Problem. . .

I brewed one beer today, Kolsch.

I also put together a batch of EdWort's Apfelwein.

The beer is in a 6 gallon better bottle, no problem.

The apfelwein is in a bucket. I think the lid is not sealing tight, actually I know it's not.

What should I do? Obviously I need to get it into something airtight. I have a 5 gallon better bottle empty that was planned to have the Kolsch in a week or so for a month of cold conditioning. I also have my bottling bucket which would work unless it is the lid that is faulty.

I have gone over my beer budget for the month and don't really want to have to buy another better bottle at the moment.

Any help is appreciated.

RDWHAHB,
Even if the lid doesn't make a perfect seal, it will prevent bacteria from falling into the bucket. Bacteria floats about in the air and falls onto things. It doesn't climb up the bucket sides, or squeeze through the minute gaps between the bucket and lid. This is especially true if there is fermention going on as the CO2 will be moving out of the bucket.

-a.

Well, my biggest fear was that there was juice in the rim where the lid should seal. I work in cell culture and know that any wet pathway is an invitation for infection.

Anyway, I put it in the carboy. This gives me a week or so to figure out something to do. Thanks.

Beerrific said:

This gives me a week or so to figure out something to do. Thanks.

Click to expand...

You should spend that week drinking beer...

Chrus said:

You should spend that week drinking beer...

Click to expand...

Will do. Drink enough and I will just end up buying a new carboy.

Depending on whether you want to have you 5-gal or 6-gal bottle avaalable first (assuming the apfelwein will ferment longer than the kolsch):

To free up the 6-gal: rack your kolsch to the (clean, sanitized) bucket after primary; clean the 6-gal bottle and rack the kolsch back into it for secondary. Leave the apfelwein in the 5-gal to completion.

To free up the 5-gal: when the kolsch finishes primary, rack the apfelwein into the bucket. Clean the 5-gal bottle, then rack the kolsch there (if you plan to secondary). Then clean the 6-gal, and rack the apfelwein into it.

Either way, one extra transfer, which shouldn't pose too many problems as long as you take normal precautions.

This is what I am probably going to do. I will probably rack the Kolsch to a bucket then clean the 6 gallon and put it back in there. I would like to have the Kolsch in a 5 gallon so to minimize the head space for the cold conditioning, but it will be OK.
Thanks.

This happened on my last batch. I just took some plastic kitchen wrap and stretched it as tight as I could around the top of the bucket. Just bottled today and no visible signs of infection. I'm going taste test in 3 weeks. Give the plastic wrap a try, seems like it works. Good luck!

I actually just put it in the carboy. I want to keep it in there for like 4 weeks so I wanted something that wouldn't keep me awake at might.

Thanks.