Plastic Leaching?

[tbayav8er]

Hi Everyone,

I recently did a VR Mezza Luna red. It basically came out tasting awful. It doesn't smell bad, it tastes ok on the initial sip, but leaves a really chemical/medicinal after-taste. Being unhappy with this, I took a couple bottles to my LHBS, they agreed and gave me a new kit (this time VR Cab Sauv).

One of the guys working at the LHBS said it might have been "plastic leaching". My primaries aren't scratched to heck at all. There are some very fine hairline scratches from my plastic spoon, but that's about it. He told me to be careful about the water temperature I use with my PBW while cleaning, and that anything over 52 degrees C can damage the protective layer of the plastic and result in plastic leaching. These are food grade primary buckets BTW that I bought from my LHBS. I have also done a number of other kits recently in those primaries, with no problems. So, I tested my hot water at home, and my hot water (closest to the water heater) is about 57 degrees. I personally think this theory is BS.

Thoughts?

 

[Double Daylo]

I can't comment on the temperature theory but I would watch those scratches. Scratches can lead to bacteria getting in there which could contaminate wine. We had this happen to us. Threw away both of our plastic fermentation buckets and upgraded to Stainless steel. Far happier with the stainless.

 

[tbayav8er]

Stainless is a good idea. Do you just use a loss fitting lid on the stainless fermenter? How big is your stainless fermenter? I imagine an 8 gallon stainless steel kettle (like people use for making beer) would work well?

 

[Double Daylo]

This is the one I bought. We own two of these now and use a heater wrap with a thermostat to heat the container to proper temperature for fermentation. Works great and keeps the temps right on where it needs to be. Comes with lid.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VXD94A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

They sell a variety of sizes as well. We bought the 62 quart one.

 

[Johnd]

I put 140 degree water in mine every time I start a kit, never had any issues at all. Assuming yours is food grade, etc., it was possibly something in the process, or the kit itself.

Can't comment on whether or not it's BS, but all three of mine perform fine after more harsh temps than yours..........

 

[tbayav8er]

That's what I'm thinking, John.

As for the stainless fermenter, that looks great! Currently a little out of my price range for wine making equipment, but maybe down the road!

 

[ericcif]

No expert but I use hot water with PBW and have for years without issue. Thinking that theory is a bit of a stretch.

 

[sour_grapes]

Hi Everyone,

I recently did a VR Mezza Luna red. It basically came out tasting awful. It doesn't smell bad, it tastes ok on the initial sip, but leaves a really chemical/medicinal after-taste.

That is basically how I would describe my experience with VR Mezza Luna Red....

 

[Johnd]

Hi Everyone,

I recently did a VR Mezza Luna red. It basically came out tasting awful. It doesn't smell bad, it tastes ok on the initial sip, but leaves a really chemical/medicinal after-taste. Being unhappy with this, I took a couple bottles to my LHBS, they agreed and gave me a new kit (this time VR Cab Sauv).

One of the guys working at the LHBS said it might have been "plastic leaching". My primaries aren't scratched to heck at all. There are some very fine hairline scratches from my plastic spoon, but that's about it. He told me to be careful about the water temperature I use with my PBW while cleaning, and that anything over 52 degrees C can damage the protective layer of the plastic and result in plastic leaching. These are food grade primary buckets BTW that I bought from my LHBS. I have also done a number of other kits recently in those primaries, with no problems. So, I tested my hot water at home, and my hot water (closest to the water heater) is about 57 degrees. I personally think this theory is BS.

Thoughts?

So this deal with plastic leaching at high temperatures has kind of been a splinter in my mind since reading the OP, I did a little research and here's what I found. Check yours, but my Primaries are made of food grade HDPE, this is a quote from the website of a HDPE bucket manufacturer:

"HDPE or High Density Poly Ethelene plastic has an amazing temperature range, and is considered safe for short periods up to 248°F (120°C) or for long periods up to 230°F (110°C.) Since boiling water never gets above 100°C, this means that anything boiling and below is safe for a food grade bucket"

That seals the deal for me, your wine wasn't leached by your bucket, and based on Paul's experience, sounds like you did good getting a different wine.

Unless I'm totally missing the boat here, boil on friends!!!!!!!!!

 

[tbayav8er]

That is basically how I would describe my experience with VR Mezza Luna Red....

Yes, I personally just think it was a bad kit. It's not oxidized, and it's perfectly clear with a nice red colour. So I don't think it's infected. I'm very careful with my sanitation practices, etc. so I'm pretty sure it's not something that I did, but who knows. At least I got to get a new VR kit. As much as I hate pouring wine down the drain, this wine isn't even good enough for cooking with.

 

[jswordy]

As they used to offer buy one get one free quite a bit, I've made this kit several times, using my old scratched-up primary, as usual. It came out tasting fine. It needs added tannin and acid to be a robust wine, though.

I've made the Mezza Luna white using 4 year old kits and my scratched-up primary. Came out fine, but I like the red better. The white is flabby and it really can't be bench-worked out of it. The last of it, I blended muscadines in with it on the ferment. http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49482

My question is, how recently? If you've bottled it, let it sit around a year. What will that hurt? You may be surprised what time can do!

 

[terrymck]

My question also. How long has it been in the bottle? I have, on a couple of occasions, had a taste that I called kit taste. I have long heard about kit taste but had never experienced it myself. This particular sensation I described as "plastic pipe". It had the same profile as the tube used for racking. For those wines, time in the bottle fixed the problem.