Using 5 gallon water jug for carboy
- Thread starter Ikeya
- Start date
Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:
I'd like to know the answer to this question also.
Ray Stern Garden
Junior
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2018
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 5
Not my first choice but I have used them when all my glass carboys were filled. I still keep some in case I need them again.
The main problem with the ones I have is that they have a built in hollow handle. That makes them easy to carry but a real pain to clean.
If they are free and can be used once then cleaned as well as possible and returned for a fresh one, I'd go for it.
The main problem with the ones I have is that they have a built in hollow handle. That makes them easy to carry but a real pain to clean.
If they are free and can be used once then cleaned as well as possible and returned for a fresh one, I'd go for it.
Thank you. I will only use in a pinch.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 6,223
- Reaction score
- 11,441
The real problem with them, besides the hollow handle that can't be cleaned, is they are somewhat permeable to oxygen. Meaning bad things for your wine. The better bottle style plastic bottles do not have this problem, not the hollow handle. They are perfectly safe to use.
Funky Cold Medina
Junior
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
I've just made two batches of pineapple wine in them, worked well and I had no issues cleaning them. I used them as I have no choice during this damn lockdown, I can't get any other supplys.
Wiz
Senior Member
I live in Costa Rica and glass carboys are just not available. I have been using the plastic water carboys for over 10 years I use the water from these to make the wine and return for deposit those I used for last years wine. Never had a problem.
Ted Brumleve
Louisville
The plastic office water cooler jug serves one great purpose for me. Rack out of a glass carboy into it. Clean the glass carboy. Transfer right back into the freshly cleaned and sanitized glass carboy. Immediately clean out and sanitize the water cooler jug.
NorCal
Senior Member
I think they are a fine temporary vessel. As others have said, I'd be concerned about getting them really clean and oxygen permeation for longer term storage. See what they are made of.
The designed for wine plastic containers I use (Spiedel, Flextank) are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene). I've stored wine in there for a year, no problem The Brute cans I use for transfers and occasional ferments are LDPE (low density). I also have some Better Bottle plastic carboys made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate). I've only stored white wines/skeeter pee in the PET containers, which are only aged for 4 or 5 months and they have been fine.
I would trust the plastic water cooler jugs for a batch of skeeter pee, dragons blood, or a quick fruit wine, but I wouldn't try to make a nice red wine from grapes in them.
The designed for wine plastic containers I use (Spiedel, Flextank) are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene). I've stored wine in there for a year, no problem The Brute cans I use for transfers and occasional ferments are LDPE (low density). I also have some Better Bottle plastic carboys made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate). I've only stored white wines/skeeter pee in the PET containers, which are only aged for 4 or 5 months and they have been fine.
I would trust the plastic water cooler jugs for a batch of skeeter pee, dragons blood, or a quick fruit wine, but I wouldn't try to make a nice red wine from grapes in them.
