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110 gal plastic fermenters


jlevac

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Any issues with the 110gal plastic fermenters and contamination? Coming from the brew side, there has always been concerns about the cleaning of the plastic would create areas for bacteria to develop. Is this a concern in the distillation world?

thanks

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  • 1 month later...

I am a brewer with only some distillation experience but my 2 cents:

So much is made in brewing about infection, off flavors etc. Many of these things don't apply because unlike brewing the mash to distill turn around time is days not weeks and you don't drink the fermented product unlike beer etc. And bottling with an infection means bottle bombs. Major infections take time and really poor sanitation.

At some point stainless is the way to go. But considering how many ferment in open containers, microscopic scratches are the least of your worries. I think it will be a while before your plastic is past its life cycle.

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I am a brewer with only some distillation experience but my 2 cents:

So much is made in brewing about infection, off flavors etc. Many of these things don't apply because unlike brewing the mash to distill turn around time is days not weeks and you don't drink the fermented product unlike beer etc. And bottling with an infection means bottle bombs. Major infections take time and really poor sanitation.

At some point stainless is the way to go. But considering how many ferment in open containers, microscopic scratches are the least of your worries. I think it will be a while before your plastic is past its life cycle.

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I am a brewer with only some distillation experience but my 2 cents:

So much is made in brewing about infection, off flavors etc. Many of these things don't apply because unlike brewing the mash to distill turn around time is days not weeks and you don't drink the fermented product unlike beer etc. And bottling with an infection means bottle bombs. Major infections take time and really poor sanitation.

At some point stainless is the way to go. But considering how many ferment in open containers, microscopic scratches are the least of your worries. I think it will be a while before your plastic is past its life cycle.

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I use both stainless and plastic fermenters. The plastic are usually much cheaper.

If scratches in plastic could harbour infection, what about the damp wood in wooden fermenters?

Good steriliser should be all that is needed.

Those who went to Wild Turkey during the Louisville Conference may have noticed them steam sterilising the wooden fermenters

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  • 1 month later...

I've been using plastic drums, my first attempt was with WERIT 600 liter totes. The plunger type of valve would not allow the solids to flow out. Did not know this untill after buying 10 of them. So now I'm considering leasing 3 Stainless Totes, 350 gallons each, might even put a manyway at the bottom for shoveling out the corn.

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