Plastic bottle is teh suck? Angel's share

[I <3 Vodka]

I needed to calibrate a scale and it requires a 200g mass that I don't have. So I made one with a small 8oz mini gatorage plastic bottle and water. Using a scale that I *do* have the correct weight for, I made a 200.00g calibration weight.

That got the job done. Well, two days later, I measured the bottle again and it's lost about 0.05g. I thought the cheap scale I just calibrated drifted, so I check again on a known good scale. Yes, it's 0.05g less. If it lost 0.05g in 2 days, I'm expecing it to lose a bout 7.5 grams a year. Obviously if the bottle is larger, the surface area is greater, so I think the loss is greater.

Wait, doesn't this also mean nasties and smell from where it's stored can diffuse into the booze?

A liquor like Smirnoff is available in 750ml in both glass and plastic. Alcohol is more volatile and a fifth has a larger surface area than an 8 oz bottle.

[Nova5]

PLastic is a permeable material in general. Glass is non-permeable. possibly enough evaporation occured just inside the bottle to cause that. Cool it and it might come back if its really still trapped inside.

[I <3 Vodka]

Originally Posted by Nova5

PLastic is a permeable material in general. Glass is non-permeable. possibly enough evaporation occured just inside the bottle to cause that. Cool it and it might come back if its really still trapped inside.

The mass wouldn't change unless it's escaped the bottle.

[Nova5]

Mass is not Weight.

[I <3 Vodka]

Originally Posted by Nova5

Mass is not Weight.

Based on my research, molecules do escape plastic.

My own experiments conducted with the same mass of vodka and left to stand for sometime.

Subsequent measurement (to nearest 10mg) showed there is definitely a loss of contents from plastic bottle while none from glass.

[Nova5]

Originally Posted by I <3 Vodka

Based on my research, molecules do escape plastic.

My own experiments conducted with the same mass of vodka and left to stand for sometime.

Subsequent measurement (to nearest 10mg) showed there is definitely a loss of contents from plastic bottle while none from glass.

I said that plastic was permeable and glass was not. Again Mass is not weight. Mass is constant to a solid object, weight is the result of gravity's pull on that object. Agreed that if the Mass being measured is a liquid, it can lose mass due to evaporation.

However depending on the plastics the permeability can be low or zero. Most food grades allow for minor gas escape. Are you sure you resealed the plastic bottle perfectly? tightening to much can crush and warp the seal so that it is not correctly seated.

[I <3 Vodka]

Originally Posted by Nova5

I said that plastic was permeable and glass was not. Again Mass is not weight. Mass is constant to a solid object, weight is the result of gravity's pull on that object. Agreed that if the Mass being measured is a liquid, it can lose mass due to evaporation.

I don't see how this is a mass vs weight issue. The scale is properly calibrated, so the change in gravitational constant is a non-issue.

However depending on the plastics the permeability can be low or zero. Most food grades allow for minor gas escape. Are you sure you resealed the plastic bottle perfectly? tightening to much can crush and warp the seal so that it is not correctly seated.

I verified over a three month period with an unopened quart bottle of gatorade. It lost about 100mg/month.

For control, I had a bottle of water in a glass liquor bottle with a plastic bottle filled to make 1000.00g. It didn't lose a measurable amount over a three month period.

Assuming the lid is properly sealed, I'm guessing the alcohol actually becomes stronger. Water molecules are smaller than alcohol molecules, so I suspect they preferentially escape the plastic before alcohol.

[Ole]

Originally Posted by I <3 Vodka

I needed to calibrate a scale and it requires a 200g mass that I don't have. So I made one with a small 8oz mini gatorage plastic bottle and water. Using a scale that I *do* have the correct weight for, I made a 200.00g calibration weight.

That got the job done. Well, two days later, I measured the bottle again and it's lost about 0.05g. I thought the cheap scale I just calibrated drifted, so I check again on a known good scale. Yes, it's 0.05g less. If it lost 0.05g in 2 days, I'm expecing it to lose a bout 7.5 grams a year. Obviously if the bottle is larger, the surface area is greater, so I think the loss is greater.

Wait, doesn't this also mean nasties and smell from where it's stored can diffuse into the booze?

A liquor like Smirnoff is available in 750ml in both glass and plastic. Alcohol is more volatile and a fifth has a larger surface area than an 8 oz bottle.

The homediller.org website recommends you let only copper, brass, stainless steel, and glass touch your booze.

One time when I was working with some 190 proof hootch, I ignored their advise and used a rubber tube. The product had a yellowish tinge to it and when I diluted it with water, it clouded up badly as the dissolved rubber precipitated back into the vodka.

It's supposed to be less of an issue when working with <50% ABV mixtures, but I still wouldn't store my vodka in a plastic bottle. Alcohol will dissolve plastic and that's not something I want incorporated into my spirits.

[I <3 Vodka]

Originally Posted by Ole

The homediller.org website recommends you let only copper, brass, stainless steel, and glass touch your booze.

One time when I was working with some 190 proof hootch, I ignored their advise and used a rubber tube. The product had a yellowish tinge to it and when I diluted it with water, it clouded up badly as the dissolved rubber precipitated back into the vodka.

It's supposed to be less of an issue when working with <50% ABV mixtures, but I still wouldn't store my vodka in a plastic bottle. Alcohol will dissolve plastic and that's not something I want incorporated into my spirits.

Rubber is readily attacked by many solvents, including alcohol.

Plastic, like PETE, used for liquor bottles can absorb flavor, but it shouldn't add anything if a new bottle is used.

Water stored in a bottle previously used to store Fruitopia will fruity tasting, but not the other way around.