Carboy Caps instead of stops

DownRightAft · 02-24-2009, 06:45 PM

I am using a carboy cap in my 6.5 gallon carboy as a primary. The airlock stopped bublying after 2 days of aggressive fermentation. When I twist the cap a little, the airlock bubbles for a while. I am thinking there might be a leak around the cap. Does anyone else use a carboy cap during fermentation? Anyone have one leak on them? It probably isn't a big deal, but I am a bit concerned with it letting things in if it is letting c02 bypass the airlock.

Mainebrew · 02-24-2009, 06:49 PM

You are probably just putting down pressure and re-leasing some gas, RDWHAHB as long as the cap fit on the neck tight your allset, your fermentation is probably slowing down.

**samc** · 02-24-2009, 06:53 PM

You should not have a problem but if it stresses you out take a cable tie and tighten it around the base of the cap for a good seal.

double_e5 · 02-24-2009, 07:39 PM

Nothing is getting in there. As long as it is covered you're good. Some people don't even use airlocks. They just stick some foil over the top. They only way things can get in is if they fall in from above. They can't just fly in around the cap.

jds · 02-24-2009, 07:56 PM

I use (and love) carboy caps, because they make transferring beer a lot easier after fermenting.

I hate the little carboy cap caps that come with them. You know, the little white doohickeys that are supposed to cap off the tube if you're not using them. Yeah, those. I hate those little ****ers. I'm always knocking them off so they roll around the basement floor and then losing them.

I don't use an airlock for primary anymore. I stick a dial thermometer with a 12" probe down through one hole in the carboy cap and cover the other hole with foil. The dial of the thermometer covers the hole nicely, so I don't have to worry about nasties finding their way into my beer.

Remember, people. Microbes and wild yeast DO NOT HAVE LEGS, or flippers, or fins, or any other means of locomotion. They drift on the air, usually attached to dust. If dust can't fall into your fermenter, neither can microbes.

double_e5 · 02-24-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jds

Remember, people. Microbes and wild yeast DO NOT HAVE LEGS, or flippers, or fins, or any other means of locomotion. They drift on the air, usually attached to dust. If dust can't fall into your fermenter, neither can microbes.

I always pictured them with little helicopter rotors.

MA_Brewer · 02-25-2009, 02:40 AM

I use carboy caps for primary, and I do use a big zip tie around them to keep them tight, as they will leak.

DownRightAft · 02-25-2009, 03:24 PM

I changed the carboy cap for stopper, just to see if it would continue to bubble with a stopper. It has been bubbling away for about 15 hours now, so I guess it was leaking. I guess contamination risk is low even if the cap is leaking, but I like to see when the bubblying slows down so I know when to try a hydrometer reading.

llazy_llama · 02-25-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA_Brewer

I use carboy caps for primary, and I do use a big zip tie around them to keep them tight, as they will leak.

Which only matters if you're using them to start siphons. If you're only using them in place of stoppers, read the three posts before yours, you'll hopefully start to realize a very important fact...

Bacteria fall down.

They don't climb, walk, run, sprint, jog, drive, hike, bike, hover, levitate, or move in any other way than floating on the breeze.

If you follow basic sanitation guidelines, use a blowoff for the first 3-7 days of fermentation, then replace the blowoff with sanitized tinfoil, you will never ever ever ever ever get an infection, or any other off flavor from unwanted bacteria. Plus you'll save quite a bit of money in the long run on airlocks, stoppers, and vodka/sanitizer.

If you do use them for siphoning, a rubber band works great. Keep in mind that most of these caps won't fit on better bottles nearly as well as they do on glass carboys.

Edited: Just wanted to stress that my post here wasn't meant to be rude, or as a personal attack against MA_Brewer. I only stress the bacteria fall down bit because so many people don't realize how useless a stopper/airlock can be.

**IrregularPulse** · 02-25-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llazy_llama

Which only matters if you're using them to start siphons. If you're only using them in place of stoppers, read the three posts before yours, you'll hopefully start to realize a very important fact...

Bacteria fall down.

They don't climb, walk, run, sprint, jog, drive, hike, bike, hover, levitate, or move in any other way than floating on the breeze.

If you follow basic sanitation guidelines, use a blowoff for the first 3-7 days of fermentation, then replace the blowoff with sanitized tinfoil, you will never ever ever ever ever get an infection, or any other off flavor from unwanted bacteria. Plus you'll save quite a bit of money in the long run on airlocks, stoppers, and vodka/sanitizer.

I agree with your whole statement but believe the saving moeny on airlocks and vodka are mute points. I mean we're talking a 50 cent airlock, 30 cent stopper, bottle of 5 dollar vodka to last FOREVER!