slow gin in plastic bottles

[avtovaz]

a freind fo mine is thinking of makeing some slow gin, itll take about 3 months, can she use plastic 5ltr bottles or will it have to be glass for storing for so long?

thanks

[Belter]

I'm sure you could use both. I know people who have done it in plastic. It's not like it has to be carbonated. But I'd much prefer it in a glass bottle.

[fatbloke]

Ditto Belters comment.

While a wine or something of relatively low alcohol is less of an issue, if the sloe gin recipe is anything like the one I make (pound of sloes, pint of gin, 8oz of sugar and spices), then it's worth remembering that alcohol is a solvent. Yes, at beer and wine sort of levels it would likely take a while before it would affect the plastic, but as spirits sort of strengths, I'm of the opinion that glass would be safer (or stainless steel of course)......

[TC2642]

Yeah, go with glass, strong alcohol like gin is likely to leech solvents into your drink.

[avtovaz]

thanks!

[mooj]

I remember asking this question a long time back and can't remember the answer. I'm not sure I agree with the solvent aspect leaching chemicals unless you're using something like polycarbonate. Polythene, polypropylene, PET etc. should be fine in my opinion - think of all those duty-free spirits in plastic bottles. The gas permeability of plastic is an issue and will cause oxidation over a long period, however as sloe gin improves with age it may even be the oxidation that improves the drink(?)

All that said, I always put my sloe gin in glass bottles / demijohns