Save me some gas. . .

[pericles]

I'm pitching bugs into a golden strong I'm going to sour this weekend. I don't use glass carboys, and plastic isn't really appropriate for year-long aging, particularly since I'm using pedio (which isn't very oxygen tolerant.) Instead, I'm drilling through the lid of a keg, putting in a grommet, and then throwing an airlock on top: voila, instant stainless fermenter.

The problem is that I lost the grommet I bought at the homebrew store when I was there for ingredients. I'd go back and get a replacement (they cost a nickel) but the store is an hour away from my house.

Anybody know if HD sells grommets that I can use? Or any other suggestions?

 

[horseinmay]

I hope you didn't drill it already. You can just take the poppet out of the gas post, and let it vent that way. Maybe put a blowoff tube over the post. I'm not sure what size fits tight. You could even cover it with a piece of foil since it shouldn't be that active. This is an easy fix.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I just unscrewed the pressure relief valve, (vent valve) in my keg and jammed some tubing in there. IIRC it was 3/8" ID, 1/2" OD, (or perhaps 7/16" OD?). Fit nice and tight, no drilling.

 

[pericles]

Unfortunately the pressure relief valve on the lid I want to use is welded on - that's why I didn't mind drilling the lid -- but I'm doing the same thing with a different keg next week, so I'll definitely try that then!

I like the suggestion that I could use the gas-post without a poppet. Will try it - thanks!

 

[Chrisl77]

If you still need the grommet HD sells them in a variate pack in the electrical department. I think they where around $2-$3 and had sizes from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in them.

 

[day_trippr]

There's an Ace Hardware near you in Drexel Hill. Ace stores carry a crap ton of grommets, that's where I get mine...

Cheers!

 

[ThreeDogsNE]

Put a quick connector on the gas in post, run a short piece of tubing from that into the container of your choice, put some water/StarSan/vodka/whatever in the container, and you are done. When we toured Oskar Blues Brewery this summer, the airlocks on their big cylindricoconical fermenters were hoses hanging down the side with the end stuck in a bucket on the floor!

I suggest a little duct tape holding a beer bottle on the side of the keg for your air lock, as a little duct tape seems like it has the right style for my kind of homebrewing. However, there are places that sell quick connects with an upturned tube and a "proper" airlock.

 

[ChandlerBang]

*shudders

Drilling a keg is like murdering kittens.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

*shudders

Drilling a keg is like murdering kittens.

no, a keg is useful. an angel lost it's wings when the drill bit hit that lid.