Hi,
I put my first brew together last night. It was the 40p coopers aus lager.
I didn't realise the fermenter I bought from wilkinson didn't have a hole in the lid for a bung to use the 2 peice airlock i'd also bought from wilkos.
Not having the proper tools for the job and being impatient, I hacked a roughly round hole in the lid and rammed the rubber airlock bung in the hole. The seal seemed to be OK.
I sterilised everything thoroughly and put the brew together, closed the lid and checked the lock. There was displacement when I poked the fermenter, initally the airlock also bubbled when left untouched. I left the brew fermenting at a stable 22.5oC over night.
This morning I checked the airlock and there was no action, the fermenter is pretty opaque but it kinda looked like there was no foam on the surface either. Even though there were no visible gaps between the rubber airlock bung and the fermenter lid I pushed surfboard wax all around the bung in case the CO2 was escaping through the seal. Half an hour later the airlock was bubbling away and foam could be seen on the surface of the brew through the side of the fermenter.
Questions:
- Have i screwed the brew up allowing oxygen to get in?
- Why would there not be much foam if oxyben was getting in?
- Should I start over?
Hope someone can help.
Cheers
I put my first brew together last night. It was the 40p coopers aus lager.
I didn't realise the fermenter I bought from wilkinson didn't have a hole in the lid for a bung to use the 2 peice airlock i'd also bought from wilkos.
Not having the proper tools for the job and being impatient, I hacked a roughly round hole in the lid and rammed the rubber airlock bung in the hole. The seal seemed to be OK.
I sterilised everything thoroughly and put the brew together, closed the lid and checked the lock. There was displacement when I poked the fermenter, initally the airlock also bubbled when left untouched. I left the brew fermenting at a stable 22.5oC over night.
This morning I checked the airlock and there was no action, the fermenter is pretty opaque but it kinda looked like there was no foam on the surface either. Even though there were no visible gaps between the rubber airlock bung and the fermenter lid I pushed surfboard wax all around the bung in case the CO2 was escaping through the seal. Half an hour later the airlock was bubbling away and foam could be seen on the surface of the brew through the side of the fermenter.
Questions:
- Have i screwed the brew up allowing oxygen to get in?
- Why would there not be much foam if oxyben was getting in?
- Should I start over?
Hope someone can help.
Cheers
Buckets are notorious for not getting a good seal not just where you put a rough hole. But as it's bubbling away it will be fine. Leave it alone to do it's thing and don't worry. And DO NOT throw it away. If you leave it alone you will end up with drinkable beer. Good luck.
