SEDEX PLASIC COMPLETE CATCHERS

[brewer bobby]

Maybe there is a brewer who may have the same problem as I am having at the moment. I have purchased 150 complete SEDEX catchers some months ago and the 2 full grain brews I have done with them have resulted in a plastic after taste in the conditioned beer. I have in the last batch of 150 x 375 ml stubbies used 6 separate bottles and used normal crown seals instead of the plastic catchers and these have not got the plastic after taste. I have done everything possible eg. Changed the sterilization powders.I have also soaked all parts for several days in purified water all to no avail.
I must point out the fact that I am now retired and do a lot of travelling and have for the past 2 years bottled in the brown plastic screw top 700ml bottles simply because they do not break whist travelling through bush tracks etc. and they weigh virtually nothing and can be returned home mush easier and the sediment hangs well in the claw tooth bottom of the bottle. I HAVE NOT EXPEIRIENCED THE PLASTIC TASTE IN THEESE BOTTLES AS I NOW DO WITH THE SEDEX CATCHERS AND TOPS THAT I NOW HAVE.
I have sent an email to the company where I purchased them and have not received an answer. I have previously posted some other problems with the catchers, eg. the stem that pushes the valve up is too short and I have overcome the fault by using a small brass washer to raise it whereas before it only popped up a small amount and it fell against the wall of the cap where it stopped a lot of the sediment to fall into the catcher. To fix the problem I had to swirl the bottle to dislodge the sediment and leave the bottles longer for the sediment to fall into the catchers.
One other main problem is, I have problems with unscrewing or screwing the two parts together as I have arthritis in my hands and had to make up a in ovation to assist in screwing and unscrewing them.
Another problem is, there are 2 O rings,one for the top of the bottle and the other is in the valve to seal the liquid and the sterilizing solution cannot get behind to do its job. I'm hoping its not an infection that may be the problem. Note. The O rings cannot be removed.

While I am on brewing can someone advise me what they use for conditioning their bottled beer, eg. Sugar, Dextrose etc. etc. and how much they add to a 375 ml stubbie. I have use most things over the years and I find much is the same.
Finally both the missus and myself have given a good donation to both Queensland and The Carnarvon (WA) floods.
Regards brewer bobby.

[warra48]

Haven't used the Sedex thingies, although I did see the New Inventors segment on the ABC.
For me, they are a little on the expensive side, given I'm also retired and living on my own resources.

I bottle my brews, almost exclusively in glass. Caster sugar is my preferred priming medium but, as you point out, it doesn't make a lot of difference what you use. I use the sugar measures you can get from the HB shop, BigW etc. As caster sugar has finer granules than normal sugar, it packs down more densely in the measure. My expereience is that using only ½ to 2/3rd the measure gives me plenty of carbonation for a standard brew.

[Oliver]

I, too, use caster sugar and find that the ½ to ⅔ measure, depending on the beer, gives me a good level of carbonation.

Can't comment on Sedex, sorry.

Cheers,

Oliver

[brewer bobby]

Thanks 4 the replies. Will try caster tomorrow when bottling 150 stubbies.
as 4 the plastic SEDEX. Have has them soaking in a sterilized solution for a couple of days and will overnight drain and soak them in chlorine free water and will only use the caps on a few 2 see if the problem re occurs. If it happens the recycling bin will be the result and goodbye to just on 600 bucks.
The bride will be happy as she did warn me 2 only buy 30 to try.
Thanks again.