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I presently buy both White Vinegar (containing acetic acid 5%) and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in bulk, at five litres at a time. I go through the White Vinegar in about three weeks, while the ACV takes far longer - anything up to six months!

The vinegar comes in a plastic container ((HDPE ♴) High Density Polyethylene, with a plastic cap (PP ♷) Polypropylene) as it's considered food safe and suitable for up to one year of storage.

I find however that pouring from the large plastic containers is messy and awkward and am looking into a glass dispenser system as used at parties with lemonade and such. However, unlike a normal glass container, a dispenser has weak points: such as a metallic tap, silicone gadgets, as well as a rubber lid.

Long time canning experts Kilner offer a robust looking glass dispenser in just the right volume (five litres) but I'm unsure of the following:

1: The trademark orange rubber seals used at the top mouth opening of the jars: will the acid and oxygen mix dissolve this? The vinegar is unlikely to be in contact with the rubber as I will use the tap at the bottom, but the fumes may eat away at it?

2: The tap at the bottom is not so robust (if Amazon reviews are to be believed) but aftermarket option include more robust version in both brass and stainless steel:

Brass: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPG4VR2?psc=1

Stainless Steel: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPG2CLS?psc=1

It seems that white vinegar is used to clean brass, but I wonder about permanent contact, so I'm unsure which to rely upon?

3: I'm informed that even glass itself has a lifespan when storing vinegar (it's an acid after all) and am fearful that the glass walls may even wear down?!

I would like the convenience of a tap, with the reliability of an inert material like glass, but will the vinegar simply wear everything out?

Gabby
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    In the lab I work in, we have had a bottle of 100% pure acetic acid for years in a glass bottle. AFAIK the only "common" acid that is incompatible with glass is hydrofluroic acid. It is actually used to etch glass. Even concentrated nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid keep well in glass. – Kevin Nowaczyk Aug 08 '17 at 11:14
  • Many thanks for the reassurance on the 304 Steel tap (too bad as I would have preferred steel for the white vinegar and brass for ACV), nice to have a reliable option. Telephoning Kilner today I found the gasket to be fashion from a synthetic vulcanised rubber and quite suitable for vinegar, apparently. – Gabby Aug 09 '17 at 22:19

1 Answers1

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Don't use brass– I believe the vinegar cleans it by dissolving a thin layer from the outside. It looks like the 304 stainless steel tap should work fine.

If the rubber seal is the same material that canning (e.g. Weck) jars use, it'll probably be fine. Weck only warns against overheating vinegar solutions, which can cause the seals to become distorted— they don't recommend against using vinegar altogether. If you can find out what rubber, specifically is being used in the seal, you can check it out on this chart

I really don't think you'll have to worry about the glass wearing down. Really.

Your other option is to keep it in the plastic container and use a 5 litre bottle pump dispenser, which works with everything from cooking oil to mayonnaise to corrosive cleaning chemicals.

ChefAndy
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  • Many thanks for the reassurance on the 304 Steel tap (too bad as I would have preferred steel for the white vinegar and brass for ACV), nice to have a reliable option. – Gabby Aug 09 '17 at 22:11
  • If you wanted to get cute you could potentially color the stainless part with heat, and approximate a brass color without the hazards of brass exposed to acids. You'd want to remove any rubber/plastic parts from the assembly before trying that (or might decide it's not practical if that's not easily done.) Gold leaf would be another approach if looking for "yellow colored metal" on the exterior of the tap... – Ecnerwal Aug 14 '17 at 20:41