Open top fermenter

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TDRacing13

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Just got the latest BYO and theres an article on how to make an open top fermenter. Basically it works on the theory that a low wide fermenter is better than a tall narrow one. They say to use a true top-cropping yeast that will give you a vigerous ferment soon after pitching, this way the krausen and CO2 will protect the brew from oxygen. Anyone ever heard of this or tried it, it kind of makes me a little curious. Supposedly allot of big brewers use this type of fermenter.
 
It caught my eye. Hefeweizens are traditionally brewed this way (open fermentation).

However, I wonder if the scale of most homebrew batches (5g) really allows for the benefits that a commercial brewer sees from open fermentation. I don't think heat or pressure build up nearly as much in a bucket/carboy as in a large conical fermentor.
 
Home brewers don't see the geometry difference that commercial brewers see between a tall conical and a wide open fermenter. For home brewers, open and closed fermentations are usually less than 3ft deep, which is much shallower than commercial open fermentation.

Kai
 
TDRacing13 said:
Just got the latest BYO and theres an article on how to make an open top fermenter.QUOTE]


I brew like this quite often. I often use a plain old plastic pail for my primary, with a loose-fitting lid to stop anything crawling in. As long as I aerate my wort, and pitch a decent amount of healthy yeast, things get going pretty quickly and there is a protective "crust" of krausen. You need to keep an eye on it because when that krausen starts to settle back into the wort, you know it's time to rack.

Secondary occurs in a closed fermenter.

This is, I think, pretty old school brewing, but if you pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene, quality of your yeast, and aerate your wort, it works very well.
Click to expand...
 
I am going to bring this back to life. Who uses the rest the lid on top technique? I am currently using it for my first all grain and it has me worried. It was what ,y LHBS recomended and apparently the lid and fermentor are designed for this. I guess in theory it make sense. With all the CO2 produced it should have positive pressure and there for not allow any yeast into the bucket but so many people say a tight sealing lid with air lock. What's your opinion?
 
you should be safe, i done lots of it when i was younger with kit beers. Never even thought about it frankly until i started reading more about homebrew. But if you have an airlock i would use it. I just done it because i didn't have one.
 
Izzie1701 said:
I am going to bring this back to life. Who uses the rest the lid on top technique? I am currently using it for my first all grain and it has me worried. It was what ,y LHBS recomended and apparently the lid and fermentor are designed for this. I guess in theory it make sense. With all the CO2 produced it should have positive pressure and there for not allow any yeast into the bucket but so many people say a tight sealing lid with air lock. What's your opinion?
Click to expand...

I use a brute trash can for large batches I plan on souring. I rack to carboys after 10 days or so.
 
9 years...

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There is a good Brewing TV episode where the look at an open fermenter at New Glarus. Pretty cool.
 
I always just rest the lid on the bucket. Airlock is on, but obviously not functioning. When it appears that the vigorous part of the fermentation is done, I snap the lid down tight. This has prevented a few explosions over the years. Left an oozing mess to clean, but nothing on the ceiling that way!
 
Izzie1701 said:
I am going to bring this back to life. Who uses the rest the lid on top technique? I am currently using it for my first all grain and it has me worried. It was what ,y LHBS recomended and apparently the lid and fermentor are designed for this. I guess in theory it make sense. With all the CO2 produced it should have positive pressure and there for not allow any yeast into the bucket but so many people say a tight sealing lid with air lock. What's your opinion?
Click to expand...

A double layer of cheesecloth should (theoretically) keep any debris, and the co2 blanket produced during primary fermentation will prevent oxidation in the short term. I haven't done it yet myself because the closet I ferment in has some dampness and the occasional musty smell that keeps me worried. If you have a clean enough space, I say go for it. If your sanitation is good, your beer should be fine.
 
Bottled the beer from this post last weekend. Lid sat on top. Taste great. I moved it to a secondary after primary fermentation stopped. Left it in that for a week. Nothing sat on top not even yeast so definitely no visible infection and nothing I could detect in the taste yet. Did another with a snap on lid and airlock last weekend as well so we will see if there is any difference. I doubt it though. In a little crazy with my sanitation. I have a spray bottle of star San and pretty much go through a liter of it in a bee session spraying everything. Even if my spoon goes in the beer then comes out and goes straight back in without touching anything a spray it. Same with my brew pot lid. It gets sanitized with star San before I set it on top of the boil for the last 10 mins. I'm probably a little over board but I rather that then bad beer.
 

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