Darn, The seals shot on my new brew bucket

[jpseaton]

Just picked up a new 6.5 gal brew bucket to lager with. 48 hrs into fermentation and I don't see any activity in the bubbler so I open the lid and what do I see... the start of a nice krausen layer of yeast. We'll I'm relieved that my beer's well on it's way, but how do I fix a brew bucket that will not make an air tight seal?

 

[Radarbrew]

Check to see if the lid has a gasket on the inside, I think most brew buckets do. Plus, is the hole for the airlock sealed? Some have grommets, mine is just a hole with a rubber "cork". You might have not pushed on the lid hard enough to connect all the way around with the seal, I'm going to assume you've put the lid back on, if so, don't open it to check the seal. Every time you open, you allow potentially harmful oxygen to your brew. Sounds like a good brew so far, it'd be a shame to spoil it.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I wouldn't even bother. The seal on my bucket has been leaking for years (insert smart-a$$ metaphorical comment here ). The beer still tastes good.

 

[bnutting]

I'd be willing to bet that the internal pressure from the fermentation will keep out any nasty things.

RDWHAHB

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Forget about the seal on the bucket lid. Use time and a hydrometer as your guage to a beers readiness.

After pitching, I'll check the ferementer 2 or 3 days later and then forget about it until day 7, 14, or 21 (if I am lager strain fermenting). Once it goes to keg secondary I don't even think about it until I've kicked a keg.