help, can't get the lid off my fermenter!
There are 2 types of airlocks I am aware of. The S type and the two piece type. With the two piece type you can bottle the brew without removing the lid or airlock so you do not risk infection.Noodles wrote:What do you mean by bottle through the airlock?Kevnlis wrote:I enjoy the comfort of the blup blup of my airlocks, plus it is much easier to bottle through the airlock without letting nasties fall into the fermentor (unless you have the old S shaped airlocks, then I suggest getting the good ones or using clingwrap.
What other type of airlock is there other than the S bend airlock?
Thanks for the explanation, I thought it would be something along those lines. Do you know a website where I can order one of the 2 piece airlocks? I order through TCB and they don't seem to have them.
"Doc, what can I do about these terrible hangovers?"
'You can stop drinking beer'
"No, seriously Doc, what can I do?"
'You can stop drinking beer'
"No, seriously Doc, what can I do?"
If you use a two piece airlock you do not have to remove the lid if this is what you mean, you can just raise it above the surface of the water by tipping it sideways and leaving it in there, it may still bubble a bit but by this point there is probably not enough water in the airlock to get "sucked in" as I have never had this problem!Timmsy wrote:Ive always taken my air lock out when im bottling so the water doesnt get sucked in the brew. I just put a clean cap of a jar of some sought over it
I have to give the cling wrap ago. Busted a lid a couple weeks ago
Ross has them:Noodles wrote:Thanks for the explanation, I thought it would be something along those lines. Do you know a website where I can order one of the 2 piece airlocks? I order through TCB and they don't seem to have them.
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?pag ... &Itemid=29
Brigalow makes them so almost any place that sells Home Brew ie. Big-W Woolies Coles etc. should have them.
I use the standars s type you are talking about. When i move the fermenter from the fridge or brewing area to bottle i take the air lock out the gromet so it doesnt push air up as i lift it then when you place it down it doiesnt suck the water back in. And what i mean about the cap is just a clean sterile cap of some sought like a cap of a food jar or something so it sits over the gromet hole so nothing cant fall in while im bottlingKevnlis wrote:If you use a two piece airlock you do not have to remove the lid if this is what you mean, you can just raise it above the surface of the water by tipping it sideways and leaving it in there, it may still bubble a bit but by this point there is probably not enough water in the airlock to get "sucked in" as I have never had this problem!Timmsy wrote:Ive always taken my air lock out when im bottling so the water doesnt get sucked in the brew. I just put a clean cap of a jar of some sought over it
I have to give the cling wrap ago. Busted a lid a couple weeks ago
You said it could be dangerous?? In what way?
Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.
Yep, that's what I do. Not sure what you mean by dangerous but i've never had any problems. As far as being a pain the arse, it takes 2 seconds to take out and 2 seconds to put back.Kevnlis wrote:If you use the S type and you are removing the airlock from the rubber gromet that sounds pretty dangerous to me, not to mention being a pain in the ass!
"Doc, what can I do about these terrible hangovers?"
'You can stop drinking beer'
"No, seriously Doc, what can I do?"
'You can stop drinking beer'
"No, seriously Doc, what can I do?"
Well...a variety of things could happen bits of the gromet could fall in, particles of mould/bacteria in the air could get in, not to mention the fact that removing it would create negative pressure in the airlock which would be in my opinion equal to that of just tapping the beer out in the first place.Timmsy wrote:You said it could be dangerous?? In what way?
It does however seem pretty unreasonable to me that the liquid could buble to the extent of being sucked back into the fermentor in any style of airlock. Even if you top the two piece airlock right up, most of the water is purged by the initial take off of the brew and there is just enough left for it to make the blup noice without spraying water. By the time you are ready for bottling there should easily be plenty of room for the water to bubble through with the lid cocked! I haven't used the S type but my father in law does and he does the same as me (bottles with the airlock as is) and never has any problems with water being sucked in that I know of.
If it is that easy to take in and out you probably have an air leak in that fermentor which creates even more potential for problems!Noodles wrote:Yep, that's what I do. Not sure what you mean by dangerous but i've never had any problems. As far as being a pain the arse, it takes 2 seconds to take out and 2 seconds to put back.
you clearly haven't tried it... the volume differential you'd create inside by removing the airlock would be a couple of cc's max, and with the expandability of air, the only way the airlock would bubble while removing it would be if 1: it was such a tight fit that it made the lid flex upwards, or 2: there was barely enough water to cover the U-bend in it.
unless you've got a tatty old grommet, there's is stuff all chance of any bits falling in, and finally, if you've got airborne mould spores, they could quite easily make it bubbling through an airlock anyway.
i take out my airlock all the time to move the fermenter so it doesn't bubble back in, and never had any problems. when you consider that the entire lid is off as you prepare the wort, i think you're picking on the concept a bit too harshly.
also, re. your final post - an "air leak in the fermenter" is the central concept of what all the glad wrap devotees use on here, and they don't have any problems either...
unless you've got a tatty old grommet, there's is stuff all chance of any bits falling in, and finally, if you've got airborne mould spores, they could quite easily make it bubbling through an airlock anyway.
i take out my airlock all the time to move the fermenter so it doesn't bubble back in, and never had any problems. when you consider that the entire lid is off as you prepare the wort, i think you're picking on the concept a bit too harshly.
also, re. your final post - an "air leak in the fermenter" is the central concept of what all the glad wrap devotees use on here, and they don't have any problems either...
I use the 2 piece ones and the S bend type.
I remove the lid on the 2 piece and the S Bend completely when bottling.
In regards to sealing.......gladwrap vs lid debate, I have a pail now and they are soooooo much easier than the screwtop lid, sealing no prob, easier to clean the fermenter + has a handle. I still use the lids as opposed to gladwrap because when I shake the sterilising solution in the fermenter, I have to put the lid on anyway, so it is already sterilised.
Cheers
Boonie
I remove the lid on the 2 piece and the S Bend completely when bottling.
In regards to sealing.......gladwrap vs lid debate, I have a pail now and they are soooooo much easier than the screwtop lid, sealing no prob, easier to clean the fermenter + has a handle. I still use the lids as opposed to gladwrap because when I shake the sterilising solution in the fermenter, I have to put the lid on anyway, so it is already sterilised.
Cheers
Boonie
A homebrew is like a fart, only the brewer thinks it's great.
Give me a flying headbutt.......
Give me a flying headbutt.......
But with glad wrap you get more flex and thus have less chance of air being drawn back into the fermentor, a leaking gromet does not provide this.
There is a much lower chance that airbourne particles will make it down the airlock, through the water, back up the airlock and into your brew than for it to simply fall straight in.
There is a much lower chance that airbourne particles will make it down the airlock, through the water, back up the airlock and into your brew than for it to simply fall straight in.
the grommet hole is ~5mm wide. the entire fermenter opening, with lid off, is about 250mm wide. by the time you're taking the airlock out to move it, there is generally at least a 3.5% ethanol solution inside the fermenter.
air drawn into the fermenter? mate, i've heard of people brewing start to finish with an open fermenter or a teatowel over the top.
stress less
air drawn into the fermenter? mate, i've heard of people brewing start to finish with an open fermenter or a teatowel over the top.
stress less
Yep thats how the old boys used to and still do brew, infact as far as i know there are alot of breweries, micro and such that still use open fermenting vessels, i could be wrong though it has happened before i think 
The point is like keg said, by the time you will need to open or move there will be little chance of infection due to removing the airlock momentarily, this would be of more concern early on say in the first couple of days
The point is like keg said, by the time you will need to open or move there will be little chance of infection due to removing the airlock momentarily, this would be of more concern early on say in the first couple of days
Cheers
Leigh
Leigh