Wine FV as conditioning vessels?

[Cheesey]

I've got several 25L wine FV with taps and screw tops that I could put a rubber bung into the top where the air lock goes, to use as conditioning barrels prior to bottling.

Will they be up to the job? (rubber bungs firing around the garage) or should I invest in some plastics casks?.


Many thanks


C

[6470zzy]

I don't see why they shouldn't do the job for you. How long are you going to be conditioning your beer for?

Cheers

[Fil]

i can see lots of problems.. they are not pressure vessels and you will need to strap any bungs down. especially at conditioning temps where less co2 will remain in solution and will just add to the pressure building up inside.

ive had a pressure barrel spring a micro leak below the liquid level,, the result is atomised beer spraying out.. and atomised beer is absorbed by any paper (books wallpaper) and fabrics (clothes,carpets n cutains) so if kept inside, Everything will stink of stale ale if a micro leak occurs..

[Cheesey]

Hmmm nice!

Many thanks for the advice, looks like I'll be adding 2 casks to the build.
Conditioning I guess would be at least 2 weeks before bottling? Could be more like 4.

I haven't got round to those questions yet !

C

[chris172]

Put an airlock in the bung to relieve the pressure.... keep them in the dark though as light can get through and if in there for some time might affect the contents.

[6470zzy]

Hmmm nice!

Many thanks for the advice, looks like I'll be adding 2 casks to the build.
Conditioning I guess would be at least 2 weeks before bottling? Could be more like 4.

I haven't got round to those questions yet !

C

Is your intent to use these vessels to carbonate the beer or just hold it prior to bottling? If they are just holding tanks then they would not need to be be capable of holding pressure.

Cheers

[Cheesey]

Many thanks to all. Ok my intension is to mature the prior to bottling and I had assumed (wrongly it seems!) that it needs to be done under pressure to aid the conditioning .