TOPIC:

I've been using glass fermenters for a while now, but I still use my old plastic ones for holding water and such. My oldest plastic bucket is certainly a little brown looking at this stage.

That's a lesson for us all there. You've got me thinking about our fermenters. We use Ballygowan water cooler carboys, while they are relatively new to me god knows how long ballygowan have been recycling them.

I also use those cooler bottles for conditioning. I reckon they're fine, all they've held (until we get them) is water.

[quote:1pwmd2x7]Has anyone tried using a strong caustic solution and leaving it in the bucket for a few hours. Casutic generally kills everything including those foolish to abuse it. It also does a spanking job of cleaning corrosive safe equipment good enough for big pharma. [/quote:1pwmd2x7]I believe it's very effective but as you say it's not pleasant stuff to have splashing around. It'll need a damn good rinse too.

"sbillings":3git0a6f wrote: If a nasty is hiding in a crack or scratch in the surface it doesn't matter what you use to sanitise, because the sani can't get at it.[/quote:3git0a6f]

I agree, which is why I now use boiling water as my final no-rinse sanitisation which should kill any lurking nasties.

Although I use a plastic bucket as a primary <makes mental note to buy a new one before my first Essex brew>, I now use a corny as a secondary fermentor. As well as (hopefully) being easier to keep clean, it allows me to condition in the secondary and then transfer bright to a serving corny under pressure and without any exposure to oxygen. So far, it has worked well for me.

Cheers, Les

&amp;quot;sbillings&amp;quot;:4j09riev wrote: Won't be upgrading my fermentors, just replacing and learning from the experience. Don't get complacent. Keep an eye on the buggers.[/quote:4j09riev]

It's odd that you should have posted this article given that I've just made a big mistake here myself.

After my last brew, I stored my airlock, tubing, seals, hydrometer etc. in a fermenter filled with samitiser. For some unknown reason, I decided to chuck out the sanitiser and I didn't dry the stuff or seal the bucket.

I opened it up today and everything was growing some nasty looking black mold. Even with some vigorous cleaning and some bleach/vinegar application I can still see some of the mould.

Do ye reckon it's safest to chuck all the stuff out and buy some clean equipment or should I take the chance with my next brew?

I'm kicking myself bigtime here.

If the mould is as widespread as you suggested, I'd toss the affected stuff out because it would be very difficult to guarantee total eradication of the contamination.