aubd

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Hello,

I am new to home brewing and have a couple questions.
I'm making my first batch (a lager) (currently in the primary for 2 days) and have been reading some of your threads.

The beer kit I bought to "learn" how to brew is one with bagged concentrated wort (no boiling necessary) and comes with an instruction manual.

What's been puzzling me is the fact they tell me to seal my plastic primary's lid closed (solid lid, no holes for airlock) and open it once a day to take SG readings. Won't that top want to blow off eventually?? I asked the guy at the home brew shop and he told me that's how he does it himself... ?

And another question :
The kit says that fermentation should begin within 24-48 hours of pitching the yeast. I'm close to the 36 hour mark right now and the mixture seems to be bubbling quite a lot so something is happening but there is no foam as of right now on top. Is that foam going to come as fermentation gets stronger or is something wrong with my beer?

Thanks

dougjones31

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My grandfather brewed in old butter churns with wet towels over the top. You should be fine burping your bucket. You will eventually graduate to using glass carboys and blowoff tubes. But for now, what you have will work.

It will not blow the top off because once it builds pressure up it will start to open and the pressure will seep out and it will regulate before the top blows off. Most tops on plastic buckets are not air tight anyway.

You brew is bubbling now so fermentation has started. It will form foam on top in the next 48 hours.

Relax....this is supposed to be fun!

dougjones31

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Spend $25 on a glass carboy so that you can watch the yeast swirl around as fermentation happens! It is hypnotic!

dcarter

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This may seem like a dumb question, but Im new also. Where can you get a 5 gal glass carboy for 25 bucks? I would love to upgrade!

the_bird

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Do you have a home brew store around you? Mine charges $23, I think, for a five gallon carboy. If you're using it for primary, though, you need to get a 6.5 gallon one, a couple bucks more.

Getting those shipped is a bear, even the sites that advertise free shipping charge for sending carboys (Better Bottles are a lot cheaper to ship, FYI).

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debtman7

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Local stores are indeed the best place for carboys. Wine stores have them too, so check those places as well. Our local wine on premesis store has glass carboys for $18, which is a better deal than mail order places and no shipping hassles.

dcarter

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I dont think I can get them from our wine stores in town and I don't think we have a brewing supply house locally either.

Is anyone familiar with the home brew industry in South Mississippi? If anyone knows of a close supply store I would appreciate the info. Thanks!

Dr Malt

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Do yourself a big and safe favor and instead of that glass carboy, but your self a Better Bottle. It cost a little more but is safer, lighter, more useful, etc.

Dr Malt

Carne de Perro

Recipes 

You will not get any foam on top as you are using lager yeast which is bottom fermenting, as opposed to ale yeast which is top fermenting. As long as fermentation is active and the fridge you keep your bucket in is clean I wouldn't worry about airborne contamination too much.

Bucket lids can and will blow off, they also can spew a huge mess all over your closet and give you the pleasure of washing every piece of clothing in your closet. When it happened to me I found the bucket lid about 3-5 feet from the fermenter, face down on the floor and yeasty liquid on everything.

clayof2day

Recipes 

You could easily also drill a hole in the lid, fit it with a rubber grommit and airlock. I have seen the pics on the board of bucket blow-offs and it is not pretty.