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I tend to make more alcoholic ginger beer than i can bottle. Im tempted to buy a few JerryCans and use them instead of bottles. Do you think they would withstand the pressure? Has anyone else had any experience with bottling in plastic? Also tempted to get a few brown bottles but I'm also unsure of their ability to hold the pressure.
http://www.ampulla.co.uk/AMBER-PET-BOTTLES/c-1-142/
http://www.ampulla.co.uk/JERRICANS-1L---5L/5Litre-Natural-Jerrycan-&-38mm-White-TE-Cap/p-136-426/
I'd give the the PET a chance with just a few. Maybe even add a little extra sugar to a couple of those to see if they can take more pressure than normal just as a back up assurance should you end up with a contaminated batch at some point.
If you are willing to risk a batch I'd say the same thing for the jerry can. But its a big volume once you open it you start losing carbonation. And I am not sure how well the seal under pressure.
I wouldn't risk carbonating in the JerryCan. I've seen Gatorade bottles explode under pressure and it's not fun. I would stay away from anything that's not made to handle the pressure. I would even be hesitant to use the linked PET bottles unless they say somewhere that they're rated for pressure.
In my early days I would use 2-liter soda bottles when I ran out of glass ones. I would just wrap them in foil to protect them from the light. They worked fine, although I'm sure I got some off flavors from the Coke that was in it before.
I wouldn't think they're "food grade". I wouldn't do it.
In Canada, pop comes in 2-litre platic bottles. I've bottled in them lots of times. If you have something like that in the UK, it would probably be a lot cheaper than buying jerry cans, even if you dump out the pop.
The P.E.T. bottles you have shown may work although I have never seen them before. I really can't say as far as the jerrycans but you have to remember the fact that they are not going to be light protected. Also you would have to want to drink a lot of ginger beer in one sitting to use a 5 liter bottle.
I would recommend taking a look at these bottles http://www.mrbeer.com/product-exec/product_id/47/nm/1_Liter_Deluxe_Bottling_System_Qty_8_1
I have used them before with great success and the best part is that you know they are meant for beer, and they are a pretty convenient size at 1 liter. I just don't know if you would have an issue getting them in the UK.
Just tried to order some to the UK and it unfortunately looks like they don't ship there. I did have a lot of luck using Goolge to search for 1 liter P.E.T. beer bottles in the UK and there are many available, especially if you are not concerned about having clear ones.
