Wrong stopper for carboy.

[IPALove361]

Ok so this was my first batch ever and I was going for an IPA style beer and I put the 5 gallons of wort in my 6.5 gallon carboy and realized the stopper for my carboy was too big but it was already 1:00 am and I just put it on top and duct taped it. ( I know I should have checked this stuff but I was too excited!) So is my batch still able to ferment? I lets been like 2 days and still no bubbles. Should I wait and see or should I replace the stopper with the right one? Or is the batch no good altogether? By the way my name is Gerald I'm new to HBT!

 

[BigRob]

Just tinfoil the top and call it a day next time. I wouldnt put duct tape adhesive anywhere near the mouth of my carboy.

 

[IPALove361]

So what about this batch? Should I try and fix it with the right stopper or just wait and see how it comes out?

 

[flars]

The foil over the top will allow CO2 to escape as fermentation begins.

Would need more details on temperature of wort when the yeast was pitched, current wort temperature, dry or rehydrated dry yeast pitched, or liquid yeast (starter or no starter, production date of yeast) to know if there may be a problem with the fermentation.

Is a krausen forming?

 

[flars]

Sanitize the foil before you put it on. Get a universal bung when you have the time. Get a couple extra, both drilled and solid.

 

[BigRob]

Your batch wouldn't really be affected by the bung not fitting, there isn't really a NEED to have an airlock during primary fermentation (just some way to prevent contamination by infectious microbes). I have no idea if your sanitation is good, or how you sanitized the duct tape, but you may as well ride out the batch and see how it goes. Grab the proper bung this week and swap it in when you have time. You should be using a blowoff tube for any primary fermentation anyway, bungs and airlocks once krausen subsides.

 

[IPALove361]

Ok I swapped out the bung with the proper one. It bubbles about every other second now. And yes, there is a good 2 inches of krausen forming. And pitching of the yeast and the yeast itself and pretty much everything else was within range. Does everything seem ok?

 

[BigRob]

Sounds good, don't judge fermentation by bubble rate, it means pretty much nothing.

 

[IPALove361]

Ok thanks for the help guys!