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[email protected] chrisorlando@cogeco.ca is offline
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Default Home made demijohns

On Sep 24, 3:16*am, Space_Cowby > wrote:
> I am going to try this, unless there is a reason not too.
>
> Get 1 large empty squash container from asda / tesco. The 5 litre ones
> with a handles.
>
> Using a wood / spade drill, drill a 25mm hole in the plastic lid. The
> bung will airlock will be a snug fit in the screw cap.
>
> There you go a free plastic demi john. Also square for better storage.


Plastics are generally not suitable for storing wine for more than the
short period of time that it takes to conduct primary alcoholic
fermentation.

Medium-to-long term storage/ageing should be done in glass/barrel/
stainless steel.

Plastics are porous, and they allow too much transfer between the
contents, the container, and the outside environment. Food-grade
plastics are fine for the 1-to-2 weeks it generally takes to undergo
the primary ferment, but beyond this plastic vessels should not be
used as they can contribute to off odours/flavours and spoilage.

I know of a local commercial winemaker that would use large plastic
containers that had been used to ship orange juice from Florida to
here (near Ottawa, ON), and after the primary fermentation he would
transfer the wines to glass/steel/barrel.


Cheers,
Chris.