Homebrewing Cider....

Factual Questions
1

I have a question about Homebrewing Cider.

I know all the specifics, I have many friends that have done it.

I only have one real question… is it possible to use a plastic container for the fermenting process?

See, at Walmart they are selling these kits “Make your own crappy beer”, etc. and they are using plastic fermentation jugs. I am very interested in doing this, but don’t really have a place to keep a 5 gallon glass bottle.

So could I use several small 1 gallon plastic jugs?

Or even one large plastic jug?

Thanks all!

2

Don’t you watch movies?
“Plastic is not an oxygen barrier!”
If oxygen can get in, you can grow the wrong stuff.

3

Hmmm…

I know they make and sell “food grade” plastics. Mayhaps something of that nature? Big food barrels?

Man…

4

I ferment wine is a 5 gallon pail, with an air-tight lid and a fermentation lock. It comes out fine.

Now it is a pail sold in a brewing supply store specifically for fermenting in, but it’s not that special of a material. Close to the 5 gallon pails that restaurants get pickles in.

The biggest concern we have is: after a bit of use, the interior gets kind of scratched up, which makes it hard to sanitize it between usage.

5

I’m a homebrewer of beer and often use the plastic 5 gallon buckets for primary fermentation (glass carboys for secondary) .

I don’t recall the length of time needed for full fermentation of cider. If it’s relatively short (say, a couple of weeks) then I think plastic is OK.

Much beyond that, and the oxygen flow thru will become a problem.

You’re not really going to be able to use “several jugs”…you generally do your fermentation in one container.

6

Last year, I made 5 gallons of the stuff. I started in a glass carboy, and it was hard to keep the airlock in, due to foaming and the tapered top of the carboy. Seems to me it would have been much easier in a larger, wider-topped container like the bucket. The upshot of this is that if you try to do 5 gallons in 5 one gallon jugs, you will have 5 messes (at least until primary ferment is over).

7

Oh, and for this year’s wine, beer, and mead: it all started in a 6 gallon bucket. Much better.

8

Tristan, what are the specifics?

I use the 1st-ferment-in-bucket/2nd-ferment-in-carboy method. (I just bottled up some excellent elderberry port!)

But I’ve never tried cider, or apple wine. Any tips?

To the OP, I’ve used plastic; works fine. As long as it’s food-grade type stuff, no problem. If your “crappy beer fermentation jug” can be closed with a small airlock, it makes a fine 2nd fermenter.

Any plastic bucket can be used for the 1st fermenter, including plastic wastebaskets (New, of course). Just leave room for some foaming up and cover with plasic wrap. When it stops foaming, siphon it into the jug.

9

I brew beer and mead in plastic containers.

Plastic is fine. It is better than glass because it is lighter, tougher and keeps out the light. So I reckon use one of those crappy Walmat brewers.

After doing the primary fermentation in plastic, I bottle into PET containers and the stuff is great.

btw home brew is better than most off the shelf products.