noob pressure question

[anth]

Just a quick one. I put my first brew in the FV on Saturday. It is just a cheap one, that is like a large bucket with clip on lid. There is nothing to vent pressure. I popped the lid yesterday afternoon to check it has started, which it had. But there was quite a pop when the pressure in it came out, and that was only after 1 day. I am no slightly concerned that after a few more days the pressure will build up too much and pop it making a right mess? Should I have a valve on it to release the CO2?

 

[carl_saint]

Most FV come with a hole drilled into the lid with a gromet to fit a an airlock. If yours hasn't then I would suggest you fully clip the lid on then release slightly in one place so your co2 can escape. Drape a clean towel over too just to make sure, but the co2 will form a protective layer over your beer so it will be fine.

 

[anth]

ok, that is what I thought. I think I best get a valve sorted.

 

[Wolverine]

I wouldn't bother I don't use air locks with my fermenters they are young bucket type like yours with a clip on lid and the gas escapes and never had one pop te way I see it is it's one less thing to have to steralise. I do use air locks with my glass demijohns for wine though.
I once drilled a hole in a fermenter and added an air lock but you may find like I did that your fermenter isn't air tight anyway and the gas will find another way out that is easier than going through the air lock then you will worry your beer isn't fermenting because no bubbles passing through the air lock.
No point in complicating life just whack the lid on and grab a beer :

 

[anth]

thanks for the tips guys, I checked it last night and it had made the lid bulge, so I released some of the pressure off. Hopefully the CO2 rushing out wont have let much, if any air in.

On another note, (rather than starting a new thread) I am planning on doing the secondary fermentation in 2 litre pop bottles, which Ill cover in black wrap. When I come to transfer to these is it 1 tea spoons of sugar for 1litre or 1 pint? Is it any kind of sugar or the same brewing sugar as I originally used? I have read of loads of posts about PET bottles, is this the same as a normal coke/pepsi 2l bottle? (I cant find an acronyms FAQ, so I'm trying to figure them out). Also I take it the bottles can withstand the pressure, or is it wise to squeeze them slightly when filling to give some room for expansion, or will this take the fizz out the lager?

Thanks to everyone on this forum, I have learnt so much from reading and searching over the last few days. I am going to stick with the kits for the time being, get at that part of the process sorted before moving onto AG. :thumb:

 

[StubbsPKS]

thanks for the tips guys, I checked it last night and it had made the lid bulge, so I released some of the pressure off. Hopefully the CO2 rushing out wont have let much, if any air in.

On another note, (rather than starting a new thread) I am planning on doing the secondary fermentation in 2 litre pop bottles, which Ill cover in black wrap. When I come to transfer to these is it 1 tea spoons of sugar for 1litre or 1 pint? Is it any kind of sugar or the same brewing sugar as I originally used? I have read of loads of posts about PET bottles, is this the same as a normal coke/pepsi 2l bottle? (I cant find an acronyms FAQ, so I'm trying to figure them out). Also I take it the bottles can withstand the pressure, or is it wise to squeeze them slightly when filling to give some room for expansion, or will this take the fizz out the lager?

Thanks to everyone on this forum, I have learnt so much from reading and searching over the last few days. I am going to stick with the kits for the time being, get at that part of the process sorted before moving onto AG. :thumb:

PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, which is just a fancy name for a type of food grade plastic. Your coke/pepsi bottles will work fine. From what I've read (I've not used PETs except for wine), any plastic bottles that once stored something fizzy should work.

 

[SE10PAT]

Rule of thumb is 1 tsp per litre of brew, so if you are using a 2 litre coke bottle for example then you will need 2 tsp. Any bottle that has been previously used for fizzy drinks will be fine, have a look near the base of the bottle, or underneath, and you should see a triangle woth PET stamped inside it.

When filling the bottles, try and angle the bottle slightly so the syphon fills the bottle by the brew running down the inside of the bottle and fills from the bottom. You want to try and avoid it splashing around and creating foam. Fill the bottle up to where the coke bottle starts to narrow and you should be ok mate, no need to squeeze the bottle.

Leave the filled bottles in the warm for a week or so before transferring to somewhere cooler and as you rightly say, keep the clear bottles covered as the beer will react with any light that gets in

Hope all goes well and good luck, it's a very addictive hobby! :

 

[anth]

awesome mate thanks :thumb: got my next 3 kits lined up ready to be ordered :whistle:

I am going to have to find somewhere to stand them up so any sediment is left at the bottom rather than down the side...
Should I be using campden tablets for my lager brews? I haven't in the one that is in there currently, but then I haven't tasted it yet.

Final final thing just to check I have my head around it.

Once it is finished in the FV I transfer it to my 2L PET bottles.
I leave it standing in a 18C-20C dark environment for a few weeks with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
The yeast will drop out of suspension to form a sediment and the lager will clear.
I then chill it ready to drink, but I am doing to have to figure some way to chill it standing up so the sediment doesn't remix in?
or is it better to use a bottle filler go to capped glass bottles?

 

[oz11]

thanks for the tips guys, I checked it last night and it had made the lid bulge, so I released some of the pressure off. Hopefully the CO2 rushing out wont have let much, if any air in.

CO2 is heavier than air so you will still have a blanket of CO2 covering your beer :thumb:

 

[SE10PAT]

I then chill it ready to drink, but I am doing to have to figure some way to chill it standing up so the sediment doesn't remix in?

Throw out any milk that is currently stored in the fridge door??

 

[anth]

ok I think it has finished but I'm not sure on my measurements. It was youngs lager, the OG was 1040 and FG(is that right for the afterwards measurement) is 1014. so the abv is only 3.5.. I know that will go up slightly when I bottle. Does that sound about right?

 

[andyd]

That sounds about right to me. In my experience, an FG of around 1010 is what you're aiming for but 1014 is not far off and if it doesn't change for 2 or 3 days you can assume it's time to bottle.

BTW, I use a loose fitting lid on my FV without any problems (I have to to get the immersion heater in there otherwise it's too cold in my garage) As one of the other posters said the CO2 is heavier than air so once fermentation is underway it will sit on your brew and keep any nasties out (I hope).