I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
like start. These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.

So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I currently have 5
gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. :-)

-so-

Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
plastic milk jug for this purpose?


I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
with a vapor lock.

Love to hear your thoughts...

Wayne Harris wrote:

> I have some wine "experiments" I have been
> thinking about and would
> like start. These are small 1 gallon batch
> jobs.
>
> So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I
> currently have 5 gallon carboys, but do not want
> to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
> small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys,
> but if i spend any more
> money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will
> kill me. :-)

Personally, I like 3 gallon experimental batches.

Make some slightly sweet strawberry wine for
wifey. Most women love the stuff and it is the
closest thing to liquid panty hose remover.


>
> -so-
>
> Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly
> cleaned and sanitized) plastic milk jug for this
> purpose?
>
>
> I believe i can make it air tight by drilling
> the lid and fitting it with a vapor lock.
>
> Love to hear your thoughts...

On a numbr of occassions, I have ventured into the organic foods store
nearby and purchased half gallon bottles of organic milk. The milk is
good for my coffee - and the half gallon jars are perfect for top-up
batches of wine, and for projects like yours.

Personally, I'd never trust my wines to some dispensable plastic containers.



On 2008-02-06 12:39:31 -0800, Wayne Harris > said:

> I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
> like start. These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.
>
> So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I currently have 5
> gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
> small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
> money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. :-)
>
> -so-
>
> Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
> plastic milk jug for this purpose?
>
>
> I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
> with a vapor lock.
>
> Love to hear your thoughts...

On Feb 6, 11:29 pm, AxisOfBeagles > wrote:
> On a numbr of occassions, I have ventured into the organic foods store
> nearby and purchased half gallon bottles of organic milk. The milk is
> good for my coffee - and the half gallon jars are perfect for top-up
> batches of wine, and for projects like yours.
>
> Personally, I'd never trust my wines to some dispensable plastic containers.
>
> On 2008-02-06 12:39:31 -0800, Wayne Harris > said:
>
> > I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
> > like start. These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.
>
> > So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I currently have 5
> > gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
> > small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
> > money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. :-)
>
> > -so-
>
> > Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
> > plastic milk jug for this purpose?
>
> > I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
> > with a vapor lock.
>
> > Love to hear your thoughts...

I'd have to weigh in with the writers thus far Wayne.

But I can offer a potentially very useful source of fermenters... Y
could do a lot worse than checking out Freecycle online. It is run
via yahoo groups (go to http://www.freecycle.org/ to find your
nearest group). Freecycle is a worldwide network where people give
you their unwanted old stuff and all that they ask in return is that
you collect it!

In a 4 month period I harvested over 2 DOZEN 1 gallon glass demijohns
from 6 different Freecylers! The great thing is that you are doing
them a favour by taking the stuff out of their way! The way it works
is that you join the yahoo group then offer almost anything you like
(non adult, non weapon, non alcohol, non living). You only have to
offer one thing then you can make requests. You can ask if anyone has
spare demijohns or just hunt around the posts to see if someone is
currently offering any. I was in a similar boat with my wife and she
was more than happy I was getting these things for free!

Good hunting, Jim

Wayne,

like the other responders I'm not fussy about the plastic jugs . They
would probably be OK for short term stuff (1 month?).

I just wanted to mention that you might be better off finding what
size of bung fits the plastic jug rather than fiddling with a hole in
the top. Although, tops are cheap (free) if the first try doesn't
work.

Unfortunately, I don't have a milk jug at hand (recycling was
yesterday - and we bought a carton this week). I would guess a #6.
So a #6 1/2 might work fine, but sit a little high.

Steve

On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:39:31 -0800 (PST), Wayne Harris
> wrote:

>I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
>like start. These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.
>
>So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I currently have 5
>gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
>small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
>money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. :-)
>
>-so-
>
>Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
>plastic milk jug for this purpose?
>
>
>I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
>with a vapor lock.
>
>Love to hear your thoughts...

On Feb 6, 9:23 pm, Steve > wrote:
> Wayne,
>
> like the other responders I'm not fussy about the plastic jugs . They
> would probably be OK for short term stuff (1 month?).
>
> I just wanted to mention that you might be better off finding what
> size of bung fits the plastic jug rather than fiddling with a hole in
> the top. Although, tops are cheap (free) if the first try doesn't
> work.
>
> Unfortunately, I don't have a milk jug at hand (recycling was
> yesterday - and we bought a carton this week). I would guess a #6.
> So a #6 1/2 might work fine, but sit a little high.
>
> Steve
>
> On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:39:31 -0800 (PST), Wayne Harris
>
> > wrote:
> >I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
> >like start. These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.
>
> >So i am thinking about the logistics of this. I currently have 5
> >gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
> >small batches.. I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
> >money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. :-)
>
> >-so-
>
> >Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
> >plastic milk jug for this purpose?
>
> >I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
> >with a vapor lock.
>
> >Love to hear your thoughts...

I would not do this because it usually only takes a few phone calls to
local restaurants to get all the 3 and 4 liter glass jugs you will
ever want. Once you find someone who uses them they are usually more
than happy to set them aside for you. Glass is just so easy to clean
and predictable.

Friday through the weekends they get pretty busy and the general
purpose red and white jug wines sold in restaurants and bars often
come in literal jugs rather than boxes around here.

Joe

On Feb 6, 4:39*pm, Wayne Harris > wrote:
> I have some wine "experiments" I have been thinking about and would
> like start. *These are small 1 gallon batch jobs.
>
> So i am thinking about the logistics of this. *I currently have 5
> gallon carboys, but do not want to dedicate a 5 gal carboy for these
> small batches.. *I could buy 1 gallon carboys, but if i spend any more
> money on this "wine thingy" I think my wife will kill me. * :-)
>
> -so-
>
> Is there any problem with using a (thoroghly cleaned and sanitized)
> plastic milk jug for this purpose?
>
> I believe i can make it air tight by drilling the lid and fitting it
> with a vapor lock.
>
> Love to hear your thoughts...

Check this out:
http://thesteveblog.blogspot.com/200...-on-cheap.html

You can get empty 1 gallon glass jars used for sacramental wine at a
Catholic Church if you ask them to hold on to the empty bottles; check
out the link though, it elaborates.