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Perhaps I already know the answer...

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  • Perhaps I already know the answer...

    Toying with an idea. We have 3 year old plastic fermenters, not ideal I know. I've performed ATP tests on any potential areas that would be more likely to harbor organisms, and post-CIP we are getting a zero reading on the meter, so I'm relatively confident in the sterile conditions of the tanks. We also have had no infection issues since I've been here the past year. Long story short, we have nice big manways up top, and these tanks would make top cropping really easy.

    All other negative things about plastic tanks aside, I figured I'd put my query out to you fine people and get some feedback. Prior to working with plastic tanks my inclination would be no, but the ATP testing has raised my confidence about the state of our fermenters, thinking top cropping could be a possibility now. Thoughts?

  • #2
    Most brewers don't like plastic because it's fragile in the sense that it's easy to damage the interior surface in a way to make it unusable. I think it's fantastic that you are ATP testing but the danger of plastic is that it scratches quite easily and you could swab a scratch, get a 0 and still have a problem. Nooks and cranies are where microbes live, not smooth surfaces that are easily cleaned. Secondly, plastic is a hard to work with because of its low thermal conductivity meaning managing fermentation temps is potentially problematic. Plastic fermenters aren't inherently a problem it's just better in my opinion to think of them as a means to an end and not a permanent addition to your cellar.

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    • #3
      Yeah, absolutely, I agree with all of that. Not my preferred material to be working with, but not my call. I used to work in a couple facilities that open fermented, and have produced clean ales as well as intentional sours, in environments that may give others pause. Knowing what is possible, I figured I would ask the internet for feedback. We actually maintain relatively consistent temps fermenting. The building temp is always kept around 65F, and we always knockout around 72F. We use ground water for out heat exchanger, so 72F is the only temp we can consistently hit between seasons. All these factors together make me feel like it might not be the worst idea. But to that point, I was open fermenting in stainless. The pores in the plastic to give me a little pause.

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