55 gallon drum still usable?

[Brian Ledoux]

Hello,
I found a place next to my house that sells 55 gallon drums and 30 gallon drums that were previously used to store the syrup to make ginger ale and orange soda. I bought and tried washing an orange soda drum and used bleach and a power washer. It still smells like orange soda. Will these barrells produce off flavors to syrup if I clean them, since they still smell? Would love to NOT have to buy new barrells, but not sure if that is possible. All the barrells I have seen were previously used to hold soda, detergents, pickles, cooking oil, etc.

[KenWP]

I found something called Cascade Plastic Booster that is supposed to remove smells from plastic. Key word is supposed to. Fill it with water and let it sit and see if it taints the water any also. I would thing that those kind of flavors would not hurt much.

[maplecrest]

some times i have problems with 5 gallon jugs with off odors after using them i use baking soda. fill with water put in baking soda and let sit for a few days

[vermaple]

Hello,
I found a place next to my house that sells 55 gallon drums and 30 gallon drums that were previously used to store the syrup to make ginger ale and orange soda. I bought and tried washing an orange soda drum and used bleach and a power washer. It still smells like orange soda. Will these barrells produce off flavors to syrup if I clean them, since they still smell? Would love to NOT have to buy new barrells, but not sure if that is possible. All the barrells I have seen were previously used to hold soda, detergents, pickles, cooking oil, etc.

I as do many producers have some 15 gal ss Dr. Pepper drums. These drums were used for Dr. Pepper syrup and came rinsed out and smelled like Dr.Pepper. Many rinses and flushing with Hot water off a preheater-steamaway and the smell would be gone, fill the drum with syrup no problem, use syrup rinse & dry drum, go to use the next year smelled like Dr Pepper. rinse repeat same story. No one that I know of ever had any off flavor problems, but several years later they still smell of Dr. Pepper until you rinse them before filling.

The barrells used for soda syrup might be the same.

[PerryW]

syrup is too valuable to put in questionable drums.

[maplecrest]

i also use dr. pepper drums, the baking soda takes care of the odor of the soda that was once in the drum

[Brian Ledoux]

Thanks. Found a place taht has dr pepper barrells! will definitely get those and try the baking soda! :D

[maplemaker]

Where are you guys finding these dr pepper barrels and how much are you paying for them i have been looking for drums for a while now.Thanks Brian

[Randy Brutkoski]

I would like to know as well.

[KenWP]

Me too but in Quebec. Hardto find anything around here. I fianlly found a ss beer keg which I might figure something out to use it for. I have no idea how a beer keg even works let alone take it apart.
I imangine these Dr Pepper barrels come for a pop factory.

[dschultz]

Here in WI there's pail's,drum's,barrel's,tote's just about anything you want.You just have to keep looking and asking around and you will find them.

[Z/MAN]

Ken,
Here is a link with instructions on how to open a keg. I open them all the time to refill with Homebrew.:D
Paul
http://www.physics.arizona.edu/~workman/homebrew/Sanke.html

[Haynes Forest Products]

Just make sure that you releive the pressure by pushing the ball down till all the pressure is out or you can have one of those pesky industrial accidents:o

[Brian Ledoux]

I am in manchester, NH and there is a store near my house called R&R distributors. It is a shop that gets all kinds of surplus stuff, like items from damaged tractor trailer loads, end of season leftovers from nearby stores, etc. and they sell it all real cheap. This place had mostly 30 gallon drums left and they were selling for $10-$15 bucks. They only had about 8 of them left. Not sure if they get a continuous supply though. Check craigslist too. I have seen a bunch on craigslist. Different restaurants give them away as well.

[Brian Ledoux]

Z/MAN - I just made my first home brewed beer this week! Syrup and beer must go hand in hand! I am dying to try and make a maple syrup beer. Have you ever tried that?

[vermaple]

Dr. Pepper barrels were a real find the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association about 6-8 years ago was looking for ss barrels to sell to members to start getting some of the old galvanized barrels out of the system. While searching someone found these ss Dr. Pepper barrels. Seems gov regs had changed and Dr. Pepper, and I assume other soda companys, no longer were required to use ss barrels to store soda syrup. Dr. Pepper had switched to plastic and sold the ss barrel to some salvage co. Long story short VMSMA bought several trailer loads of these barrels over 3-4 years and sold them to members. I think that some producers from out of state joined VMSMA and bought barrels. These were mostly 15 gal barrels although there were some 30 gal. ones. This supply ran out and to my knowledge they are only available now as individuals who no longer use them sell the barrels.

[Z/MAN]

Brian,
Last batch I made was a Red Ale and I added 1/2 pint of syrup to the last 10 minutes of the boil. We liked it. There is no maple flavor but it does make a difference. Next time I think I might just add it when kegging the brew and see what happens.
Paul

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

As I have stated on here before, I have used 5 gallon dill pickle buckets for many years and they are about 15 years old and some may still have a slight smell. I hot pack syrup in them and have left sap set in there for several days and never had a problem with off flavor imparted into what was left in them. New tubing has a very strong plastic smell, but I can't see where it imparts any off flavor in the final product. I am not speaking for everyone, just stating my experience.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I can get plenty of 55 gallon drums. They say food grade on them. They were used for orange juice. Very clean. No smell. Are these alright for syrup. And if so would a place like bascoms buy bulk syrup in these kind of barrels.

[brookledge]

At this point Bascom's would buy syrup in those 55s. How ever there is a push to eliminate all barrels that are galvanized. I think some states have already done so.
Keith

[brookledge]

I forgot to say that they will do taste test first and as long as it is ok you are good to go.
Keith

[stoweski]

I can get plenty of 55 gallon drums. They say food grade on them. They were used for orange juice. Very clean. No smell. Are these alright for syrup. And if so would a place like bascoms buy bulk syrup in these kind of barrels.

Any of these available to others mapleholics? I'd be interested if they are plastic and reasonably priced. I have six plastic barrels that I bought up near Oswego but they were filled with Sesame Oil and they reek. I'm not sure if I can get them clean enough to use for sap... even temporarily. I picked them up for $10 each.

Keith

[maple man-iac]

I have some 55 gallon plastic drums less then a dozen to get rid off. They had soda syrup in them. Imlay city, Mi