Air tight during fermentation

[Matty1222]

I purchased a starter kit and went to work on Friday. It is now Tuesday.

After cooling it off, I put it in a five gallon plastic barrel that came with the starter kit. No matter how hard I try, the barrel won't close tight. Does it matter if the barrel isn't air tight or did I ruin my first batch? Please help a newbie.

 

[LogicBomb]

Beer cannot be fermented in an airtight environment. What you are after is an oxygen-free environment, which is not the same thing. You want gas to escape but prevent it from coming back in.

Did it come with an airlock or similar device?

What kit was it?

 

[Rockn_M]

If you have an air tight enviornment you'll be cleaning up a a really big mess. You need a way for the gas to escape but not let oxygen in.

What kind of kit did you get?

 

[funnycreature]

Beer cannot be fermented in an airtight environment. What you are after is an oxygen-free environment, which is not the same thing. You want gas to escape but prevent it from coming back in.

Did it come with an airlock or similar device?

What kit was it?

How about what's going on in this thread?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/closed-system-pressurized-fermentation-technique-44344/

Obviously they use a system designed to hold the pressure.

 

[Rockn_M]

How about what's going on in this thread?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/closed-system-pressurized-fermentation-technique-44344/

Obviously they use a system designed to hold the pressure.

Yes. He mentions he has a back flow pressure valve and he states "I twisted the tap and ended up with a freezer full of fermenting beer".

I made the assumption that the OP had a bucket or carboy, something simple and inexpensive.

 

[DrNecropolis]

I purchased a starter kit and went to work on Friday. It is now Tuesday.

After cooling it off, I put it in a five gallon plastic barrel that came with the starter kit. No matter how hard I try, the barrel won't close tight. Does it matter if the barrel isn't air tight or did I ruin my first batch? Please help a newbie.

I assume you mean you cant get the lid on right..

You can take a rubber mallet and tap it down or a hammer, if you use the latter, put a board over it to distribute the jarring so it doesn't take it all in one spot..

Lids get easier to open and close over time..

 

[Matty1222]

 

[Matty1222]

The kit is called brewcraft USA homebrewers starter kit. There is an airlock but I'm not seeing gas bubbles to concerned its not working. Looks like something is going on in the bucket though..

 

[trogdor447]

did you start it friday too? initial post is a bit confusing. It is not always a factor if its bubling or not... If you push on one side does it drop down? or is it a tight seal? My pumpkin ale took almost 48 hours to start full bubbling as well. And im pretty new to this stuff, aside from what I used to do w/ dad

 

[woozy]

I purchased a starter kit and went to work on Friday. It is now Tuesday.

After cooling it off, I put it in a five gallon plastic barrel that came with the starter kit. No matter how hard I try, the barrel won't close tight. Does it matter if the barrel isn't air tight or did I ruin my first batch? Please help a newbie.

"did I ruin my first batch?"

*One* mistake never "ruins" a batch. And first batches *always* have several mistakes. Relax Don't Worry And Have A Home Brew.

And welcome to the hobby.

Anyway *never* ask "Is my beer ruined?" You'll wake the woozy and he can really be a dick sometimes.


Well, as you've figured out "air-tight" was a poor choice of words. You don't want a fermenter to be airtight. You want gasses to be able to vent out and you don't want air (and the microbes therein) to get in.

The kit is called brewcraft USA homebrewers starter kit. There is an airlock but I'm not seeing gas bubbles to concerned its not working. Looks like something is going on in the bucket though..

The isn't bubbling because you don't have a tight seal and the gasses are getting out the seal. This is okay. Fermentation is still happening.

Microbes probably aren't getting in because the pressure of the fermenting is going one-way; out. The fermentation is creating a layer of CO2 so you won't have to worry about aeration and oxidation much.

I'm not really sure how to fix the seal on your bucket. I've heard that as many as 25% of some buckets have this issue and you need to redo the sealer and it's easy, but I don't have any experience in that. But it's okay to ride out this batch. And this batch will be fine.

 

[woozy]

did you start it friday too? initial post is a bit confusing. It is not always a factor if its bubling or not... If you push on one side does it drop down? or is it a tight seal? My pumpkin ale took almost 48 hours to start full bubbling as well. And im pretty new to this stuff, aside from what I used to do w/ dad

It's *not* a tight seal. That's the whole point of the original post.

Because it is not a tight seal the air lock will simply not work and will not be a good determination of fermentation (which *is* happening). So ignore the airlock altogether.

So the *real* worry is, without a tight seal will air-born nasties get in? And the answer is a wishy-washy "probably not". As long as there isn't a gaping opening the nasties, which aren't acrobats, will probably be kept at bay. Don't fuss and open the ferementer unnescessarily.

 

[Matty1222]

Started Friday night. Thanks so much for the reassurance woozy. Appreciate it. How can I be sure microbes aren't getting in?

 

[woozy]

Started Friday night. Thanks so much for the reassurance woozy. Appreciate it. How can I be sure microbes aren't getting in?

Um, you kind of can't. Different people will tell you different things and it's something you can really obsess over.

The way *I* like to think of it is that it's a numbers game. You can never guarentee that microbes won't get in and you can never guarentee that they will. With *good* sanitition practice you can get the odds of an infection down to near zero. With *no* sanitation practices at all the odds are probably in the teens percentage wise.

 

[DrNecropolis]

Started Friday night. Thanks so much for the reassurance woozy. Appreciate it. How can I be sure microbes aren't getting in?

Only way to be sure is knock that lid down tight..

With it being open, there is no guarantee that they aren't getting in, but no promise that they are, some fermenters just have a lid that rests on the top.. I would try and get it closed as much as possible and go from there..

Like I mentioned above, try the rubber mallet..

 

[Matty1222]

Thank you all. Keep ya posted on the progress.

 

[Yooper]

The kit is called brewcraft USA homebrewers starter kit. There is an airlock but I'm not seeing gas bubbles to concerned its not working. Looks like something is going on in the bucket though..

I have that fermenter!

The lid does fit tight, but it's weird. You have to hold it at like a 45 degree angle and put on one side and then use your hands to push it the rest of the way around. It's sort of like old tupperware lids from the 70s, although most people don't remember them like I do. :cross:

It takes some practice, but then you'll get it.

If you don't get it down airtight, that's ok. Just make sure it's covered well so fruitflies and stuff can't get in. In 10 days or so, you will be able to package the beer.

 

[Matty1222]

I have that fermenter!

The lid does fit tight, but it's weird. You have to hold it at like a 45 degree angle and put on one side and then use your hands to push it the rest of the way around. It's sort of like old tupperware lids from the 70s, although most people don't remember them like I do. :cross:

It takes some practice, but then you'll get it.

If you don't get it down airtight, that's ok. Just make sure it's covered well so fruitflies and stuff can't get in. In 10 days or so, you will be able to package the beer.

Fits like a gloves. Gees, that has been driving me nuts since Friday. So 10 days from "today" I should be ready to bottle? Is there any way to tell?

Love the advice.

-Mat

 

[Yooper]

Fits like a gloves. Gees, that has been driving me nuts since Friday. So 10 days from "today" I should be ready to bottle? Is there any way to tell?

Love the advice.

-Mat

Haha- should have asked us on Friday if it was bugging you! :cross:

You can bottle when two things happen- the FG is the same over at least 3 days as confirmed by hydrometer; and when the beer is clear or clearing. It could be 10 days from today, or a bit more.

I like packaging only clear (or pretty clear) beer, as then you have less crud in the bottles in the end. Patience is worth it in that respect!

 

[LogicBomb]

I remember those old tupperware lids...

Very much like poorly designed coffee cup lids - just when you think you have it the other side pops up.

 

[Matty1222]

It has now been 10 days fermenting. I want to take a hydrometer reading to see if it is ready to bottle. Is that my next move?

How do I go about this? What do I test it in?

By the way... I was never able to get an accurate og reading when I started

-Mat

 

[ronjonacron]

If it was an extract kit and you added the right amount of water you can bank on being pretty close to your projected og.

The majority of the forum is fan of longer primaries, most of us leaving for 3-4 weeks. Me personally, i check it at 3 and if its close to where its supposed to be i bottle at 4.

For checking gravity, your kit shouldve come with a long tube graduated cylinder tyoe thing, put enough beer in.there to float the hydrometer and read what its at. Might have to use a spigot or turkey baster / wine thief to retrieve the sample.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[Yooper]

The majority of the forum is fan of longer primaries, most of us leaving for 3-4 weeks. Me personally, i check it at 3 and if its close to where its supposed to be i bottle at 4.

While it's ok for those who prefer to go for a long primary to do so, I would say that it's not "most" who leave the beer in primary for 3-4 weeks. I know there is a vocal group that do, but I'd hazard a guess to say that "most" go no more than about two weeks or so, particularly those who have been brewing a long time.

For me personally, I prefer a beer's flavor that is out of the primary by about day 10-14. A well made beer doesn't need a lengthy time in the fermenter, but some people do prefer the flavor pick up of a long primary. So it's a matter of preference and it's not "right" or "wrong" either way.

Once the beer is finished fermenting, and clear, it's not going to get "doner". It may pick up some more flavor from the yeast cake, or lose some other flavors, but it won't ferment more or clear more once it's clear.

 

[E_Marquez]

The kit is called brewcraft USA homebrewers starter kit. There is an airlock but I'm not seeing gas bubbles to concerned its not working. Looks like something is going on in the bucket though..

This?

Assuming so, I did see an bubble air lock in the pic and equipment list., and you said as much in a later post.

When did you brew and pitch the yeast? 24-48 hours ago or more?

If so, and you "see something" going on in the bucket, you likely have a leaking lid.. something repeated as common here. that I have not yet experienced.

 

[ronjonacron]

While it's ok for those who prefer to go for a long primary to do so, I would say that it's not "most" who leave the beer in primary for 3-4 weeks. I know there is a vocal group that do, but I'd hazard a guess to say that "most" go no more than about two weeks or so, particularly those who have been brewing a long time.

For me personally, I prefer a beer's flavor that is out of the primary by about day 10-14. A well made beer doesn't need a lengthy time in the fermenter, but some people do prefer the flavor pick up of a long primary. So it's a matter of preference and it's not "right" or "wrong" either way.

Once the beer is finished fermenting, and clear, it's not going to get "doner". It may pick up some more flavor from the yeast cake, or lose some other flavors, but it won't ferment more or clear more once it's clear.

To add to this, i very rarely brew hop-front beers, most of my brews are show cases for malt or yeast, this may be a large contributor to the length people leave beers in the primaries. Never really though about thay specifically, but it very well may be a significant factor in the decision for longer or shorter times in the fementer.

 

[Matty1222]

Thanks for all the help. Keep ya posted on progress.

-Mat