Fermenter lid won't seal

I have a 7.9 gallon fermenting bucket that came with my beginner’s kit. The lid fits ok but it does not seal, just lies on top of the bucket. (I’m not very strong – but I think a lot of people would have trouble.) I am not willing to use a mallet and pry bar. What do I need to do to use this bucket? Do I have to seal it with plastic bags and duck tape? Or can I just do something to keep the lid from blowing off? Maybe use a Velcro-type strap or heavy books to keep the lid on? I know a lot of people have this bucket – any suggestions?
I bought my kit at LHBS, but this is the same as mine. I read in the lid reviews that many of the lids cracked after only one use. I can see how that could happen.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/7-9-gallon-plastic-fermenter-with-lid.html

Just put it on the best you can. You'll be fine. It's really just to make sure nothing drops in to your wort. Short of a bug crawling in, the only thing you have to worry about is wild yeast & bacteria floating in the air. If the lid is on, you're golden. It's not like they'll work their way up and under the lid.

You may notice that your airlock isn't bubbling since your fermenter isn't completely sealed up, so don't worry. Just give it a few weeks and take a reading to ensure that your fermemtation is complete.

You really don't need an airtight seal on your fermenter. The co2 coming out of there would protect your beer. In fact many folks with arthitis and other issues don't snap the lid down on their buckets anyway, and may folks just put tinfoil, plastic wrap, metal cookie sheets or even plexiglass sheets on top of the bucket instead. It's really not crucial to be tight. The bad stuff are not ninja acrobats, they really can't get into stuff. The co2 coming out will prevent anything getting in.

In fact you don't want a "pressurized" bucket, if you have one, then at some point you will end up with a ceiling full of beer. I've had that happen when the vent (airlock) gets blocked by a freak hop cone, and it wasn't pretty.

As mentioned above, there is really no need to have a seal on the lid. My buckets for small batches really don't seal at all. But, I use them regularly, and have never had an infection or off flavors. If you're nervous about it set something on top to hold it down.

Check the lid for a pull tab on the side that you unwind around the lid. For some reason most fermenter bucket lids have this on them and it took me awhile to figure it out with my first one. It will fit after you take it off.

You can see the lip of the pull tab in the photo of the lid on this site -->

http://tryingtogetby.com/2010/03/br...rewing-question-fermenter-lid-strip-question/

Thanks for the response, but mine does not have that strip. I am just not very strong.

Stop! Back away from the bucket.....

Ok, that was just for fun.

I had some AHS buckets that acted a little strange - wouldn't seat and then snap, closed tight. Frankly I didn't really care one way or the other, I was just thinking I had bought the wrong lids. But the lid just keeps crud from PLF'ing into your bucket. Recently I was making a monster stout and intentionally didn't snap the lid since I wasn't going to be near it for a few days and didn't want a mess.

I had to put some cuts on the side wall of my lid, mine wouldnt snap on, the instructions said that may have to be done.

I, unlike most of the sheep here, judge my fermentation progress by airlock bubbles. This means that I make sure that they're all leak free.

I have a couple of different styles of buckets and have made all of them seal. The seal is made by the soft gasket in the rim of the lid. If you look at the portion of the lid that "locks" to the lip of the bucket you will usually find a thin protrusion left by the molding process. Carefully run a new razor blade lightly along this portion of the lid to remove the casting leavings and a very small amount of the locking portion. The lid will still seal and will be much easier to put on and take off.

back in the good ol days when Nottingham was still the raging beast, most times it was good not to have your lid snapped down

trigger said:

I, unlike most of the sheep here, judge my fermentation progress by airlock bubbles. This means that I make sure that they're all leak free.

Click to expand...

I don't know what makes us sheep just because we don't have to see bubbles to ensure that fermentation has started. Is it encouraging to see bubbles?, sure it is. But just because they're not present doesn't mean fermentation hasn't started, and just because they've stopped doesn't mean fermentation is complete. That's why a lot of us put more stock into gravity readings than bubbles.

Of course, that's just my $.02, you're free to monitor your beer any way you choose. That's what makes this hobby great. More than one way to skin a cat. So long as you're happy with the end product is all that matters.

Happy Brewing!

^^Agreed. Judging your fermentation by the airlock was never a good way to measure fermentation completeness - yes, even in the days before this forum or others where we now try to correct brewers misconceptions about the brewing process. Doing things the right way does not make us sheep!