Brew day...need answer somewhat quickly

Hi all. I'll be brewing my 5th batch today (4th batch is in secondary currently). Anyway, I forgot to purchase a second airlock. My only airlock is on my secondary right now. I'll be bottling the batch from the secondary in 24 hours from now, but in the next hour, I'll be brewing my 5th batch and I'll need an airlock for that.

Question: Do I need to have an airlock on my secondary for the next 24 hours? The secondary has a lid that's tapped for the airlock, but I also have another lid that has no tap on it. Can I just use the untapped lid on my secondary? Or is there another technique I should use? My LHBS is 45 minutes away and not worth a trip for the airlock.

Thanks!

Wouldn't be ideal...but you could probably get away with loosely fitting a piece of tin foil over the opening of the carboy (assuming by secondary you mean carboy).

Whew I am hung over but I think you are missing a air lock for your primary. You can take some of the hose you have and make a blow off tube instead of a airlock.

Just stuff the end of the tubing where the airlock goes and run it into a bucket of starsan

You can use a piece of foil or saran wrap over the top of the primary fermenter. It will be fine for a few weeks that way. Don't do anything to the secondary airlock.

I agree with RM. Use some foil over the primary. You want to keep the airlock on the secondary. I wouldn't go a few weeks though; probably should have an airlock on it as fermentation starts to slow down.

If you're bottling in a day, I'd use the bung for your secondary and use the airlock for the primary. That way you minimize your chance of infection on both.

I'm assuming you are using a Carboy and not a bucket for your primary. Good trick in a pinch is to get a ballon or condom and poke a small hole in the top. Slide it over the mouth of the carboy and you have a make shift airlock. Works like a charm. It it fits loose like mine did when I had to use this trick (I have to buy horse sized profos, for my horse) use a couple of rubber bands to secure. If this explanation is confusing search it on the forum. Prost!

Yeah, I have a carboy for my primary and bucket for my secondary. I'll be bottling my the batch in my secondary tomorrow, so I only need a solution for the next 24 hours. Thanks for all the input.

Agreed use tubing that feeds into a bowl of star-San......I use that for my violent fermentations!!! Works great !!!! The macguyver method of balloons or rubbers works as well!!! Happy brewing chief!!!

aluminum foil over the primary, or a blowoff tube. I use blow tubes EXCLUSIVELY for primaries, and I rarely secondary unless I'm adding fruit/spices etc.

This is a minor problem really.

Hmmm....dilema.....I think you need to drink about it some, then some clever solution will reveal itself!

Edit: Or, you will be drunk and not care too much and make some rash decision that likely will still end with beer being made.

SaltyDog03 said:

Yeah, I have a carboy for my primary and bucket for my secondary. I'll be bottling my the batch in my secondary tomorrow, so I only need a solution for the next 24 hours. Thanks for all the input.

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Did you buy this as a kit? What size is the bucket? What size is the carboy. Most kits sell a larger bucket for primary and a 5 gallon carboy for the secondary. The smaller vessel is used for the secondary because it limits the headspace and reduces the risk of oxidation.

I also suggest setting up a blowoff tube for the primary and leaving the airlock on the secondary until you are ready to bottle.

I always start fermentations with a blowoff tube installed. It will sooner or later save you from a messy cleanup.