Starters question about primary brewing bucket lid

[Brewster]

Hello,
I just recently started getting into home brewings. I have all my supplies now which I purchased from a home brew store and a friend of a friend. Anyhow my question that I cant seem to find the answer to is what should the lid of the primary look like? I was looking over the stuff I bought and the bucket lid has a whole that was cut out by the guy I bought it from. Is this supposed to be covered with an airlock or can it openly ventilate?
Thanks!
-Kevin

 

[Somerville]

The primary fermenter's lid has a rubber ring going around the inside/outermost part of the lid, which makes it airtight. The hole you spoke of is where a rubber stopper with a hole is inserted and an airlock is placed in. It cannot openly ventilate because then bacteria and nasty air can get in. There are two different types of airlocks- a 'bubbler' and a '3-peice airlock'. Either will work fine, just fill them half way with water and once fermentation begins, you'll see them 'a bubblin.
Make sure the lid is secure on the fermenter with the airlock in. To make sure the primary fermenter is airtight, press lightly down on the lid and if you see the water raise in the airlock, its airtight. If the water doesnt raise at all, theres a leak. The bubbler is more noticable with this than a 3-peice. Oh and the 3 peice airlock looks like a cylinder.
Hope this helps.

 

[vtfan99]

In can openly ferment, however that is just asking for an infection IMO. Many breweries use open fermentors, but the key is maintaining a safe fermenting environment. You never know what wild yeasts and such are floating around in the air where the fermentor is kept.

Having said that, I'll add the standard disclaimer about have no direct experience with this.

 

[Sasquatch]

My primary has merely a lid that doesn't particularly seal. CO2 can escape, but nothing much can get in.

 

[SilvaRizla]

^^^^ Same here and I've never had an infection

 

[Turricaine]

My primary has merely a lid that doesn't particularly seal. CO2 can escape, but nothing much can get in.

Yeah that is all I do. Not that an air lock wouldn't be dinky but it is just through dint of what was sold to me originally. I know for sure that I have not had an infection as a result of this, but when people leave dirty mops etc around during the middle of a fermentation, I hope you can understand why I might get a little 'protective' about it.