First Batch today!

[charliesmith1979]

Alright, so I think I have everything I need however, can't figure out where or what the S-Shaped Airlock is used for and have searched on the forms and a few books. Any help will be appreciated as I'd like first batch to at least be drinkable! :cross:

Using Brewcraft Standard Beer Kit

Thanks!
Charlie

 

[BrewMasta]

That's funny Charlie, the airlock goes in your bung hole of course. Then you stick it in your primary fermenter when you are done funneling your beer into the fermenter, its designed to let the co2 out of your fermenter during fermentation while keeping out any o2. Maybe you should search UTube videos to find out more info about air locks, and the such.

 

[feinbera]

Your kit should come with a bung with a drilled-out center that fits in the hole in the fermentor lid (if your kit came with a plastic fermentation bucket) or the carboy neck (if it came with a glass carboy).

Stick the airlock in the bung and the bung in the fermentor (in that order, unless you want to push the bung through into your wort and make a panic run to the LHBS for a replacement), then fill it to the line with vodka, sanitizer, or just clean water.

This allows the CO2 from fermentation to escape, while keeping wild yeast and other nasties from falling into your beer.

 

[charliesmith1979]

You guys rock! I'm really excited and did a google image search and saw where it goes....in the bung hole! Appreciate the help and one more question for you since you guys responded so fast, what are you using to take sample of fermenting beer and how much to get the SPGR reading?

 

[BrewMasta]

You need to purchase a hydrometer and cylinder with like a turkey blaster, or a wine thief for drawing out some beer for testing. I would google that also. You would first Darwin out the beer with the wine thief or turkey blaster, decant the sample into the cylinder, then slowly lower your hydrometer into the beer giving it a spin as you do let it steady itself then take the reading. They sell whole kits for taking gravity readings.