HDPE Tanks

[AK_Dreams]

I was curious if any of the meaderies represented on this forum have used (or considered using) HDPE tanks. Such as the ones from Flex Tank USA or Snyder. It seems like they are gaining a larger share of the wine market, but I recognize that there are also concerns of bacterial contamination occuring in plastic when it becomes scratched. So is there anyone out there who is using these type of tanks for either fermentation or aging? Or did you consider using them, but decided against it? If so - please let me know.

Along the same line of thought - what cap management techniques do you use for larger batches? I'm wondering when you're making a 300 gallon batch of raspberry melomel if you have to use a punch down tank or if you just open up the hatch and manually stir it once a day or something like that.

Thanks!

Sarai

 

[Brad Dahlhofer]

We're using HDPE open head drums right now. Michael at Moonlight Meadery is using what I think are 60 gallon conicals made of HDPE. So is Michigan Meadery.

We're looking at 2500 gallon HDPE tanks right now, so yea. I guess we're pretty happy with the performance. As for scratches, not much touches the sides of our tanks, and we're very meticulous about cleaning. Never had a problem (knock on HDPE).

As for cap management, we just open up the tops and punch it down as often as we can.

 

[IanB]

I use them for bulk aging

Although we have a 1k gallon stainless tank for fermenting. We use HDPE for bulk aging. The ones we use have a 6" opening, and have a nice screw cap/top. And they have a galvanized cage that surrounds the hdpe plastic. A forklift could move it if required (very nice feature).

If you use steam to sanatize the inside of the tanks (like we do) and you use normal sanitizer like star-san you will not have a problem. I mean, Milk is sold in plastic instead of glass, and I think milk is way more sensitive than wine, so I don't have any problems with it.

The only issue with using hdpe as the primary is temperature control. It is difficult to control temperature with the use of hdpe, unless the tank is small enough that the environmental air can cool or heat the mead as required. (think about making mead in august in florida, you would need one HELL of an AC unit to keep 500+ gallons at the right temperature) Or you could get a cooling unit, and stainless steel jackated tank, and that would do the job MUCH better and be WAY more efficient.

So, only down-side I see is heat transfer and efficiency. Sanitizing is luckily not one of those two things.

 

[AK_Dreams]

Well I'm glad to hear that HDPE tanks are working out. I was going to ask about temperature control in my original post so thanks for the information about that too.

Is the ambient room temperature the main temperature concern or does the mead heat itself up during fermentation? Is there a certain batch size where keeping the mead cool becomes an issue? I'm hoping that being in Alaska will mean that we won't have to worry too much about that.

I noticed that some tank manufacturers have two thicknesses of HDPE. One for fermentation and one for maturation with different oxygen permeability rates. Is it advisable to have both types for mead and use them for their intended purposes? Or does one size fit all in this case?

Last question, do you need a floor drain in your meadery or have you found a way to handle the cleaning of your tanks without one? Here in Alaska we definitely can't use an outdoor water source year round.

Thanks!
Sarai

 

[elowe]

Regarding temperature control fermenting in HDPE; have you seen the plates that are sold for the non-jacketed variable capacity wine tanks? With a glycol system you can drop one or two of those through the lid, and you are home free. I'm definitely considering going this route for meads, vs. stainless tanks (mega $$$$$) after visiting a wine trade show and talking to a guy who sells nothing but plastic tanks.

Here's one link to the cooling plates I'm talking about..
http://wineryparts.com/index.php/equipment/temperature-amp-control/cooling-plates.html

Each 1* Brix drop will heat the fermentation by 2.3*F / 1.2*C. That heat has to go somewhere, and unfortunately plastic is a good insulator.

 

[mmclean]

...or you could just use a home made wort chiller.

 

[Brad Dahlhofer]

Is the ambient room temperature the main temperature concern or does the mead heat itself up during fermentation? Is there a certain batch size where keeping the mead cool becomes an issue?

Probably. But I don't know it. We fement at ambient temps of about 61F, and typically will get a rise of about 7 deg F in a single 45 gallon batch. Above that, I'm not sure. But I'm fixin' to find out myself.

I noticed that some tank manufacturers have two thicknesses of HDPE. One for fermentation and one for maturation with different oxygen permeability rates. Is it advisable to have both types for mead and use them for their intended purposes? Or does one size fit all in this case?

Depends on what you're trying to do, but I bet either would work for all purposes under the "right" circumstances.

Last question, do you need a floor drain in your meadery or have you found a way to handle the cleaning of your tanks without one?

We don't have a floor drain. Just a really good (though abused) mop.