Help! New to brewing- have a few questions

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starfragment666

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Hi Everyone,

Was wondering if you could answer a few questions?

I bought some apple juice today with the hope that I could get started, but now it looks like i dont have all the equipment I need.

i bought a starter kit:
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/cider-kits/starter-kits/starter-equipment-set.html

plus 6 demijohns, campdem tablets, yeast and yeast suppliments.
Ive just checked and my demijohns did not include airlocks :( which renders them useless for now.

*EDIT* The demi johns i bought are plastic and came with a cap and grommit- but no airlock

I'm due to leave in a few days so cant order the airlocks for them to arrive in time. Can i leave the cider to ferment in the fermenting bin? and will i need to fill it up to the top to prevent it turning into vinager?

Apart from all that I think everything else I need to do.

Many Thanks
Nicola
p.s- sorry if these questions have already been asked, but i've been looking online for ages now and haven't got anything conclusive.
 
Many people do not use airlocks for primary fermentation as the co2 given off protects the must. You can cover with a towel to keep dust and debris out. You can make a low tech airlock with a balloon with a small hole to let gases escape. (condom could work also althouth I would stay away from the prelubed variety)
 
I have always used airlocks, but I have seen people wedge a piece of tubeing into the neck of the carboy/demi john and (aka a blow off tube) and run that into a jar of sanitizer. You could get the tubing from your local hardware store.
 
Many people do not use airlocks for primary fermentation as the co2 given off protects the must. You can cover with a towel to keep dust and debris out. You can make a low tech airlock with a balloon with a small hole to let gases escape. (condom could work also althouth I would stay away from the prelubed variety)

Thanks for your replies :)
Just to clarify, are you suggesting that i brew the cider in the demijohns and cover that with a towel?
This will be my first brew so I want to get it right! :p
 
I second the vote to poke a couple holes in a condom and cap it onto the carboy. If you're in a time crunch and no local home brew store near by, I highly suggest this approach. You can name it "safe cider". :)

Of course you will likely run down to the local walgreens and buy a pack of water balloons instead, but think of the story you can tell when your friends have had a few and you tell them you used a condom to brew!
 
Haha! so you suggest doing all the brew stuff then just adding a condom to the neck of the demijohn with holes in it? Thinking about doing this tonight as ive got everything else atm :)
Lol, a demi john with a little johnny hat!! :p
Thanks
 

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