Using plastic water dispenser bottles.

[Habel]

I have got a 5 gal plastic water dispenser bottle from work, its really thick sturdy bottle that get sent off and refilled with spring water all the time. It says imprinted on the bottle: "Bottle for water only, do not fill with other liquids." Is this just on there so no one else uses them for other reasons or is there a reason for this? I mean if its good enough to store spring water in and drink from surely its good enough for wine?

[fatbloke]

I have got a 5 gal plastic water dispenser bottle from work, its really thick sturdy bottle that get sent off and refilled with spring water all the time. It says imprinted on the bottle: "Bottle for water only, do not fill with other liquids." Is this just on there so no one else uses them for other reasons or is there a reason for this? I mean if its good enough to store spring water in and drink from surely its good enough for wine?

Ha ha! I get them through work as well i.e. one of our regular jobs is to take a lorry load for refilling. They let me have the "foreign" ones (left over from other companies - instead of them going in the skip).

The "only for water" thing, is to do with that they're generally made of polycarbonate, not P.E.T., which in theory, can retain odour/flavour.

I've got about half a dozen of the 19 litre ones (5 US gallons) and a couple of 12 litre ones. You either need to get some "carbouy" caps, which are rubber and stretch over the top, and they have a hole to take a bubbler valve, or I just use a stepped drill, take the top off the bottle, remove the "rip tape" section and tidy it up with a craft knife, then drill the centre out with the stepped drill, a little at a time until the hole is the same as the bottom of a normal rubber bung.

You just need to tidy the hole up with a craft knife so there's not plastic swarfs and then it's just a case of press fitting it back on the bottle and putting a bung/bubbler valve in to make the seal (yes you would need to keep the expanded polyethylene liner seal bit as it virtually guarantees a seal).

If you want, I can post some photo's of how I've achieve this.

I've used them a couple of times and they seem to wash out fine with no residual smell/taste/staining.

I'm not sure about long term ageing in them, as I understand that they are very slightly air permiable, but they do seem fine for the actually brewing/fermenting as far as I can see.

regards

JtFB

[Habel]

yer thanks for that adivce, i been tryin to get the fing i poked through the middle out so i could fit a small size (wine bottle) cork in it, but did not think of drilling it bigger for a proper cork!

I looked at the bottom of the container and found out its made of PC (polycarbonate) its the same material that makes bullet proof windows lol!

[cpfan]

Personally I do not like to use the ones available here in Canada. They are not designed to hold alcohol and the plastic may interact with the wine.

If you take one to a decent LHBS, you should be able to get a bung that will fit. The empty jug in my front hall takes a 9 1/2 bung nicely, a #10 was too big, #9 (don't have one) would probably be too small. I'm not sure how air-tight the fit would be. The jug has a snap cap. If I recall rightly, the screw cap jugs take a smaller bung (maybe a #9).

Steve

[fatbloke]

Personally I do not like to use the ones available here in Canada. They are not designed to hold alcohol and the plastic may interact with the wine.

If you take one to a decent LHBS, you should be able to get a bung that will fit. The empty jug in my front hall takes a 9 1/2 bung nicely, a #10 was too big, #9 (don't have one) would probably be too small. I'm not sure how air-tight the fit would be. The jug has a snap cap. If I recall rightly, the screw cap jugs take a smaller bung (maybe a #9).

Steve

The ones they use here now, seem to be similar to the ones used in the US Steve (12 and 19 litre being 3 and 5 US gallons - apparently).

When I first got one, I tried tracking down some proper corks - I got some but they weren't very good quality ones, and after drilling them for a bubbler valve, still had to use a fair amount of PTFE plumbers tape to achieve a seal - it's someone here who said about drilling the original plastic snap caps.

As long as you keep the expanded polyethylene foam cap insert they seal very well.

Interaction with the wine ? PC is inert but slightly air permiable, hence not using them for long term aging, but they seem fine for brewing/fermenting.

I haven't noticed any discernible odour/staining, after cleaning them. Plus the "only fill with water - no other liquid" is a bit of a scare, as it saves the bottling company loosing too many to home brewers etc - they charge a £6 deposit on each bottle you have (ha! but not mine they don't - they would have been "skipped").

regards

JtFB

[Rich]

it's someone here who said about drilling the original plastic snap caps.

I don't mind being just someone..

[fatbloke]

I don't mind being just someone..

More of a case, that I was damned if I could remember who it was that suggested it in the first place (but also too lazy/tired to search for the tip). I was pretty sure that it was here, but maybe not etc etc!

Plus I recall that I felt quite stupid when I saw how easy/straight forward it was and hadn't bothered to think about it myself!

It saves a mountain of hassle and means that I can ferment in larger batches without the expense of 5 gallon glass fermenters - Ha! at least I'm not short of glass for storage!

regards

JtFB

p.s. but I've got another excellent tip - always check that there's paper before you sit down

[Rich]

p.s. but I've got another excellent tip - always check that there's paper before you sit down

That's a good tip, and one I've failed to take note of before....

[Zebedee]

That brings to mind a bit of doggerel I found scrawled upon a cubicle wall…

In these great marble halls
Use the paper not the walls
If you find there is no paper
Use your finger as a scraper

[Habel]

thats gross lol!

[sb44]

More of a case, that I was damned if I could remember who it was that suggested it in the first place (but also too lazy/tired to search for the tip). I was pretty sure that it was here, but maybe not etc etc!

Plus I recall that I felt quite stupid when I saw how easy/straight forward it was and hadn't bothered to think about it myself!

It saves a mountain of hassle and means that I can ferment in larger batches without the expense of 5 gallon glass fermenters - Ha! at least I'm not short of glass for storage!

regards

JtFB

p.s. but I've got another excellent tip - always check that there's paper before you sit down

I posted this thread but I don't think it's the one you mean.

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2068

[fatbloke]

No, because Rich posted how he'd sorted the problem with the "snap top" type caps that are used for commercial bottled water cooler bottles i.e. the same ones I'd got.

If I remember to later on, I'll get a couple of the caps etc and post some pictures.

regards

JtFB

[Rich]

I've still got these pics of when I did it originally.

Hope that helps..

Rich

[fatbloke]

I've still got these pics of when I did it originally.

Hope that helps..

Rich

Which, I seem to recall, were the ones I used as a guide - I don't remember if it was you that suggested the use of a stepped drill Rich or whether it was just something I found in the FIL's tool box.

I might see if I can borrow it again, as I have to go and get the "shed roof repair kit" to patch some splits in the asphalt this arvo!

regards

JtFB

[rjb222]

So my question is do these leak around the seal that contacts the jug?