Second Fermentation - Lid Change?

[craigchilli]

This is my first brew, so learning as I go!

John Bull Best Bitter. I'm about to move to priming and 2nd fermentation stage but I only have a vented cap on a 5 gallon barrel at the moment but I would like to have a CO2 injector. My question is can I use this lid for now and change to a CO2 injector at a later date? Or am I stuck with the vented lid until the next brew?

Also, once the beer is ready, how long will it last if I then put into a bottle? A few days? Basically, I just want to share a couple of bottles. I'm acquiring bits of kit as I go, so next time round I will bottle some at priming stage.

Cheers
Craig

 

[Vossy1]

Moved here as more relevant section :thumb:

 

[bobsbeer]

If you change the lid after priming you will loose all your co2. You will need to add some more sugar to re prime once you change the lid. You can leave it in the fermenting bucket and not prime until you get your new cap.

 

[jonnymorris]

If you change the lid after priming you will loose all your co2.

I was thinking this but... could you not change the lid and give it a good old squirt of CO2 with the new lid on?

Agree that leaving it in the FV until you get a new lid might be the best plan either way.

 

[craigchilli]

I thought as much, but I did also wonder if giving it a couple of injectors of CO2 straight away would get round it...

I think I'll wait until I get the injector lid...

Cheers!

 

[rpt]

If you can get the barrel in the fridge and get it really cold before taking the cap off, the beer will have absorbed lots of CO2 so you won't lose so much.

 

[Jeltz]

I've done it you can swap lids. Its not ideal you do lose a little carbonation but so long as you re-pressurise the barrel there and then it will still be OK.