Cold crash without airlock

[njohnsoncs]

Is it OK if I put my bucket fermenter in a chest freezer without an airlock? The reason I want to do this is because it needs to sit on the freezer hump and there isn't enough height to have an airlock.

 

[thehaze]

How large is the opening where the airlock fits in? You can try to put some aluminum foil ( double, triple fold it and sanitize! ) and tie it with some strings or whatever. I do it sometimes with my Speidel fermenter, but the construction of the fermenter helps in my case. Or foil and tape it over. Again, make sure to sanitize properly everything that comes in contact with the fermenter.

 

[IslandLizard]

I put a small, squeezed out Starsan soaked washcloth, folded over 2x, over the airlock hole.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I do the same thing as @IslandLizard except I use starsan soaked paper towels. Pressure can equalize but the air moves through a sanitizing wet filter medium that should grab any stray spores that might be present. As soon as your wort reaches crashing temp you can insert a solid bung to minimize oxidation.

 

[Sadu]

You can always do the remote airlock option, works real good.

Put a silicone tube into the airlock bung.
Put the airlock into the other end of the tube (use tape or whatever to get it to fit).
Tape the airlock to the side of the fermentor so it sits upright.

Gives you an airlock but without the height.

 

[Qhrumphf]

The problem with air suckback isn't just microbial contamination but the *air itself*

If you can't reliable keep ONLY carbon dioxide pulling back into solution (positive CO2 pressure, can't be done in a bucket, would just pop the lid) I simply would skip the cold crash in the fermenter, rack to a purged keg, put it under your target pressure and THEN cold crash.

 

[day_trippr]

I have to agree with ^that^. It really is that bad, and the hoppier the brew the worse the degradation...

Cheers!

 

[Jayjay1976]

Check out the cold crash guardian from brewhardware.com
It has a flexible bladder that inflates with CO2 during fermentation, venting excess to a jar of sanitizer. When you cold crash the bladder provides makeup gas to your fermemter that is free of oxygen. It also comes with enough vinyl tubing to locate the bladder remotely as @Sadu suggested.