Confusion over open fermentation!

[tomematthews]

Hi guys

Firstly, what a great forum - as a newbie to home brewing I have used this site quite a bit and it's always full of friendly and helpful people!

Now my question... I'm brewing a batch of Woodfordes Wherry. I am using a plastic fermenting bucket. I started the brew last Wednesday (27th August) at my parent's house. I have now had to return home but am back there this coming weekend (6th September). Would you think this would be too long to leave the beer in the fermenting bucket? I can ask my Dad to bottle it for me but not sure if he is happy doing this on his own...

Main reason I ask is because I am using open fermentation... We just loosely placed the lid on the fermenting bucket for the first few days of fermentation. Bearing this in mind, will it be OK to leave the beer in the bucket for another few days or are we risking contamination? When I left (yesterday - Sunday 31st August), the major foaming had died down and there was just a fairly thin layer of bubbles on the top of the beer, with occasional bubbles still rising...

Thanks in advance for any advice!!

 

[ChuckO]

There should be no problem as long as you keep the bucket covered. Saturday the 6th will only be 10 days since you started, so I would wait at least until then to take a specific gravity reading. Take another three days later to verify that fermentation has ended before bottling.

The first beer that I made was fermented in an open top bucket with cheese cloth over it to keep fruit flies out. Went for 10 days before being transferred to a carboy. Turned out well enough to hook me into the hobby.

 

[tomematthews]

Thanks so much for your advice ChuckO! Would it be worth putting the lid on tightly now, or should we leave it just loose on top? Thanks again!

 

[RickS]

Do you have an airlock on the lid? If you do then fill the airlock to the line with Star-San or Vodka, and seal the bucket.

 

[tomematthews]

Hi Rick - thanks for your reply.... No, no airlock. It's just a basic fermenting bucket...

 

[chickypad]

When I use buckets I never seal the lids down fully. I try to rack them to a keg by 2 wks though, more worried about oxidation than infection.

 

[tomematthews]

Excellent - thank you chickypad - I will be racking to bottles this weekend, so about 10 days since the brew... Thanks everyone for all your help!