Pressure in plastic fermenting tub

Hi,

I am making my first ever brew, using one of the kits where you just add the stuff together in the big plastic barrel and it ferments in about 4-6 days apparrently.

Just a quick question, the instructions say that you put the lid on after adding the yeast which I have done, but it is pushing the lid up with the pressure inside the tub.
Should I be releasing the pressure a couple of times a day ? I have to remove the lid anyway in order to do the SG test, but how should I treat this ?

Thanks!

Do not close the lid. C02 needs to escape.

You need to leave it loose or fit a lid with an airlock.
The barrels are for serving in, not fermenting.

If you are fermenting, I'd buy a spare lid, a bung and an airlock.

For what It's worth, if I was you I'd buy a 6 gallon bucket and lid for a few pounds.
Ferment your beer in there then transfer to the barrel to condition.

I am not sure exactly what kind of kit you have, but releasing the pressure by cracking the lid to relieve the pressure is not going to hurt your brew. In fact, if it is bulging, it may be a good thing to do to avoid the lid popping off completely.

Often times the lids have space for an airlock which helps to relieve the pressure without providing room for anything to get inside. I can't tell if you have one of those or not.

edit: Orfy beat me to it. What he said.

I can see the point of the bung now

The one I have is a 5 gallon plastic container, which you just put the water, sugar, contents of kit and leave to attain temperature before adding the yeast... I think I'll go and stop it bulging and leave it loosely on top, although it doesn't want to be too lose otherwise I might get contaimination in it ?

I think as long as you have the lid on top and not sealed tight you should be okay. It would still allow some of the CO2 to escape while keeping the contaminants out

orfy said:

For what It's worth, if I was you I'd buy a 6 gallon bucket and lid for a few pounds.
Ferment your beer in there then transfer to the barrel to condition.

Click to expand...

I've just re-read you post and realised that I misled you with my terminology. I am using a 5 gallon plastic tub/bin. Not an actual barrel

Its fermenting nicely, its well above the red and heading for the yellow on the hydroptic

Hey Ratcliffe I have the exact same set up here - when the pressure builds up - I just sightly lift up the cover and let some gas out - usually twice a day. This works fine for most standard beers with a packet of yeast. If you are making a beer with high gravity it may create more pressure - but my lid has never blown off as of yet

Yup, thats pretty much how it worked out in the end Grasshopper... I "burped" the lid, and left that corner loose, and the pressure worked its own way out as it needed to.
Result - very clear beer at the bottling stage. Nice.