fermenting in HDPE barrels

[needmorstuff]

I receive neutral in HDPE 200L barrels, is there anything wrong with re-purposing these as fermenters?

 

[Silk City Distillers]

No, just the usual stuff - Difficult to fill, drain, clean (assuming a closed top drum).  As long as you can control temperature externally, you’d be fine.  200l is still small enough that passive cooling is possible.

 

[needmorstuff]

6 hours ago, Silk City Distillers said:

No, just the usual stuff - Difficult to fill, drain, clean (assuming a closed top drum).  As long as you can control temperature externally, you’d be fine.  200l is still small enough that passive cooling is possible.

 

yeh, closed top, I was going to remove the inner of the top and leave 4 ridges so it an balance on top.

fill/drain/clean - should be ok with top removed but drain specifically might be more difficult - I will have a pump though.

I had planned on using a wort chiller coil and use an inkbird temp sensor rigged to either a solenoid to open mains water through - it fire up a pump,, if it got too hot. No plans to add heat, this is for wheat vodka and molasses rum wash's.

At least it's an option if i need to watch my cashflow in the short term.