Stupid Question

I just brewed my first batch and I primary fermented for a week, I racked into secondary fermenter and fitted it with a S Shaped Air lock. Now here comes the stupid question is there a top that is fitted onto the air lock "usually an orange or red color with no holes" or should this cap be left off? Please help

Noogle, there are no stupid questions... only stupid people. Just kiddin'!

An orange or red cap usually accompanies the S-Shaped airlock. This keeps out particulars and bugs and if you have it, then by god use it. If you don't have it, it isn't the end of the world. I have a friend who hates them and never uses them... then again just last week there was a fly that got in the bubbler and nearly got sucked into the mead he was brewing...

Use the cap it comes with, if not that, a small piece of aluminum foil or something (make sure it can breathe). If not that, hell, fill up the airlock with Everclear... anything that can live through that deserves to be in a batch of beer...

Cheers!

Last time I saw 191 proof Everclear, the cost was $ 170 a pint. $160 of that was the Federal Tax. But it was fairly readibly available from a good pharmacy.

noogle said:

"usually an orange or red color with no holes" or should this cap be left off? Please help

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i dont use them, in fact when i buy new airlocks i leave them at the store, (its just something else that has to be sanitized)

i guess they would be usefull if you get alot of fruit flies buzzing around your beer, which is common considering fruit flies are attracted to rotting(fermenting) fruit. they see your beer as one giant piece of fruit i guess...ive never had one fall in but i guess it can happen...

i don't use mine (it's for my starters) but you can.

and no stupid questions here! ask away...

Apparently, it's optional according to this site, but I don't believe that.

If you check the cap you'll notice there's a lip that interacts with a lip on the airlock. With the cap in place there's still a gap between the 2 pieces so you don't need holes.

As far as my opinion goes on the cap I believe the upside down "cup" allows water to evaporate and capture any that condensates inside the cap (slows evaporation so you don't have to re-fill as often). But, that's just my opinion.

homebrewer_99 said:

Apparently, it's optional according to this site, but I don't believe that.

If you check the cap you'll notice there's a lip that interacts with a lip on the airlock. With the cap in place there's still a gap between the 2 pieces so you don't need holes.

As far as my opinion goes on the cap I believe the upside down "cup" allows water to evaporate and capture any that condensates inside the cap (slows evaporation so you don't have to re-fill as often). But, that's just my opinion.

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hhmm? never noticed that before. i need to check that out!

thanks HB 99!!

noogle said:

Now here comes the stupid question is there a top that is fitted onto the air lock "usually an orange or red color with no holes" or should this cap be left off? Please help

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I never use the little caps - I just push a little wad of cotton wool into the top of my S shaped airlocks to stop any dust etc getting in. Those little red caps never seem right to me but HB_99 has it right as i've just taken time to examine one!

I have some with little stand-offs also. This allows the "exhaust" air-flow.