Making Beer in China!

I am attempting to make beer in China and the only glass carboy I could find is a large honey jug that can hold four gallons..... I brought the regular standard sized air locks with me and I'm desperately trying to figure out a way to make the extra space between the bottle opening and the air lock air tight. I was thinking of some kind of rubber... Does ANYONE have any experience using a carboy that has an opening to large for the air lock??? I would be open to any suggestions. Seriously, the only beer I am getting right now is Tsing Tao and that gets old VERY quickly!

Thanks-
Kat

Rubber stoppers come in many sizes. I don't know where you are in China, but I'm certain there are laboratory supply places that will have them.

You could always just use tinfoil during the vigorous fermentation period and maybe the old-school/ghetto balloon-with-a-pin-prick over the top once the fermentation slows down considerably.

But as david mentioned....I can't imagine you should have too terrible a time finding rubber stoppers. Lab supply store, or even a hardware store (you may have to drill a hole yourself, but they should have SOMETHING)

I have no idea what it is like over there. I assume that simply purchasing one is not an option, so I guess you are looking for some kind of a McGuyver solution here?

Maybe slice up a bicycle inner tube, sanitize & wrap around the plug at the bottom of your airlock until it is the correct diameter?

Where are you going to get your ingredients? Wouldn't who/wherever that is have a solution?

Kat_Grant said:

....gets old VERY quickly!

Kat

Click to expand...

Drink it faster!

I like the bicycle inner tube idea. What is the ID of the honey jar? For primary, the foil should work well, but when co2 stops leaving the jar, air and germs will enter. ....possibly

Isn't everything sold in America made in China?

I would think finding almost anything would be very easy.

Stretch a condom over the top.

(Not sure if chinese condoms will fit...) <--OH NO HE DIDN'T!!!!

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

There are some other folks on HBT brewing over in China, they might be a good resource for help.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/china-need-recipe-help-182946/?highlight=China

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ho...tch-details-questions-156152/?highlight=China

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/brewing-china-118693/?highlight=China

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/china-82209/?highlight=China

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f29/hello-china-27638/?highlight=China

Don't know how many of them are still active, but you could always pm them.

I've been homebrewing in China for a few years now, I can give you some suggestions. The local chemistry supply shop &#65288;&#21270;&#23398;&#24215;&#65289;will sell some stuff you can use for brewing. They usually have big glass carboys and rubber stoppers.

Or you can contact this shop in Dalian, http://www.jiefeifood.cn/ I've ordered some stuff from them before.

Here's a fermentor they sell: http://www.jiefeifood.cn/athena/offerdetail/sale/jiefeifood-10301-616794151.html

Yes, one must remember that in addition to malted beverages, many cultures enjoy pickled / fermented food (think kimchi) that uses the same general sorts of fermentation vessels as beer, only perhaps not strictly carboys, but jugs or buckets with larger openings. Perhaps it's time to "think outside the carboy."