Muse on milk jugs (and other animals) as demi-johns.

[SiSandrine]

People aren't probably going to like this but I use supermarket milk jugs for these sort of purposes. My reasoning is that they are food grade HDPE, come in several different sizes (from 1 to 6 pints) and whilst I don't use them for long term storage of wine (HDPE is ultimately slightly porous), for fairly quick to be ready brews or topping up at first racking they seem to work fine. I sterilize like crazy first though.
I reverted to this after searching for glass bottles of different sizes (asking at chemists etc) to no avail. I found in my local brew shop some white rubber bungs which wedge perfectly into the tops with the lids off and then take a normal airlock. I tried using the lids, burning a normal bung sized hole in but they just didn't become airtight.

I guess you could also use the clear plastic bottles which fruit squash comes in. They come in various sizes from 1 to 5 litres (sorry to switch measurements). The 5 litre ones which contain water are more or less identical to the plastic DJs that home brew shops sell.

Best of all is 1/2 gallon demi john. Blinking difficult to find though so far in my collection I have none.

Any up to date tips on this?

[goldseal]

I use supermarket 5 litre water containers as fermenters. I drill the lids to take an airlock grommet. The bonus is that you get 5 litres of free water with each one

One advantage is, when racking to glass DJs (for storage, clearing etc), no topup is generally required because the DJs are a bit smaller.

I use water cooler bottles (17.5 - 18.5 litres) as fermenters and for short-medium term storage. The ones I have will take a Better Bottle bung (#10?), and I have some water cooler bottle blue caps, bored out to take bungs.

For smaller volumes I tend to use screwtop wine bottles, with the tops drilled to take airlock grommets. i even have a couple of 500ml plastic pop bottles drilled in the same way.

Westons sell some of their cider in 2 litre flagons, which are basically mini DJs. I haven't experimented yet, but I'm sure the lids can be drilled to take airlock grommets, or a bung can be found which will fit.

jtfb has many, many 1/2 gal DJs, and I'm sure he's somewhere in your part of the country. I have a few, and I find them very useful.

[ms67]

i keep forgetting about using the 5 litre water bottles and this is a great time to be reminded of them ... i think i need another 5-10 DJ's! the only downside with them - as i see it - is how they distort when you pick up a full one, potentially sucking back airlock fluid and the odd fly, into your wine. i reckon i'll get myself some very soon tho, use them as secondary fermenters and rack into glass DJ's for clearing, stabilising and aging. big cheers for the reminder.

by the way do you use the spring water they contain for brewing with? if so what does it it add or otherwise affect the brew? and again if so then what "brand" of spring water is best for what wine? and do you boil it or just sulphite?

[NorthernWiner]

I don't know if they sell it over there, but all my single gallon containers originally came full of Carlo Rossi wine. Cheap "jug wine" (literally) but you get a free glass container.

[lockwood1956]

Not available here unfortunately....

[Paulwales]

I was told on this forum a while back that milk bottles make good containers for overuns.... as luck would have it, this week I found 6 of the 1960/70 type taller bottles in the recycling depot while scavaging for DJ/beer/wine bottles
Also Westons do a 2lt still cider flagen, and the cider tastes OK (7.5%) for under £4 in Morrisons I think rubber airlock grommets for stainght to the bottle

[SiSandrine]

Thanks guys. I have seen the Westons bottles - the necks looked pretty narrow, though must admit I didn't look too closely.

The 5 litre plastic to 1 gallon glass technique is a good one. Pete - when drilling the plastic lids how do you get them airtight. Can you buy the rubber grommets that come with the plastic 1GDJs or do you drill them to take a cork (which I tried with limited success).

Cheers

[goldseal]

I have a device for my electric drill, called a step-drill (or step-cutter). It's a cone-shaped thing, which basically allows you to drill a range of hole sizes at 2mm diameter intervals.

Karl sells airlock grommets at www.hobbywinesupplies.co.uk. If you have a choice, go for the softer, red grommets, rather than the harder, black ones. They are easier to fit and form a better seal.

The step-drill will cost a few quid from your local DIY, and of course you need an electric drill to use it (unless you chuck a load of lids into a Jiffy Bag and post them to me ). The best method is to screw the lid onto the container, then drill it - it makes things more stable and you are less likely to drill through a finger.

The next time I buy a water bottle I'll try to remember to take some photos and post something up in the tutorials section.

[lockwood1956]

The next time I buy a water bottle I'll try to remember to take some photos and post something up in the tutorials section.

Top Banana

[ukric]

For the Westons DJs.
Take a standard airlock, cut some plastic tubing to the length of the stalk and slip over the talk.
Then slide one of these http://www.acsbarware.co.uk/finned-r...f-20-212-p.asp over the bubbler stalk.

They will then fit perfectly