JLivermore

Recipes 

This will be the last of my series of questions today; thanks for the help so far.

Lastly I noticed a small crack around the rim of my fermenter. I figured this gets covered by the lid and thus there was a good chance it would seal anyway.

However on this last brew I didn't see the airlock bubble once in 8 days.

I'm starting to think the gas is going out through the crack.

If that's the case, how much would it matter?

MalFet

Recipes 

It doesn't matter at all, actually. Keep it clean and make sure nothing nasty grows in there, but it isn't actually necessary to seal your fermentor.

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trumpetbeard

Recipes 

it's hard to see from the picture, but gas escaping through a tiny crack doesn't strike me as a massive issue. It's also possible that your previous fermentation didn't produce co2 vigorously enough to disturb the airlock. The point of an airlock is to allow the co2 escape while preventing anything from getting in, but the co2 creates a natural blanket and outward pressure that typically protects the beer so a little escaping though a crack, if that's the case, shouldn't cause any harm.

Is the crack just on the rim? Like, a place where the beer would not contact it? My big concern with any crack in a fermenter is that is provides a place for infectious agents to hide. I'm sure if you're aware of it and your sanitation process is thorough, the location of the crack is nothing to be concerned about.

Hope this was helpful.

JLivermore

Recipes 

The crack is at the top, so the beer does not touch it.

Not worrying, thanks for the confirmation.

Hellosluggo

Recipes 

A crack in the fermenter is more of a sanitary issue than anything as it provides a place for bugs to hide out if not addressed. Clean and sanitize it well, you'll be fine. co2 is going to escape by means of least resistance, be it through that crack or your airlock. Like trumpetbeard said, if the crack is at the top only and doesn't extend down near the krausen line, everything will be fine.