Lawrence Brewers Guild

I have access to two 55-gal #2 HDPE plastic barrels, and periodic access to more, if anyone's interested in a large fermenter (or for any other purpose). They contained windshield washer fluid - I think they could be easily cleaned and re-purposed.

Too bad they didn't have oil or salt in them before. Washer fluid seems risky to me. But what do I know.

I suppose you could always test one to find out....

Clean it, sanitize it, drain it, fill it with water and let sit for a while, then test the water for chemicals?

There are home water testing kits you can buy. Not sure there are any that'd test for the sort of chemicals we're talking about with windshield wiper fluid, but it's not like any of us have mass spectrometers lying around. Unless one of you do? (You never know with this bunch.) :)

All that said, yeah, I too would be more than a little nervous about using one of those.

Matt

What, you guys are afraid of a little methanol poisoning? Or cyanosis? Gee, picky bunch here. Our poisons are shipped in food-grade containers, though.

I certainly agree that they would need to be cleaned well; re-purposing would be a better option, I'm sure.

I've been looking for some to use as rain barrels.

I can bring them to the meeting Thursday if they'll fit in your vehicle. The outsides aren't overly clean at the moment.

Steve Brown wrote:I can bring them to the meeting Thursday if they'll fit in your vehicle. The outsides aren't overly clean at the moment.

I can barely fit myself in my little Samurai, but I have a luggage rack that fits on the receiver that will work. They don't have to be clean, they'll ride outside. Thanks!

Hey George,

I'll bring them if I can. Today, my boss said that there's a deposit on them and not to take them. I found that to be a change as they've been converted for other use in the past.

--Steve

Steve Brown wrote:there's a deposit on them

I don't mind paying for them.