Posts: 1
Threads: 1
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
0
Hi all,
it seems like e-z caps are very good product, but there's one thing bothering me; once I was told that fermenting in plastic dishes could produce chemicals that could be dangerous (toxic). Is there anyone who know something more about this?
I was wondering if using a glass bottle with e-z caps would be OK as well ?
Cheers!
Posts: 253
Threads: 34
Joined: Jan 2010
Reputation:
0
The bottles recommended for the EZ Cap process are specifically engineered to be used for carbonated beverages, both alcoholic and not. There has been a lot of hype lately about the potential "dangers" of drinking from plastic containers, but I haven't seen any legitimate studies that show that drinking a beverage that stored in plastic is any more dangerous than any other kind of vessel. There has been similar hype over the years about copper and pvc pipes (where all your tap water goes through). Billions of these plastic containers have been used and never a single health problem proven to be linked to them. Similar stories have circulated about aluminum and steel cans, and probably every other type of manufactured container that has ever existed. Some people would have us believe that the only safe way to drink is to chisel glacier ice that was frozen before the industrial revolution, but then there would be another group who would claim we would be opening ourselves up to consuming microorganisms to which we have no immunity. The point is, any group with an agenda will find a danger if they look close and long enough.
Glass bottles could be used, however they would have to be engineered to withstand champagne pressures, and I haven't seen any with a 28mm threaded opening. But more importantly, I haven't seen any data that shows glass bottles are any safer than plastic ones. You could always accidentally drop and break a glass bottle and then cut yourself cleaning it up. Or maybe you'll miss a chunk and accidentally step on a tiny shard later with bare feet, and the glass could fester and cause a lethal blood infection. Risk is all relative and exists everywhere in life. Don't stress about plastic bottles.
Posts: 19
Threads: 2
Joined: Jan 2011
I worry more about eating at McDonalds that I do about drinking out of plastic. I pretty much agree with the above post.
"Drink and Be Merry - Death comes soon enough"
Posts: 2
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2011
Indeed, we're talking about FDA-approved Poly Ethylene Terphthalate (PET) here, not the nasty-tasting Poly Propylene (PP) that was used for all those horrible bicycle water bottles that made the water taste foul in an hour or two (funny how PP used for yoghurt cups and condiment bottles doesn't taint the product but the water bottles inflicted on children did...) Likewise, the High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) buckets used elsewhere for home-brewing is quite safe as the Poly Ethylenes are rather inert. BTW the plastic beer bottles are a PET Polyamide laminate that provides a better barrier to keep Oxygen out and carbonation in - if you are making beer, don't use plain PET bottles instead of proper beer bottles if you want any shelf-life.
