1st attempt at lager - open or closed?

[grinchy]

This is my first ever attempt at a lager...just been down the shop and got a barrel with tap and a Coopers international series lager kit. Got all other equipment through years of brewing cider and wine!

So i'm reading the instructions and it talks about open and closed brewing (with and without a lid). I look at the top of the barrel i've just bought and there is no bung for an air lock. Further instructions i have picked up from the guy in the shop say i should cover the brew bin with a clean tea-towel and then place the lid on top of that. CONFUSED!

So what do i do?

 

[crazycallum]

Just been through exactly the same thing as you, started up my first lager on friday.. I got mixed replies saying you can seal lid completely shut, have it partly sealed with a gap or just have it loose on top so I guess it doesn't make too much difference so long as it's covering the FV

This may be completely wrong as I only started on friday but I think that's the advice I got :thumb:

 

[jonewer]

I wouldnt use a tea towel. Just open the lid a crack so the pressure doesnt build too high and pop the lid off in an explosive fashion. I guess you could drill a hole in the lid and fit a bubbler, its fun to watch!

Tea towls just seem like a bad idea. If you have a vigorous ferment then the foam will reach the cloth and drawn back all the bacteria and wild yeats along with it. Also, a damp cloth will be a breeding ground for infections and could conceivably act as wick, drawing in contaminants to the brew.

I'm also not the expert, but thats my humble opinon! :thumb:

 

[grinchy]

That makes sense, i'll the tea towel out of the equation.

Having read a number of articles on'tinterweb, i am starting to wonder if i needed to buy the barrel in the first place! I have 2 wine fermenters and a standard fermenting bucket with air locks already fitted and only one of the wine fermenters is in use at the moment. The guy at the shop (i am new to this shop) said i needed this one for lager. hmmm :hmm:

 

[tubby_shaw]

Having read a number of articles on'tinterweb, i am starting to wonder if i needed to buy the barrel in the first place! I have 2 wine fermenters and a standard fermenting bucket with air locks already fitted and only one of the wine fermenters is in use at the moment. The guy at the shop (i am new to this shop) said i needed this one for lager. hmmm :hmm:

A normal plastic home brew barrel is not really suitable for dispensing lager as it won't hold enough pressure to give the required carbonation level and they are certainly not recommended for fermenting in
25 litre wine fermenters are ideal for cool fermentation of lagers :thumb:
Start saving good strong brown beer bottles to store it in :)

 

[grinchy]

Thanks for that.

My wine fermenters dont have taps on them, although i would prefer to use them for fermenting the lager as i trust them! Is it a problem if they have no tap? I'm guessing it just makes the bottling easier?

If i do need the tap then i will of course use the new fermenting bucket, but again should i lock the lid down if there is no air lock feature?

 

[BeerBelly]

I to have just made up a coopers lager kit, today infact :thumb: i have closed my fermentation lid down and locked it firmly, using a 'bubbler' to release any excess gas.
Hope this helps as i to am a noob to this brew making witchcraft :twisted: