Airtight fermenter?

[tzirtizi]

Hello all :) A complete beginner query here...

I've just bought my first beer kit - young's brewbuddy as I was advised by the chap in the shop that it had all of the necessary equipement and added up to cheaper than buying the bits separately. However, having opened the kit and had a look at it, I've come up with a problem: the fermenter appears to be a simple airtight bucket. Now, even my very basic understanding suggests that that should cause problems - so are you expected to leave the lid partially off? Or are there pieces missing?

One idea I had is to cut a small round hole in the lid, insert a bubble airlock (of the sort designed to go in a demijohn cork) and seal it with wax. Would that work?

See below for new question!

 

[Mark1964]

you could drill the lid buy a rubber grommit and put the airlock through or just leave the lid loose. As long as the beer is covered it should be ok

 

[tzirtizi]

you could drill the lid buy a rubber grommit and put the airlock through or just leave the lid loose. As long as the beer is covered it should be ok

Thanks :) If just leaving the lid loose isn't a terminally bad idea I think I'll just do that with this first brew rather than buying any more bits.

 

[dennisking]

Some commercial brewers brew in open fermenter's. I've always just left the lid lose and never had a problem.

 

[crofty83]

I have the same Youngs FV from the sounds of it. I can tell you one thing though. It ain't air tight. I installed an air lock and doesn't get any use as any excess CO2 is just escaping out of the lid

 

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, I leave the lid on my Youngs bucket and it's fine.

Put some water in it, put the lid on and turn it upside down and you'll see there's plenty of opportunity for the CO2 to escape.

If it doe appear to be airtight, a small breather hole or an airlock, as suggested.

 

[tzirtizi]

Thanks all!

Glad, for immediate purposes anyway, that the youngs bucket isn't airtight - I was misled by the instructions about making sure the lid seals all the way around

My first brew is now in the bucket, sitting under a table. Exciting times!

 

[critty]

I have the same bin I just drilled a hole in the top and stuffed a rubber bung and airlock on it. Just make sure the hole is slightly bigger than the smaller end of the bung and then ram it in as hard as possible to make sure the seal is fine.

 

[Pearlfisher]

I've been using this type of FV for beer on and off for over 30 years and never lost a brew yet , touch wood. Although I never leave it in the FV for more than 7 days.

 

[Duxuk]

I've just upped my brewing capacity by buying a second FV. It came with an airlock rubber bung so I bought an airlock to fit. It didn't bubble once during my first brew in it. What a totally pointless piece of engineering.

 

[tzirtizi]

I hope that no-one minds my using the same thread now for a different question, rather than creating a new thread.

It's now been sitting in the fermenting vessel for a week or so, and I've been collecting bottles ready to bottle it in the next few days. I've got a whole mixture of different sorts of bottles, whatever I've saved or been able to scrounge. I know that 2 litre lemonade type bottles are a type that's typically advised, but I was wondering what other sorts of bottles are ok - do they just have to be airtight, or will some not be strong enough? For example, are wine bottles usable for this? Bottled water bottles?

Thanks in advance! :)

 

[Rwilts]

i think most would say that 2 litre is to big, as you will have to drink it all or loose the fizz. PET 1 is the standard i believe for food quality plastic. Others with advice will follow.

 

[Moley]

I know that 2 litre lemonade type bottles are a type that's typically advised, but I was wondering what other sorts of bottles are ok - do they just have to be airtight, or will some not be strong enough? For example, are wine bottles usable for this? Bottled water bottles?

Some won't be strong enough.

Basically, if they have previously held pressurised drinks they should be ok, so 2 litre pop or fizzy water bottles, 1 litre mixer bottles (dry ginger, tonic water, that sort of thing) or 500/600ml plastic drinks bottles will do nicely.

Most of us use glass beer and cider bottles, but that means buying a capping tool and a bag of crown caps.

Wine bottles are not suitable.

 

[tzirtizi]

I know that 2 litre lemonade type bottles are a type that's typically advised, but I was wondering what other sorts of bottles are ok - do they just have to be airtight, or will some not be strong enough? For example, are wine bottles usable for this? Bottled water bottles?

Some won't be strong enough.

Basically, if they have previously held pressurised drinks they should be ok, so 2 litre pop or fizzy water bottles, 1 litre mixer bottles (dry ginger, tonic water, that sort of thing) or 500/600ml plastic drinks bottles will do nicely.

Most of us use glass beer and cider bottles, but that means buying a capping tool and a bag of crown caps.

Wine bottles are not suitable.

Great, thanks for the advice. I'll keep my wine bottles for some other purpose, then, and go out in search of more fizzy drinks bottles! :)