Buckets for fermentation with no airlock

First let me say that this forum is full of insights and really help geting stated with home brewing (also reading Palmer's book )

I'm about to brew my first batch this weekend, and I got myself a "classic " starting kit.

For the fermentation I got a Bucket and a plastic Carboy (with an airlock). The guy at the shop told me to do the first fermentation in my bucket, but since there is no airlock on it, simply not seal the lid.

Is that a good idea? Do I need to drill a hole and plug an airlock or just do as he told me?

If I need to drill a hole for the airlock, how to I make it so that it is seal/fit perfectly?

Thanks in advance for the help!

you'd probably be fine if you just lay the lid on the top of the bucket but it would be better, IMO, to drill the whole out.
use a rubber grommet around the whole to ensure a tight seal with your airlock.

how big is your carboy?
If its 6.5G Id use that as my primary instead of the bucket but I got the feeling its probably only 5G.

I would just ferment in the carboy with the airlock and just leave it in there rather than bother with a secondary.

Trout is right, if you pitch enough yeast, you won't have to worry, but most new brewers don't pitch enough to ferment properly. Then you have issues with contamination. If you pitch dry yeast you are probably fine, if it is liquid you may not be. It depends on the yeast as well.

It's complicated! Lager yeast is different than ale yeast. Rule of thumb is 2x lager yeast at 50 deg to ale yeast at 65 deg.

the_trout said:

you'd probably be fine if you just lay the lid on the top of the bucket but it would be better, IMO, to drill the whole out.
use a rubber grommet around the whole to ensure a tight seal with your airlock.

how big is your carboy?
If its 6.5G Id use that as my primary instead of the bucket but I got the feeling its probably only 5G.

Click to expand...

Yes my carboy is a 5G, It would be too small for primary am I right?

Mysticqc said:

Yes my carboy is a 5G, It would be too small for primary am I right?

Click to expand...

If its a 5 gallon batch then yeah that is too small. I would just drill the hole in the lid and if you can't do that maybe just buy another lid, I doubt it would cost you too much.

Since no one else has suggested it yet, you could always try the following, in a pinch.

I've done about 20 batches in a 6.5 gallon, food grade, plastic bucket with Saran wrap stretched over the top to seal. Spray some starsan on the side that will face the rising krausen, then sanitize something like a drawing pin to puncture a few, small, holes to release gas and pressure. loosely lay the bucket lid over that. Has worked fine for me so far.

Lay the lid on top and dont snap it down. Walk away for three weeks. Bottle. Done.