Other PET Carboys

[horacegoeskiing]

Hi
I’ve been reading back through the forums on this excellent site and although quite a bit has been written on the PET and glass carboys in the past I was just wondering if those using PET carboys for wine kits have anything new to add in regard to my following question.
Which is…
I have been using PET Better Bottle 23 litre carboys over the glass ones in the UK simply because the glass carboys available here are all around 25ltr and this would mean quite a bit of topping off which I would like to avoid. So for last year I have been using the PET carboys and bottling the wine when the instructions indicate or as soon as the wine clears. However I have starting making high-end kits such as Eclipse and CC Showcase and would very much like to start bulk aging for 6 months using the PET carboys. Has anyone had any bad experiences doing this with the Better Bottles?
Thanks
Will

 

[GaDawg]

Has anyone had any bad experiences doing this with the Better Bottles?
Thanks
Will

I've been using B/B for over a year and have been ageing for 'bout 6 mo. in them without any trouble.

 

[Boatboy24]

I don't think you'll have any issues, unless you're doing something like coffee wine, or jalapeño wine. Those would have strong flavors that might stick around in the carboy for a while.

 

[horacegoeskiing]

Great! Thanks for both your advice on this.

 

[goldbrewer]

Great! Thanks for both your advice on this.

I use 6gal PET bottles for fermenting and I age in the bottle. I wouldn't bulk age in PET, but only because it would stick in the back of my head. I don't have any science on that decision.

Now I did research on bottle vs bulk aging and I found proponents on both sides. Maybe bulk aging is better because it facilitates mixing, oaking, and consistency in the final product. But bottling does the job for me and its easier to live with less carboys.

I recently tested a bottle from a CC Red Mountain Cab kit, and it was pretty darn good at 2 months.

 

[Boatboy24]

I recently tested a bottle from a CC Red Mountain Cab kit, and it was pretty darn good at 2 months.

You're in for a treat in another 16 months.

 

[jsiddall]

I recently tested a bottle from a CC Red Mountain Cab kit, and it was pretty darn good at 2 months.

Interesting. I found my RMC at 2 months to be undrinkable and only marginally better at 6 months!

Out of curiosity, did you do everything by the instructions, including adding the sorbate?

 

[Boatboy24]

Interesting. I found my RMC at 2 months to be undrinkable and only marginally better at 6 months!

Out of curiosity, did you do everything by the instructions, including adding the sorbate?

Mine was decent early on, but really needed time. It's almost 18 months now and is really coming around well.

It spent 8 weeks in a Vadai barrel (only the 2nd wine through that barrel) and got 4g of Tancor Grand Cru about 6 weeks before bottling. Bottled in June.