HDPE Buckets for Storing

[derek.duf]

I purchased some of the Hudson Exchange HDPE buckets to store low wines in.  After a week of sitting, there is a yellow tinge to the low wines, when it was clear after distillation.  The proofs ranged from 150-120 in the buckets.  Was I wrong in assuming these buckets were adequate for temporary storage, or is maybe something else going on that caused the color change?

[Hudson bay distillers]

We're they stripped in a still with lots copper contact , it may be sulfur coming out of suspension 

[FijiSpirits]

I’ve stored in all sorts of buckets and hose containers for years. Not even all of them being food grade. I’ve  don’t have problems if the container was clean. 

 

There have ave been some I had that contained soap and even after incessant and meticulous washing it would throw soap smell into a spirit. 

 

So hdpe can hold odors and even colors but if they were clean and new to begin with it shouldn’t be a problem. 

 

My rule is “if after I clean it and rinse it really well, I can detect any odors, keep cleaning and rinsing or use another”

[MMDC]

Its not the buckets. yellow tinge could be caused by iron oxide in small amounts or you could be having evaporative loss concentrating non-alcohols in the product to the point that the color changes. your condenser may have welds that need to be re-passivated