I used to use trash cans for fermenting wine like 20 years ago. Would add fruit, sugar, water, yeast, and other ingredients, put on the lid and stir it 4-5 times a day for a week or so. Then transfer to plastic buckets for 2ndary. Never lost a batch to infection, which was amazing because I had hordes of fruit flies in the house while fermenting.
I have some plastic 5 gallon drinking water jugs from Wal-Mart. Im thinking of using them for fermentors. Youve inspired me
We need some pics of the set up!
I will try and get some pics sometime soon and share it with y’all. Right now I have been pretty enamored with my new 17 gallon conical and the ease of smaller batches.
If they are the water cooler type bottles that essentially replaced what we call carboys, I tried it a long time ago. First batch went well. The second an infection. I believe it was due to the rough finish inside the bottle making it very difficult to properly clean.
If the bottles are smooth inside you might have better luck.
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Well they are meant for water but they arent the culligan man type. They have a screw on lid and a handle.
Here is a link
I have a 2 gallon version of this bottle that I use for starters. Been meaning to get a second. Thanks for the reminder! 
Might work. The ones I tried were from a big box store and more rectangular. The cleaners and sanitizers are also better these days then back then. If they have a deposit to return them they must have to be sanitary to be filled and resold.
So if you brew in trash cans, what the hell does your boil setup look like??!!
Should be find. Some people eat out the trashcan
I remember, as a very small boy, my father used to brew beer and wine in a trash barrel… He called the beer “sudz”… He didn’t even use a cover… Just a towel to cover. If I’m not mistaken, I seem to recall a cat or two falling in on occasion… HA!
Man…that could introduce a whole new realm of wild yeast souring…
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Cover your eyes Brew Cat! Sneezles61
Are you sure it wasn’t voluntary
“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
I believe it would be feral yeast souring at that point…
Buddy! Absolutely agree with you !! To start doing something (yes, anything), you just need to start somewhere, with every little thing and just keep on raising the level.
I like your style.
The OP will likely never know since he hasn’t been back in 4 years…
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That’s what I use. Haven’t had a problem, and the bungs you buy at the brew shop fit perfectly.
