# Glad Wrap Lid For Fermenter



## Slightly (17/1/10)

Can someone please run through the glad wrap lid technique? Any things I need to be careful with, need to make sure I'm doing, etc.?


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## Adamt (17/1/10)

You put glad wrap over a fermenter lid, secure it with a rubber band (or the o-ring from the lid), and vent it if you like with a few holes.

Who would've thought a glad wrap lid would be a... glad wrap lid?


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## Slightly (17/1/10)

I didn't say what I need. I said 'Any things I need to be careful with, need to make sure I'm doing, etc.?'


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## iScarlet (17/1/10)

Same as usual; make sure everything is sanitary and there are no big gaps when sealing.


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## kelbygreen (17/1/10)

like anything with brewing beer I would say sanitising. never tried the glad wrap method but by the sound of it not much to get your head around, Just make sure everything is sanitised wich would be the under side of glad wrap (not sure if its needed, is glad wrap already sanitised???)


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## seemax (17/1/10)

I don't prick any holes, the CO2 permeates through the glad wrap.

Some people use a spray of no-rinse , I don't bother.

It's great being able to see the wort fermenting.

Otherwise, not much else to say really.


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## Adamt (17/1/10)

There is nothing else to know that wasn't mentioned in the other thread you made on this topic.


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## Slightly (17/1/10)

To be honest, I completely forgot about that other topic.


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## Mantis (17/1/10)

Brew low alcohol beers and your memory might improve


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## bradsbrew (17/1/10)

Mantis said:


> Brew low alcohol beers and your memory might improve



I spent an hour looking through my old posts this arvo whilst looking for some info and found a heap of topics I 'd forgotten about and also realised i should not post when drinking big beers.

Brad


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## Bribie G (17/1/10)

bradsbrew said:


> I spent an hour looking through my old posts this arvo whilst looking for some info and found a heap of topics I 'd forgotten about and also realised i should not post when drinking big beers.
> 
> Brad



Well that's fkn typical of you I wouldn't expect anything fkn better 


Hang on what number from the case swap was that one I drank ten minutes ago? Jusht chekkin


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## Brewman_ (17/1/10)

seemax said:


> I don't prick any holes, the CO2 permeates through the glad wrap.




This does not sound right? Are you sure the CO2 permeates the glad wrap? Or does it leak out under the rubber band?

Happy to stand corrected, and learn something, but if Glad wrap is some type of semi permeable membrane, then why would it permeate CO2 and not other atmospheric gasses, N2, O2 Etc?

Even if it did permeate CO2, the rate would have to be massive to allow the fermentation gasses to escape at the rate they are generated?

I always pierce the glad wrap and even then it balloons up like a big dome.

My 2c worth.
apply the film tightly, piecre a single hole with a needle neer the edge of the fermenter - that way any condensation will not pool near the hole, rather it pools in the middle, that is if you have it in the fridge.

This is a great way to reduce the overall height of your fermenter if you are tring to fit it inot a small fridge for Temp control.

Fear_n_Loath


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## WitWonder (17/1/10)

Never pricked holes in it myself. Figure that defeats the purpose of a sanitary lid. Gas escapes as it balloons up. Use the rubber ring from the fermenter lid to seal it.


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## bradsbrew (17/1/10)

BribieG said:


> Well that's fkn typical of you I wouldn't expect anything fkn better
> 
> 
> Hang on what number from the case swap was that one I drank ten minutes ago? Jusht chekkin



:lol: With language like that it was probably number 4 h34r:


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## Brewman_ (17/1/10)

A hole is fine, since the fermenter will have postive pressure and so fermenting by-products will continually escape through the hole, no chance of reverse flow - during fermentation.

Without a hole, I gues if the gass "burps" out through the rubber band without popping or causing the glad wrap to be dislodged, then that would be fine and serve the same purpose.

If I lager after fermentation then I also would use glad wrap without a hole, but in this scenario I expect no gas transfer at all.

Fear_n_Loath.


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## Mantis (17/1/10)

Forget it guys, by now the OP is probably passed out h34r:


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## dans6401 (17/1/10)

Personally i unwrap a bit of glad wrap, cut it and put a big elastic band around it. Used to poke a pin hole in it, but found that to be a bit too much work.


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## Nick JD (18/1/10)

Gladwrap can and will blow off in small lid fermenters ... repeatedly. :angry: 

On the third day at 18 degrees with S04/US05 combo and I've finally got the fecker to SIT DOWN! 

Is ginger (just a hint) some kind of super yeast nutrient...? :blink: I'd really like to drop my dry hops in there.

Oh well, time for cleanup number three.


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## RdeVjun (18/1/10)

Apart from the reason I don't see the need to, one other reason I don't prick a hole in my clingfilm lids is that invariably when fermentation tails off and pressure is reduced the bulging will cease and any condensation that drips on top will have an easy route into my beer. Usually condensation isn't a problem, but when there's a fridge full of fermenters even getting a hydrometer sample can drip on top of a fermenter below, so I just won't risk introducing foreign muck this way. The gas can find its own way out without a pinhole and in my experience, invariably it does. If you're getting trouble blowoffs then loosen the band by using pipecleaners or string.
My 2c... :icon_cheers:


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## Cortez The Killer (18/1/10)

No holes needed

Cheers


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## whitegoose (8/9/10)

I tried glad wrap for the first time on this brew - a Kolsch using PRO-16 yeast... fermenting in a "better bottle" with a narrow opening and my glad wrap popped off... three times!! I heard it pop off the first time and tended to it quickly, put some fresh glad wrap on and this time poked some holes in it. The second time I think it might have had the glad wrap off for about an hour before I noticed... I put a tighter elastic band on and pricked like 10 holes in fresh glad wrap.

Then last night, it poped off again! It could have been off for anywehere up to 7 hours while I slept. When I found it it was still actively spewing out the open lid.

I have now reverted back to a hacked together bung with an airlock, and it seems much happier.

I can only hope that the angry yeast and vigorous krausen was enough to fight off any bugs that tried to get in during the night.


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## bum (8/9/10)

I reckon the answer there might have been a looser rubber band rather than a tighter one and pin holes. Not that it matters, of course, if you and the brew are happier with the bung then that's the real solution.


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## flano (8/9/10)

no holes...3 sheets of cling film for me.
couple of rubber bands.
It seems to work....although the beer I made with it turned of ordinary.


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## Bubba (8/9/10)

Cling wrap double layered, no holes and the original seal from the lid used as the rubber band...I find more than 2 layers of glad wrap and I find it hard to see what's going on in there.
Make sure plenty of head space so it doesn't blow!

Why no holes?...well once I saw a couple of tiny little ants on the lid of my fermenter, and I suppose I am paranoid. Also at the end of fermentation as the gas slows down the glad wrap can sag if left, and any moisture or outside condensation will run into the hole...again paranoid but after all the sanitisation and effort I don't want to leave it to chance!


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## cdbrown (8/9/10)

For very active yeast like wheats then I'll spray the first sheet of glad wrap with star san, but most times I don't for other brews. 2 layers is the norm for me, no holes, o-ring from the lid to secure it.


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## MeLoveBeer (8/9/10)

cdbrown said:


> 2 layers is the norm for me, no holes, o-ring from the lid to secure it.



+1

I'd just find a really loose rubber band; you're not trying to trap CO2, just hold the gladwrap in place and stop stuff falling in. Not sure how you can stop the ants, but you could argue that pricking holes in the gladwrap would do nothing to discourage them anyway (maybe place the fermenter in a shallow tray with 10mm or so of water?)


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## felten (8/9/10)

If you're using a better bottle, you could just use al foil


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## kocken42 (8/9/10)

Use a big balloon! If that over-fills, you WILL know about it!


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## MarkBastard (8/9/10)

I used to use double layers but now I use single layers and it's heaps heaps better in every way. Try it some time.


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## Leigh (8/9/10)

When I started using glad wrap, I didn't realise there were so many different ways of using it!

For me, single layer, un-sanitised, lid seal used to hold in place, no-pin hole


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## rendo (8/9/10)

SPOT ON!!



Leigh said:


> For me, single layer, un-sanitised, lid seal used to hold in place, no-pin hole


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## jakub76 (8/9/10)

Leigh said:


> For me, single layer, un-sanitised, lid seal used to hold in place, no-pin hole


Same here...I used to put a single pin hole in because I read it in an old brewing book (and coopers kit instructions) but this site and a couple of trial runs showed me that I didn't need the pin hole.

I still use the lid with blow-off tube for wheat beers and belgians, glad wrap for everything else and usually with 24 litres in the fermenter...trying to maximise my system's productivity.


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## michaelcocks (8/9/10)

Leigh said:


> When I started using glad wrap, I didn't realise there were so many different ways of using it!
> 
> For me, single layer, un-sanitised, lid seal used to hold in place, no-pin hole




+1


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## flano (8/9/10)

single layer ..no hole.

Sounds like my sex life.


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## manticle (8/9/10)

I usually paint my glad wrap with a red stripe which helps keep away acetobacter. A small green spot at the Northeast Quadrant (lower area) makes the brew resistant to oxidation and a blue stripe, asymmetrical and of varying thickness will run directly from North to South, intersecting the red stripe and partially obscuring it.

I'm not yet sure what this last one does - an old brewing guru once showed me that this was the brewer's way so I guess I can put that one down to superstition.

I also eat my glad wrap after every fermentation is complete.


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## canon1ball (8/9/10)

Glad wrap works for me, single layer.

c1b


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## BrenosBrews (8/9/10)

LOL, that's what you call maximising fermentor capacity!


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## dcx3 (8/9/10)

rendo said:


> SPOT ON!!


Same and i only fill to handles.


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## juzz1981 (8/9/10)

manticle said:


> I usually paint my glad wrap with a red stripe which helps keep away acetobacter. A small green spot at the Northeast Quadrant (lower area) makes the brew resistant to oxidation and a blue stripe, asymmetrical and of varying thickness will run directly from North to South, intersecting the red stripe and partially obscuring it.
> 
> I'm not yet sure what this last one does - an old brewing guru once showed me that this was the brewer's way so I guess I can put that one down to superstition.
> 
> I also eat my glad wrap after every fermentation is complete.



+1 LMAO


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## Nick JD (8/9/10)

Don't lick the krausen off the gladwrap! It tastes like detergent!


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## JestersDarts (9/9/10)

Leigh said:


> When I started using glad wrap, I didn't realise there were so many different ways of using it!
> 
> For me, single layer, un-sanitised, lid seal used to hold in place, no-pin hole



+1

Why double up? you cant see through.
Why pin hole? the gas escapes regardless.


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## argon (9/9/10)

I've got 4 fermenters going at the moment all with cling wrap... can see exactly what's going on.

I recently lost one of my o-rings from one of the lids, so i just sprayed some starsan solution around the top third or so of the fermenter and the cling wrap sticks to it quite nicely... but the o-ring is definitely more secure, especially if there's a mad krausen pushing up


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## MarkBastard (9/9/10)

JestersDarts said:


> Why double up? you cant see through.



That's not even the main reason.

When you do a single layer is works like cling wrap is supposed to. It perfectly stretches over the hole with no wrinkles. When you put the second layer on it never goes on properly. It can't stretch over the original layer because it clings to it too easily, so the combined layers work more like regular plastic with no cling affect.

I honestly believe two layers will be worse at keeping out nasties than one layer.


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## JestersDarts (9/9/10)

Mark^Bastard said:


> That's not even the main reason.
> 
> When you do a single layer is works like cling wrap is supposed to. It perfectly stretches over the hole with no wrinkles. When you put the second layer on it never goes on properly. It can't stretch over the original layer because it clings to it too easily, so the combined layers work more like regular plastic with no cling affect.
> 
> I honestly believe two layers will be worse at keeping out nasties than one layer.



Good Point. Theres no need to double up if the cling film is wide enough. I suspect people double up to get more width?


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## MarkBastard (9/9/10)

JestersDarts said:


> Good Point. Theres no need to double up if the cling film is wide enough. I suspect people double up to get more width?



That's why I used to do it but now I actually find it's easier with a single layer. With a single layer I get the rubber band on and have about an inch left either side. With two layers the second layer wouldn't allow the original layer to stretch the same way, and I found it really hard to have any overlap. Of course the second layer was perpendicular so I still had some sense of overlap, but I don't think it was a true seal in the way you get a sort of true seal with a single layer.

Either way I recommend people that have only ever tried two layers to give one layer a go.


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