Total Beginner Has A Problem - HELP!

[amontefinise]

Hi everyone. So my husband and I bought a "True Brew" kit to take our first crack at home brewing. We absolutely love craft beer, and figured it was time to give it a shot ourselves. So today, we did the whole thing - the mixing, the boiling, pouring everything into a glass container. It was really fun. And then came the time to put in the yeast and slap on the fermenter - except the kit doesn't have a stopper! We looked everywhere - no stopper. Soooo, what the heck do we do?? We have NOT put in the yeast yet. We would hate to throw out a whole batch. I assuming experienced brewers will laugh at this predicament and give us a simple answer, but we are totally clueless. Help! THANK YOU!!

PS - I've already written an email to the company to alert them to this problem.

 

[Grumpybumpy]

I know a few people here just cover their fermenter with sanitized aluminum foil. The yeast will eventually be pouring out CO2, forcing anything out anyhow. The foil will keep random dust and particles out. I'd still invest in a stopper and air lock for the future though. I feel better with them in place

 

[BradleyBrew]

I'm assuming you have a carboy because you just need the stopper? I would get a big piece of aluminum foil that has been sanitized... double it over and wrap it around the top of the carboy and the neck... Not to tight because the yeast will begin to produce Co2 and you want that to exit the fermenter...

If its room temperature PITCH YOUR YEAST... let those little ninja's protect your wort

 

[Clann]

You can put a balloon over the top and poke a couple of holes with a pin or mabye a towel over the top held in place with a rubber band.

 

[poislb]

How big is the opening? Ya can run to depot and get some tubing for a blow off tube...

Guess we need to know what kinda fermentor ya have first, glass carboy, better bottle, coopers kit?

 

[kevokie]

Do you have a home brew store nearby? If so, make a trip there and get what ya need. Im also sure that the place you bought your equipment will make things right if it is something that they forgot. I'm assuming that you have the wort in a carboy? Sorry I can't help much, I'm fairly new myself. Don't throw it out....please! I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in quickly

 

[Duffman53]

Yikes! That's crazy that they didn't include a rubber stopper with your equipment. If you and your husband cooled the wort down to room temperature quickly you are in good shape and shouldn't get any weird bacteria. If you sanitized everything properly I think you'd be ok with just putting saran wrap over your glass carboy until you get a rubber stopper to hold your airlock.

Once you get your stopper and sanitize it and your airlock I think you're fine to pitch your yeast. I don't see any reason why the yeast wouldn't kick off in a few hours but you may want to also throw in some yeast nutrient just to be sure.

BTW, you are beginning a fun and addictive hobby! Good luck! Let us know how things turn out!

Happy Brewing!
D

 

[apparatus]

Sanitize a piece of aluminium foil and loosely draped it around the opening. It will be fine. A stopper with an airlock is preferred but not absolutely necessary. Just need a way for the co2 to escape while preventing anything from going into fermentor. Congrats on your first batch!

 

[govain]

I'm assuming you have a carboy because you just need the stopper? I would get a big piece of aluminum foil that has been sanitized... double it over and wrap it around the top of the carboy and the neck... Not to tight because the yeast will begin to produce Co2 and you want that to exit the fermenter...

If its room temperature PITCH YOUR YEAST... let those little ninja's protect your wort

+1. I also do the foil technique to protect my empty bottles in storage after I bake them in the oven to sanitize them.

 

[amontefinise]

Wow - thanks everyone!!! I really appreciate the help!! So we used the foil method, and it's working well. We see the bubbling and churning and all that, so fingers crossed it works out. Today we're going to a local home brew store to get the rubber stopper and lock - I'd feel better with that, too. Just want to say - it's nice to know there's such a supportive, helpful forum out there! I think I'll be asking many, many questions as we explore home brewing. Thanks again for the help - much appreciated!

 

[Jayman931]

I would advise getting this airlock...

it can also double as a blow off if you buy 5/8" tubing if you have violent fermentation...

 

[Rivenin]

ask away! and welcome!
the foil method works well.. balloon as well, as well as a cloth soaked into starsan over the lid untill you ca get an airlock, you just want to make sure everythign escapes while nothing gets into the carboy

 

[Joker]

You can put a balloon over the top and poke a couple of holes with a pin or mabye a towel over the top held in place with a rubber band.

Condom for the win, it looks ummm excited when the action picks up for extra fun I hear you can use ribbed but personally I have never tried it. :rockin:

 

[Jayman931]

Condom for the win, it looks ummm excited when the action picks up for extra fun I hear you can use ribbed but personally I have never tried it. :rockin: