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Author Topic: Plastic carboy  (Read 11689 times)

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #15 on: June 10, 2013, 05:47:59 pm »
My Speidel fermenters and Better Bottle plastic carboys all hold some of the odor from the previous brews, but soaking them in some cleaner (I uses Oxiclean) overnight usually gets rid of most if not all of the odor from the previous brew.  Even if there is some odor left from a previous brew, especially from hoppy beers, I don't get any carry over into the next beer.
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Offline euge

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #16 on: June 10, 2013, 05:53:20 pm »
You can do an overnight soak with bleach water, oxyclean solution or PBW and the smell will be gone.
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Offline aschecte

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #17 on: June 10, 2013, 07:38:57 pm »
the biggest downside to what your looking to buy is two thing #1 they are not scratch resistant do not I repeat do not use a carboy brush in this only soak with pbw or oxiclean trust me it will scratch if not the bristles the metal center if you rub to hard will mar the plastic and you can harbor bacteria. #2 the dry time you are not supposed to turn these upside down to dry as all that happens is condensation builds up and it takes forever. They recommend laying it on it's side to dry it taks me in a semi dry area 3-4 days before it's completely dry. Actually there is another downside they are flexible and if you try to pick one up the sides cave in and suck the airlock liquid into the beer/wort/must whatever so you are delegated to use a milk crate to move it around and yes this will scratch the outside of the carboy but that is less of a concern only cosmetics for this point. I use them for my dry hopping or fruit additions but besides that I prefer glass 99% of the time even though it's heavier and could break those cons do not out way the con's of a better bottle type style fermenter. but to each their own I know people who swear by them.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2013, 07:28:04 am »
I haven't had any issues with the BBs holding odors.  I typically give them a long soak after emptying them, though.

I think the concerns about scratches are overblown.  Yes, you need to be careful.  You can't scrub them like you would glass, but with a good long soak I've found this to be a non-issue.  Buckets and BBs are the same in this regard.  Good sanitation is important, but it is anyway.

After 20 years or so I've moved away from glass.  I don't find keeping fermenters in milk crates to be an issue, and I would recommend it with glass also so that you protect them from cracking accidentally.
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Offline bunderbunder

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2013, 09:23:51 am »
You can't scrub them like glass, but you don't really need to either. Gunk doesn't stick to them the same way.  Usually all it takes is a gallon of lukewarm water, a tablespoon of PBW, and some shaking.  If it's really gross then I'll stick a soft rag in there too, and with the rag they're always spick and span within a minute or so.

Soaking works too, but I prefer the shaking because a) I'd rather just get it done and b) I'm a teensy bit worried that excessive exposure to caustic chemicals would shorten the life of the plastic.

As far as relative merits, to me it comes down to this: Both kinds require lots of careful treatment. The difference is in why they do. With plastic, if you aren't careful you might need a new carboy.  With glass, if you aren't careful you might need a new carboy and a new hand or foot.

Offline denny

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2013, 09:58:40 am »
My buckets seem to always hold on to a little odor, but it never affects the next batch.
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Offline Jeff M

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #21 on: June 11, 2013, 10:43:12 am »
My buckets always seem to hold a little color no matter what i do to them. ive soaked them and lightly scrubbed them to no avail.  Better bottles do seem great but i enjoy a primary fermentor i can stick my arm in for cleaning and to grab anything i may have dropped in there(stir plate stirrer is the prime example)  I just bought a bunch of kegs that i will use as fermentors, cheaper then glass and much easier to maintain because they are stainless.  When in doubt, get stainless:D
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Offline euge

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #22 on: June 11, 2013, 12:46:16 pm »
When I want to give my buckets an extra special cleaning, sodium hydroxide (caustic lye) does the trick and they end up all white and sparkle nicely the next day.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline erockrph

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #23 on: June 11, 2013, 12:47:16 pm »
My buckets seem to always hold on to a little odor, but it never affects the next batch.

I've found the same. I figure if none of my cleaners can get the odor out, then the beer isn't very likely to do so either.
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Offline aschecte

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #24 on: June 11, 2013, 02:48:15 pm »
One more thing to add from my earlier post the one thing I must say is I use my Better bottles for dry hopping and fruit additions and I have NEVER had a residual smell or discoloration and if anything dry hopping and fruit would cause this....

Funny story I'll make it quick my 3 year old son thought it a good idea when I was not looking to drop a few pieces of a onion in my better bottle ...... I freaked out !!! I thought it was ruined as after I took the onions out it reeked of onion !!! I quickly threw pbw and water in there overnight drained it rinsed followed up with starsan really quick for a few minutes though I don't know if I even had to. guess what not a single odor from reeking to nothing so I'm surprised some posters have had this problem.

That's one benefit I will give to BB
don't worry I'll drink it !!

Offline rainmaker

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #25 on: June 12, 2013, 08:53:03 am »
I enjoy the BB, but also echo the semi annoying flexibility that can cause liquid from the airlock to be sucked in if you move them. 

I'll make that tradeoff for the durability though.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #26 on: June 12, 2013, 08:56:32 am »
I use buckets myself but I see a lot of folks bemoaning the sucking airlock. I just wanted to point out that if you use the 1 piece airlocks (S shaped ones) this is not a concern as it will just bubble backwards.
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Offline yso191

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #27 on: June 12, 2013, 10:26:07 am »
I have only used 6 gallon better bottles since I started brewing last Fall.  Cleaning is a pain, but I love the system I have for transferring to the keg with essentially no exposure to the air, and it's fairly quiescent too.

But after reading this thread, I decided to call More Beer.  I found out that a carboy cap that fits on my existing better bottles, also fits on the Speidel.  That being the key to my transfer process, I ordered.  Sounds like the best of both worlds.
Steve
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Offline joe_feist

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #28 on: June 12, 2013, 10:30:51 am »
I use buckets myself but I see a lot of folks bemoaning the sucking airlock. I just wanted to point out that if you use the 1 piece airlocks (S shaped ones) this is not a concern as it will just bubble backwards.

+1 to buckets and the S-shaped air locks. I've accumulated a little of everything over the years, but I like to try new things. I've migrated back to buckets (that handle just can't be beat) and the S-shape for reasons cited above.

The Speidel looks very interesting. I'm sure I won't be able to resist long and I'll ask Santa for one come Christmas.
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Offline Jeff M

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Re: Plastic carboy
« Reply #29 on: June 12, 2013, 10:35:43 am »
Hmm they dont mention if the Spiedels are made out of PET plastic.  Thats a concern
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