how to make a DJ from a (office) watercooler bottle

[lampie]

I got hold of 3 watercooler bottles (18.9L / 5 gallon) and they can be made in a DJ very easy:



To get off the cap pull the little piece that is sticking out



pull it all off





when you have pulled it off then you should be left with



Now you can pull off the top



with a pen you can press out the stop very easy and you are left with a hole



I have some spare silicone plugs laying around



The rubber plug fits exactly into the hole



put your airlock in the hole



and you have one 18.9 / 5 gallon DJ

[ferg]

What's the pet number on the bottom though?? Your not supposed to put alcohol in contact with certain types of plastic. I was always under the impression that you couldn't use these bottles.. you know bpa etc

[Hop Bomb]

I made the most disgusting turbo cider in these years ago. I put it down to the plastic but it could have been the hooch.

[Ciderhead]

Ferg is absolutely correct.
Do not use these as fermenters that are made from branched polycarbonate and are not suitable for contact with any percentage of alcohol. 
They do however make excellent grain mill hoppers

[nigel_c]

+1 on the hoppers

[Eoin]

I've used these in the past, the big drawback with them is that when the are full and you rock them onto their edge the seam is prone to splitting so they are not very good long term.

I'm not sure about the numbers but I made at least one turbo cider in mine and I think I made a mead in another, can't remember now cos it's ages since I used them.

I think I remember they had a seven on the bottom of them.

[Ciderhead]

Check the bottom and recycling logo inside the triangle
Better Brew ones should have a 1 inside them unless they are multilayer or polycarbonate in which case they will have a 7.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Not the only way to lock out the nasties.

[beerfly]

balloons tend to deflate over time, not afraid they will fall in?

[lampie]

I just checked and its the recycle 7 sign at the bottom.

I have used them a few times before and did not have any nasty taste. Looked on my friend google and the numbers that are on the bottom say from what kind of plastic its made. The number 7 ones have a few different plastics combined.

I have 2 glass 25l dj`s and started to use them more. There is just the additional 5 liters that fit in

[Ciderhead]

I bet you get great fart noises from those balloons
I have silicone stoppers with a flap that don't make very ladylike noises when they blow off
http://www.homebrewing.org/Breathable-Silicone-Stopper-_p_3169.html

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

balloons tend to deflate over time, not afraid they will fall in?

They actually popped out. Fermentation gases would push them out.

Not the best way to do it. Hence the condom. It also doesn't matter whether the condom is out of date. And it is very amusing when they fully inflate.

The best solution though, is specially adapted Carboy plugs:
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/carboy-rubber-cap-with-vents-835-p.asp

I remember getting one from HBW that allowed a regular bubbler airlock to be adapted (its a bit differerent from the product shown there). They fit water dispensers.

However, they make a crap carboy, for chemical leaching reasons, and also because they are effectively single use as they are impossible to clean properly.

[Will_D]

Hence the condom. It also doesn't matter whether the condom is out of date. And it is very amusing when they fully inflate.

I find that for the fruit Lambics Cherry flavour is the way to go

[Eoin]

If you're using a balloon stick a few pinholes in it.

Sent from my HTC One

[DEMPSEY]

What brand of condom would you recommend  :