use them at all. One member posted that he lived in a country that glass carboys were not available & he had always used plastic with no issues.
If you do some searching on the triangle number on plastics you'll find some descriptions. The one I find interesting is the #1. Better bottles are #1 plastic.
Everyone is boasting about the "better bottle" I don't quite understand this because they are not much cheaper than glass & you can not vacuum these bottles. In some senarios glass is cheaper. Some arguments for the better bottle are they are lighter & don't break. And, for some this may be worthy of discussion, but for me it's not. I can pick up a full glass carboy & i'm carefull enough not to break one (yet).
Secondly, the better bottle is a number 1 plastic. But, Glacier Mountain water bottles(mostly) are also number 1 plastic. And, I have found absolutely no information that shows how a better bottle #1 is different than any other #1 plastic. (I will not get offended if someone proves me wrong) maybe I just didn't do enough searching.
At this early time in my wine making, I prefer glass mainly due to visability of the wine & ability to vacuum. But, if all you have is a plastic water jug & want to use it, I don't think it will hurt (as long as you use a safer #, especially a #1). But, hey, I'm just a newbie.
My thoughts,
Brian
Last edited:
Charlietuna
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thought I'd post this
1 is for PET or PETE – polyethylene terephalate, commonly known as polyester. Despite the name, this plastic is not polyethylene, or related to polyethylene. This is the plastic used in soft drink bottles.
2 is for HDPE - high density polyethylene. This is one of the most common plastics, along with its cousin, low density polyethylene. HDPE is used in milk bottles.
3 is for PVC – polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as vinyl. This is used in some juice bottles and in PVC water pipe. Some of us use PVC pipe in our mash tun manifolds, and most use plasticized PVC tubing for siphon hoses and beer dispensing lines.
4 is for LDPE – low density polyethylene. This is commonly used in plastic sandwich bags, trash bags and plastic shopping bags.
5 is for PP – polypropylene. Commonly used in dairy product containers like yoghurt and cottage cheese containers. Also often used in the inner liners of the coolers we use for mash tuns.
6 is for PS – polystyrene. Commonly used in foam coffee cups and fast food containers.
7 is for “other plastics” most commonly ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PC (polycarbonate), but any other recyclable plastic not in classes 1 through 6 could be labeled with 7. So, don’t assume that 7 automatically implies polycarbonate.
1 is for PET or PETE – polyethylene terephalate, commonly known as polyester. Despite the name, this plastic is not polyethylene, or related to polyethylene. This is the plastic used in soft drink bottles.
2 is for HDPE - high density polyethylene. This is one of the most common plastics, along with its cousin, low density polyethylene. HDPE is used in milk bottles.
3 is for PVC – polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as vinyl. This is used in some juice bottles and in PVC water pipe. Some of us use PVC pipe in our mash tun manifolds, and most use plasticized PVC tubing for siphon hoses and beer dispensing lines.
4 is for LDPE – low density polyethylene. This is commonly used in plastic sandwich bags, trash bags and plastic shopping bags.
5 is for PP – polypropylene. Commonly used in dairy product containers like yoghurt and cottage cheese containers. Also often used in the inner liners of the coolers we use for mash tuns.
6 is for PS – polystyrene. Commonly used in foam coffee cups and fast food containers.
7 is for “other plastics” most commonly ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PC (polycarbonate), but any other recyclable plastic not in classes 1 through 6 could be labeled with 7. So, don’t assume that 7 automatically implies polycarbonate.
Repsolal
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I have glass, plastic, BB and a water bottle and have had no problems using
the water bottle......... I only age in the glass ones, but prefer using the
plastic ones for wines that will be bottled in 6 wks or so, such as Orchard breezin etc....
the water bottle......... I only age in the glass ones, but prefer using the
plastic ones for wines that will be bottled in 6 wks or so, such as Orchard breezin etc....
