Plastic vs. glass

[Paul]

I want to move up to doing 5-gal. batches. I find that 5-gal. containers used for water coolers are much cheaper and lighter than the glass containers available at wine making suppliers. Am I sacrificing anything by skipping glass for plastic?

[jlsherman55]

Im not sure,
I have heard that it risks Oxidization, but Their is always a way around things yuo could add sufites every Now, and then.

I have heard of people using them for over ten years with No problems, but I have also heard of people using them and having theri wine Oxidize.

I use them, but I haven't tasted My wine Matured the one I did taste unmatured It tasted the same way as the ones in PET bottles, and that also had alittle air space in it.

I usually have alot of my wine in PET (or PETE) bottles that Gatorade was stored in, and I have A dozen or so Demi's

[lockwood1956]

You are fine using food grade plastics to ferment in.....


not sure I would risk it for long term storage though.......

regards
Bob

[Paul]

long term?

Say six months and then breaking it up into one-gallon jugs and waiting a while before bottling. I tend to bottle more quickly than most folks because of limited storage space on my carboys.

Paul

[lockwood1956]

I'm not too sure i would go six months, there will be some micro oxidation through the plastic (so I'm led to believe) i have a couple of better bottles, im happy to use them to ferment but not to age.....but then im a little paranoid!!!!


regards
Bob

[Paul]

thanks

that's what I was looking for. I have a 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket with a tap. I was thinking after the must ferments to dry and you transfer out of the bucket, it might be easier and cheaper to use the plastic containers with the airlocks. I'm going to be in Charlotte, NC next Wed. and wanted to go buy the shop I've been order through online. Plus I can save the shipping costs! Yes, I'm a little bird --- cheep! cheep! cheep!

[muscadine]

I've used the 5gal plastic water cooler bottles for years with no noticible differences to glass. Correction, the big difference is the weight then ease of storage. As for oxidation, I never bulk age over 3-4 months so I haven't experienced any problems.

[Hippie]

I think that is the ticket to eliminating oxidation in the plastic carboys, short term. 3-4 months is short term. Long term bulk aging is a year or more, in my opinion. By the way, if you 'break it up into 1 gallon jugs', would it still be bulk aging?

[lockwood1956]

By the way, if you 'break it up into 1 gallon jugs', would it still be bulk aging?

If you stood the 1 gallon jugs close together I syuppose it would be....


lol

regardless
Bob

[Hippie]

OkieDokie then!

[heeby]

or opposed to ageing in bottles i use pete bottles for my turbocider and glass demi johns for wine
mark