I've completed the wort for my first batch about 2 days ago. It has been sitting in my fermenting bucket for the past two days and there has been plenty of bubbling in the airlock, telling me that it is fermenting.
My problem seems to lie in the airlock though, it doesn't seem to be able to relieve the pressure being built up fast enough. The lid of my supposedly air tight, home depot fermentation bucket is bulging. I'm afraid that before to long the top will pop off completely compromising my batch.
The reason the airlock doesn't seem to be working is because the hops are clogging the tiny holes on the top. It would take 5 seconds at most to pop the cap off the airlock and clean it, but I want to be certain that doing so won't ruin my beer.
That's question one.
My others ones are more about the general idea of brewing...
Is the point of the airlock simply to relieve the pressure in the bucket and prevent contamination?
Does the optimal temperature differ with the type of yeast you are using?
Can you ferment essentially anything that is high in starches? Or are other ingredients in the wort essential for reasons other than taste?
Thanks for taking the time to read/answer these.
My problem seems to lie in the airlock though, it doesn't seem to be able to relieve the pressure being built up fast enough. The lid of my supposedly air tight, home depot fermentation bucket is bulging. I'm afraid that before to long the top will pop off completely compromising my batch.
The reason the airlock doesn't seem to be working is because the hops are clogging the tiny holes on the top. It would take 5 seconds at most to pop the cap off the airlock and clean it, but I want to be certain that doing so won't ruin my beer.
That's question one.
My others ones are more about the general idea of brewing...
Is the point of the airlock simply to relieve the pressure in the bucket and prevent contamination?
Does the optimal temperature differ with the type of yeast you are using?
Can you ferment essentially anything that is high in starches? Or are other ingredients in the wort essential for reasons other than taste?
Thanks for taking the time to read/answer these.