# Milk Jugs



## Old Tymer (Dec 17, 2008)

Does anyone know if milk jugs are food grade plastic? Can they be used for storing wine?


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## Wade E (Dec 17, 2008)

If they have a triangle with a #2 inside the triangle then they are but i still would not as they are pourous to an extent. Get your self some glass jugs. Buy a few bottles of Carlo Rossi and drink the wine and then use the glass or you can just go to your recycling center(transfer station) and grab some for free.


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## cpfan (Dec 17, 2008)

Old Tymer said:


> Does anyone know if milk jugs are food grade plastic? Can they be used for storing wine?


If they're not food grade why are they putting milk in them?????

I don't know how they react to alcohol. But I do know that some people use them, but I don't think for long storage.

Personally I wouldn't use them.

Got a new gallon glass jug recently for $5.50 (already had a spare bug & air lock).

As Wade suggested look for the gallon wine jugs. Although I read somewhere that they are now 3 litres in some places.

I've got an old GLASS gallon milk jug that I might use someday.

Steve


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## Wade E (Dec 17, 2008)

CP, have they cut down on size and still charge the same price? Seems to be the way everybody is doing things lately!


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## cpfan (Dec 18, 2008)

Wade E said:


> CP, have they cut down on size and still charge the same price? Seems to be the way everybody is doing things lately!


I'm not sure about pricing. There were some comments this summer that in some areas (states?) the bottles were 3 litres and in other places (3.78 or 4 litres - not sure which). Here in Ontario, the Carlo Rossi California White & Red are in the 3 litre size (according to the LCBO web-site).

Steve


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## oldwino (Dec 18, 2008)

I found out about plastics a couple of years ago when spraying chemicals. Different plastics for different things. The bottles may be good for milk but not alcohol.


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## arcticsid (Dec 23, 2008)

I posted a few weeks back Old with a similar question. Don't know how to link you back but if you use the search on this site and type in "plastic bottles" you should be able to see some of the great imput it generated. I have heard also that if it has a triangle with a "1" or "2" in it it should be okay, at least for the primary, but I took my "seriousness" to a new level and invested in glass. Just makes more sense and more assured of a good sanitation experience.
troy


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## xxplod (Jun 17, 2010)

3 litres here in tn also.


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## bigabyte (Jun 17, 2010)

Invest in the glass. Otherwise, you will probably just wind up buying all glass later on anyway (like I did). The glass is so much easier to clean, much more sanitary, and you don't have to worry about any leeching of plastic or oxygen.

BTW, the Carlos Rossi bottles here are 3-liter, and I have a few just in case. I bought 1-gallon and 4-Liter jugs at my LHBS at a reasonable price. Apparently I lucked into the 4-Liter jugs because they have not carried them since and every time I ask about them they tell me they have never carried them and I have to remind them I bought them from their store! You can find them on Cragslist fairly easily too.


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## arcticsid (Jun 17, 2010)

Bought a 4L carlo rossi just yesterday. They were all 4L's with the finger hole. $17.

So I figure if the jug is worth $4, the cost of the wine was then $13/5 bottles is about $2 something each.


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## non-grapenut (Jun 17, 2010)

#1, #2, #4 and #5 are considered 'safe' but so was smoking back in the old days...


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## arcticsid (Jun 17, 2010)

Thats why I only smoke the #3's


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## non-grapenut (Jun 18, 2010)

arcticsid said:


> Thats why I only smoke the #3's



Ha! What a hoot(er)!


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## arcticsid (Jun 18, 2010)

OWL second that!!!


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## deboardfam (Jun 22, 2010)

Before I had all of my nice glass 1 gallons.. i would buy the spring water in the hard clear plastic and use the bottle. Bung would fit right down in it. I cant really tell a diffrence.


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## FermentationNation (Jun 2, 2014)

Plastic milk jugs are fine just not for long term storage. If im giving a gallon of wine away as a gift i generally give it away in plastic milk jugs because like bottles those glass jugs will "be lost at the lake" or "thrown away by accident". I also use plastic Coca Cola bottles if someone just wants a bottle for tasting purposes.


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## Runningwolf (Jun 2, 2014)

FermentationNation said:


> Plastic milk jugs are fine just not for long term storage. If im giving a gallon of wine away as a gift i generally give it away in plastic milk jugs because like bottles those glass jugs will "be lost at the lake" or "thrown away by accident". I also use plastic Coca Cola bottles if someone just wants a bottle for tasting purposes.



I would never give anyone any of my wine in plastic unless it had turned to vinegar. I think a lot more of my wine then to see it in anything but glass.


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## sour_grapes (Jun 2, 2014)

Welcome, FermentationNation! Why don't you post a thread on the "Introductions" page:http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f21/


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## cpfan (Jun 2, 2014)

FermentationNation said:


> Plastic milk jugs are fine just not for long term storage. If im giving a gallon of wine away as a gift i generally give it away in plastic milk jugs because like bottles those glass jugs will "be lost at the lake" or "thrown away by accident". I also use plastic Coca Cola bottles if someone just wants a bottle for tasting purposes.


 
How well have you cleaned those milk jugs? It seems to me that they still smell a little milky when I have tried to clean one (NOT for wine).

If you MUST use something like this, why not get a gallon jug of water? At least you won't be fighting the milk smell/taste.

Steve


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## Runningwolf (Jun 2, 2014)

cpfan said:


> How well have you cleaned those milk jugs? It seems to me that they still smell a little milky when I have tried to clean one (NOT for wine).
> 
> If you MUST use something like this, why not get a gallon jug of water? At least you won't be fighting the milk smell/taste.
> 
> Steve



Hey Steve isn't there a rule you can only post once per thread? How could you forget you posted on this thread six years ago?


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## cpfan (Jun 2, 2014)

Runningwolf said:


> Hey Steve isn't there a rule you can only post once per thread? How could you forget you posted on this thread six years ago?


 And I figured somebody would comment on my use of the word "must". I even cap'd it.

Funny thing is I remembered the thread when I re-read it. Hard to believe it was that long ago.

Steve


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