plastic off plastic?

originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
I''m actually serious, can anyone point me to anything written about plastic/fiberglass fermenters, or give me your thoughts? I know Hank is using some nifty plastic fermenters that are advertised to mimic the gentle oxidation of wood, but I haven't if they work.
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Today I woke thinking about fiberglass fermentation and aging vessels for some reason, and wound up here. I combed the internet for probably too long, referenced "The Dirty Guide to Wine", "Natural Wine for the People" and "Postmodern Winemaking" and came up with almost nothing of substance on the subject.

Has anyone here found good writing about fiberglass that they would be inclined to share, please? Or is this still just a widely used tank people only mention in passing?
 
originally posted by Steven Van Haren:
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
I''m actually serious, can anyone point me to anything written about plastic/fiberglass fermenters, or give me your thoughts? I know Hank is using some nifty plastic fermenters that are advertised to mimic the gentle oxidation of wood, but I haven't if they work.
Click to expand...

Today I woke thinking about fiberglass fermentation and aging vessels for some reason, and wound up here. I combed the internet for probably too long, referenced "The Dirty Guide to Wine", "Natural Wine for the People" and "Postmodern Winemaking" and came up with almost nothing of substance on the subject.

Has anyone here found good writing about fiberglass that they would be inclined to share, please? Or is this still just a widely used tank people only mention in passing?
Click to expand...
Are you looking for simple plusses/minuses or do you want writing from experience?
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Steven Van Haren:
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
I''m actually serious, can anyone point me to anything written about plastic/fiberglass fermenters, or give me your thoughts? I know Hank is using some nifty plastic fermenters that are advertised to mimic the gentle oxidation of wood, but I haven't if they work.
Click to expand...

Today I woke thinking about fiberglass fermentation and aging vessels for some reason, and wound up here. I combed the internet for probably too long, referenced "The Dirty Guide to Wine", "Natural Wine for the People" and "Postmodern Winemaking" and came up with almost nothing of substance on the subject.

Has anyone here found good writing about fiberglass that they would be inclined to share, please? Or is this still just a widely used tank people only mention in passing?
Click to expand...
Are you looking for simple plusses/minuses or do you want writing from experience?
Click to expand...

Preferably from experience.
 
originally posted by Steven Van Haren:
Preferably from experience.
Click to expand...
Alas, that is not something I can do. Perhaps some of the winemakers who lurk here will opine.

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The gist of the issue, as I understand it, is that fiberglass is porous so it has to be sealed. The various kinds of epoxy sealants, however, either degrade under fermentation stresses (=> alcohol, pH) or under cleaning regimens (=> react with chlorine). There is some mention of the narsty chemicals you might get in this lengthy, lengthy, lengthy discussion of wine faults.

A very on point article.

WBM has some goods but need a subscription, e.g.: one, two.

A tank maker who sells plastic but advises only steel for wine, maybe they'd answer questions?

A different supply house that says some small plastic bins can be used for fermentation.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Steven Van Haren:
Preferably from experience.
Click to expand...
Alas, that is not something I can do. Perhaps some of the winemakers who lurk here will opine.

--

The gist of the issue, as I understand it, is that fiberglass is porous so it has to be sealed. The various kinds of epoxy sealants, however, either degrade under fermentation stresses (=> alcohol, pH) or under cleaning regimens (=> react with chlorine). There is some mention of the narsty chemicals you might get in this lengthy, lengthy, lengthy discussion of wine faults.

A very on point article.

WBM has some goods but need a subscription, e.g.: one, two.

A tank maker who sells plastic but advises only steel for wine, maybe they'd answer questions?

A different supply house that says some small plastic bins can be used for fermentation.
Click to expand...

Wow, customer service award of the year. I know Frank Cornelissen uses them, and there's plenty of interviews in youtube and texts elsewhere that might contain a discussion of the pros and cons.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Steven Van Haren:
Preferably from experience.
Click to expand...
Alas, that is not something I can do. Perhaps some of the winemakers who lurk here will opine.

--

The gist of the issue, as I understand it, is that fiberglass is porous so it has to be sealed. The various kinds of epoxy sealants, however, either degrade under fermentation stresses (=> alcohol, pH) or under cleaning regimens (=> react with chlorine). There is some mention of the narsty chemicals you might get in this lengthy, lengthy, lengthy discussion of wine faults.

A very on point article.

WBM has some goods but need a subscription, e.g.: one, two.

A tank maker who sells plastic but advises only steel for wine, maybe they'd answer questions?

A different supply house that says some small plastic bins can be used for fermentation.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, Jeff.
 
Steven, you're welcome.

Oswaldo, you'd think so but proving it is not so easy. As I enjoy chasing rabbits I scanned and skimmed a number of sources and while there is much talk about fermentation almost nobody talks about fermentation tanks.
 
This thread is really funny and has aged well. I have always wondered why natural winemakers use so much plastic and do so much Cocaine.
 
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