Clear or Brown Demijohns - Which is best?

[Slate Miner]

I've been given the chance to buy a dozen one gallon glass demijohns.

The person selling them has both clear and brown glass, which is best? Which do other wime makers prefer?

I suppose the clear ones enable you to see what's going on with your brew more easily, whereas the brown variety protect against harmful sun rays?? :hmm:

Any advice appeciated.

 

[alanywiseman.]

you are bang on. The brown one will help to stop darker wines decolouring (is that a word :hmm: )

So a beetroot wine turn brown very quickly if not protected from the suns rays.

 

[HLA91]

Brown are good for aiding in colour preservation, but they are a pain in the arse when it comes to racking. For that reason I have decided against using my brown DJ's except, I use them to store filtered wine which is then going to be bottled within a week so I know I don't have to look out for sediment. Using Moley's suggestion I now use clear DJ's wrapped in a black bag and in a dark cupboard, much easier to rack from.

 

[crofty83]

So is it the suns rays that have an effect on the wine/beer or just light in general whether it be natural or artificial?

 

[HLA91]

Don't really know that one but red's should be kept away from light in general but most probably its sunlight which is the main issue, hence dark bottles.

 

[hedgerow pete]

not dont near the dark side, you will always regreat it, brown bottle srae only used , so they say to prevent discolouration of the wines, which is needed with some reds, beetroot is a nightmare to stop it going brown, but because you cant see whats going on they are worst than worse to use,

you are much better off buying the clear ones and then do as i do, wrap the demi jonh in newspaper and brown bags, i have even gone as far to save a beetroot wines, painted the outside of the demi john and then removed a small section so i can watch when i am syphoning off..

clear every time and ignor the old uns that spout old fashioned ideals, brown is out clear is in, every single brown one i have ever collected has been smashed because i cant find people stupid enough to buy them

 

[Slate Miner]

Thanks for the replies.

Think I'll go with the clear DJ's.

:

 

[oldstout]

not dont near the dark side, you will always regreat it, brown bottle srae only used , so they say

9.58am

What you drinking this early HP??

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:

 

[hedgerow pete]

well for some of us (ub40) its brew day today good old rob the miller so its was only for quality control purposes only, medicial is after 12 moon

 

[oldstout]

well for some of us (ub40) its brew day today good old rob the miller so its was only for quality control purposes only, medicial is after 12 moon

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

medicial......

12 moon......

I'll have what HP is having please :thumb: :thumb:

:lol: :lol: :lol:


:

 

[oldstout]

well for some of us (ub40)

Presumably it's........








...you know what's coming....









yes it can only be......



















Red, red wine :lol: :lol:

 

[HLA91]

@slate miner - if you get some brown don't bin them as like I said they can come in handy for quick storage where no sediment is involved.

 

[Slate Miner]

@slate miner - if you get some brown don't bin them as like I said they can come in handy for quick storage where no sediment is involved.

In the end I took 8 clear DJs @£3 each, which I think is a fair price, all in good condition, currently cleaning them out with oxy. :thumb:

 

[brews-brothers]

I was given a mixture of both brown and clear. I only ever use the brown ones for long term storing once my wine has cleared.
Its impossible to see through the brown to see the sediment on the bottom and also when you are racking into a brown one you cant see the level of wine and I have been know to spill some over the top!

Clear every time for me, I would never buy any brown but was not going to say no to being given them for free.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Try shining a light throuht a brown DJ to see where the sediment/level of the fluid is :thumb:

 

[cf.]

I have a few brown ones and loads of clear . Sorry never paid a penny for all my dj's 13 in total now or my heat mats or a fv all free go onto your local freecycle site peoples always giving them away and there free

 

[crofty83]

I'm going to be storing mine in an old wardrobe in the garage :-) Once it's emptied that is