# Glad wrap lids



## slats69 (27/5/14)

What's the story with using glad wrap instead of the lid & air lock supplied ? I asked my b local home brewer & he had concerns about sterilizing . He also said if it ain't broke why did it. It's it a matter of plastic is just a lazy way of doing it


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## indica86 (27/5/14)

I like it cos I can see what is going on and the o-ring on my FVs was getting crusty and I find it hard to sterilise (which BTW has s in it because we are Australian).


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## queenslandah (27/5/14)

as with everything infection is always not far away ... i have done more brews with airlock but havnt had infection when using glad wrap . you get a nice view with glad wrap though . yes it could be the lazy way but it also is just another way . give it a go and see what you prefer . wasnt that long ago that a tea towel over an open bucket was the future ! many uk breweries still use open ferment vats


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## stux (27/5/14)

When you tear off a sheet of glad wrap, the side that was facing the roll should be close enough to sterile to not matter


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## Pogierob (27/5/14)

Give it a go on your next brew, it's nothing scary, heaps of us use glad wrap, I have done about 15 brews using glad wrap and the only down side I have noticed is I don't hear the bloop bloop any more, Since my fermenting freezer is under the house and I wouldn't be able to hear it anyway - no issue


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## manson81 (27/5/14)

I spray starsan on the glad wrap before chucking it over the fermenter. Also tear off the first foot or so and piff it. Just to be safe. 

Gives a nice window into the beer which you won't get with a lid. Also saves having to clean the lid and airlock. And, if you put a light starsan mix in the airlock, saves you having to top it up. 

I started doing it 15 or 20 Brews ago, and haven't looked back! 

My lids are now only used to keep dust out of the spare fermenter when not in use.


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## Ducatiboy stu (27/5/14)

slats69 said:


> What's the story with using glad wrap instead of the lid & air lock supplied ? I asked my b local home brewer & he had concerns about sterilizing . He also said if it ain't broke why did it. It's it a matter of plastic is just a lazy way of doing it


Those homebrew shops also advocate sodium metabisuphide as the best sanitiser..


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## LiquidGold (27/5/14)

It also makes it easier to fit two fermenters in one fridge if the fridge isn't heaps big since you don't have that extra height from the airlock.


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## lukiferj (27/5/14)

Apart from the added benefit of seeing what your ferment is actually doing, saves space in the fermenting fridge too.

edit: beaten to the punch by LiquidGold


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## zooesk (27/5/14)

I do miss the sound of the air lock


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## BobtheBrewer (27/5/14)

slats69 said:


> What's the story with using glad wrap instead of the lid & air lock supplied ? I asked my b local home brewer & he had concerns about sterilizing . He also said if it ain't broke why did it. It's it a matter of plastic is just a lazy way of doing it


I put a layer of gladwrap over the top of the fermenter, secure it with a rubber ring (out of the lid) and then repeat the process. Nothing gets in, but occasionally if you use too much yeast, krausen does get out. Fairly easily fixed though.


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## spog (27/5/14)

The lid on the fermentor does the same,achieves the same,with glad wrap over the top and held in place Around the rim put a couple of pin pricks in one half of the glad wrap then apply a second half layer over the area that has the pin pricks in it.
As pressure builds up it will force its way out then as the pressure decreases the second layer will block any intake of air.
It works in the same principal as a diaphraghm,
The diaphraghm is the is the airlock.
Cheers....spog..


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## Dan Pratt (27/5/14)

I use the glad wrap and have for about a a year or so. I put it right to left and the back to front and use the oring. No worries....without the pin pricks....


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## sp0rk (27/5/14)

The unexposed side of Gladwrap is sterile from factory
No need for pin pricks, it's not an airtight seal


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## jaypes (27/5/14)

My brewing assistants have even pierced the glad wrap with their little fingers.

Brew came out fine


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## manson81 (27/5/14)

The rubber seal from the fermenter lid works quite well, but I also find the rubber band Yob sends with his 500g hop packs works even better. Perfect size for both my fermenters!


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## TidalPete (27/5/14)

I've only used the gladwrap a couple of times when space constrictions have negated the use of a lid (read those tallish 30-litre fermenters in bar fridges). 
I've read about reinforcing a double or triple-gladwrap sheath with a strip of sports tape or whatever for extra strength when needing to pierce a hole for a blow off tube so does this work ok?


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## Gregos (27/5/14)

You can't beat looking through the window and seeing you brew ferment, I've been using Gladwrap for a couple of years now, no going back to lids for me, use starsan in a spray bottle and spray a bit around the thread of the fermenter before you pull the Gladwrap over it.


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## Eagleburger (27/5/14)

Dam! what a good idea. I used paper towel on my first three brews. So many times I wanted to look in.


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## Spiesy (27/5/14)

I don't really see the massive need to look inside, tbh. 

With a lid I can see enough to know when a krausen is forming, and measure enough to know where I am in fermentation and taste enough to know everything is okay. 

Plus I get to mount a blow off tube and thermowell with a lid. 

Cleaning the lid is a lot easier than cleaning a fridge, if you get an overly aggressive fermentation.


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## manticle (27/5/14)

Both work. Next.


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## rheffera (27/5/14)

I recently started using the glad-wrap method. My fermenter doesnt fit in the brew fridge with the airlock on it. The alternative is to just have glad wrap over the grommet. I figure using glad wrap and the o-ring is actually going to be better than simply throwing glad wrap over the grommet. No issues thus far. Just sanitize as per usual.


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## shaunous (28/5/14)

I ferment in 20L skinny plastic jerry cans and just throw one layer of Glad Wrap over the small lid hole and use the wives hair tie to hold it over the thread.

Are u people that are still fermenting in the traditional big buckets using one layer of glad wrap or 2???


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## mje1980 (28/5/14)

The sky will fall in and the zombie apocalypse will engulf us all if you use glad wrap. 

I've never needed to see my fermentation. I loosely screw the lid on mine. If I'm top cropping it has to come off at some point anyway.


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## Pogierob (28/5/14)

mje1980 said:


> The sky will fall in and the zombie apocalypse will engulf us all if you use glad wrap.
> 
> I've never needed to see my fermentation. I loosely screw the lid on mine. If I'm top cropping it has to come off at some point anyway.


Ninjas, don't forget the ninjas come and slice up your hop bines.


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## Pogierob (28/5/14)

shaunous said:


> I ferment in 20L skinny plastic jerry cans and just throw one layer of Glad Wrap over the small lid hole and use the wives hair tie to hold it over the thread.
> 
> Are u people that are still fermenting in the traditional big buckets using one layer of glad wrap or 2???


I use two layers, gives it a bit more stiffness which makes it easier to fold back for dry hopping


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## Batz (28/5/14)

I've used glad wrap for years, one layer, no pin holes. If I dry hop I just chuck it and put a new bit on. It's not for everyone but it works for me.


Batz


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## Bribie G (28/5/14)

When He created home brewing, God decreed that the O rings in the lids of fermenters should also be ideal for securing the gladwrap over the fermenters' openings. Moves in mysterious ways.


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## jaypes (28/5/14)

mje1980 said:


> The sky will fall in and the zombie apocalypse will engulf us all if you use glad wrap.


I thought the zombie apocalypse was in 2018 - still plenty of time to go!


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## Batz (28/5/14)

On the sterilizing question, if glad wrap was not sterile most of us would be fairly crook, we do wrap food in it.

Batz


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## Damn (28/5/14)

"_You can't beat looking through the window and seeing you brew ferment"...._I think you can, I think a bubbling, animated and audible air lock much more pleasing. It's alive!
I tried it once. Should of known better. The cursing, swearing and crying while trying to get the glad wrap on whilst my wort was exposed. Its a known fact in my house when it comes to glad wrap I've got 2 left hands, we just don't get along. For me its chifful stuff. Should see me wrap a sandwich with it...Jerry Lewis move over. Really, its just a lid, 2 seals and an airlock that have to be cleaned. I can see the benefits, but for me, never again. Well at least not until I get off my "L"'s with gladwrap.


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## SJW (28/5/14)

I never understood why people get so excited about the bloody airlock bubbles or lack of. Cling wrap and a rubber band would save some people so much stress.


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## sponge (28/5/14)

SJW said:


> Cling wrap and a rubber band would save some people so much stress.


And so begins the great kitten cull of 2014.


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## stux (28/5/14)

shaunous said:


> Are u people that are still fermenting in the traditional big buckets using one layer of glad wrap or 2???


I don't use glad wrap with my pail fermenters


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## Pogierob (28/5/14)

It's a simple case of

Rabbit season
Duck season
Rabbit season
Duck season
Rabbit season
Duck season. 



Use glad wrap or don't. 
Still makes beer....


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## Drew (28/5/14)

Using glad wrap gives me such a great feeling. I'm being serious. For me it's like, 'this is awesome, why didn't I start doing it sooner'.

I love being able to see the brew. I'm an anxious brewer, and I can see so much better with the wrap.
Some lids are hard to get a good seal. I know that a perfect seal is not necessary, but it's so unsatifying! The glad wrap on the other hand billows up nice and taut every time.
My wife and kids are not font of a bubbling airlock. Wrap is quiet.
Is it just me, or are the brewing aromas dialed back a bit through the wrap? This is good for WAF also.
There's less washing up at the end of it. (Major win!).


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## crowmanz (28/5/14)

I use both, my first fermenter is one from the homebrew shop that came with the airlock and predrilled hole, second one is from bunnings and can't be arsed to drill hole and buy fermenter and grommets so it gets the glad wrap.


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## Camo6 (28/5/14)

I use both too. Top shelf of my fridge can hold two 30l bunnings fermentors with gladwrap. Bottom shelf can accomodate airlocks or a blowoff but most of the time it gets the bad boy bubby approach. I'm not articulate enough to define the differences in taste between either method. I hope I can when I switch to stainless FVs though. (Oooooh yeah)


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## Ducatiboy stu (28/5/14)

Pls think of the kittens.....all those poor inocent kittens.


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## Ducatiboy stu (28/5/14)

If you have ever seen Bad Boy Bubby.......you will know that kittens & glad wrap dont mix


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## Not For Horses (28/5/14)

I used glad wrap once. Got an infection. But only because I dropped a plate of biscuits and cheese on it...


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## Droopy Brew (12/10/14)

A question- I put down a brew a few nights ago and realised that I was out of glad wrap. My fridge wont fit a fermenter with an airlock so I went with the next best thing- Alfoil.

So far so good but what is the consensus on using foil in place of gladwrap? No tears or anything in the foil which I imagine is the biggest concern but I would think it does the same thing.

Thoughts?


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## pk.sax (12/10/14)

Aim is to cover so stuff doesn't get in but yeast farts still get out.
alfoil will be just fine, don't prick or tear it.
I'd say the original lid without a hole and without the germ harbouring o-ring will do fine too. Just screw on and leave be.


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## Eagleburger (12/10/14)

I used paper towel for my first few brews, then I read about gladwrap. I ferment in cubes, so paper towel may not work where there is a big hole.


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## Forever Wort (12/10/14)

The way to think about it is you want to stop actual particles, like the dust and shit that float in the air, from getting into your beer. You shouldn't be sealing your fermentor airtight, but you need to have an "umbrella".


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## manticle (12/10/14)

Have used glad and foil. Possibly prefer foil as it keeps out uv light. Again, both work - just don't leave it like that for ages once active primary has wound down.


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## Flash_DG (12/10/14)

have been looking at those stainless brew buckets from SS, and first thought was, I wonder if I need a wider roll of glad wrap? :huh:


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## Spiesy (13/10/14)

Flash_DG said:


> have been looking at those stainless brew buckets from SS, and first thought was, I wonder if I need a wider roll of glad wrap? :huh:


You know they come with a lid, right?


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## hellbent (13/10/14)

Rob.P said:


> only down side I have noticed is I don't hear the bloop bloop any more, Since my fermenting freezer is under the house and I wouldn't be able to hear it anyway - no issue


You may miss the "Bloop Bloop" but doesn't it give you a great thrill to check your brew next morning after pitching and see the gladwrap ballooning up like a huge nippleless breast and to touch it and feel the firmness!......... Ya don't get that with a bloody airlock!
Plus the gladwrap is free!......(Providing you knock it off out of SWMBO's kitchen!)


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## Flash_DG (13/10/14)

Spiesy said:


> You know they come with a lid, right?


 oh serious!? So I'll be able to see in with the lid on?


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## Forever Wort (13/10/14)

Flash_DG said:


> have been looking at those stainless brew buckets from SS, and first thought was, I wonder if I need a wider roll of glad wrap? :huh:


You can buy wider, industrial glad wrap on eBay for cheap. That's what I use. It is stronger strength than the supermarket stuff and doesn't tear as easily, too.


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## hotmelt (13/10/14)

Flash_DG said:


> have been looking at those stainless brew buckets from SS, and first thought was, I wonder if I need a wider roll of glad wrap? :huh:





Spiesy said:


> You know they come with a lid, right?



Maybe they could make a lid with a perspex window and give buyers the op
tion.


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## philmud (13/10/14)

Maybe a small, sanitizable ferm-cam™© that feeds to wifi and a phone app so you can check it anywhere. Could also provide a time-lapse option to facilitate further AHB pissing contests


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## Bribie G (13/10/14)

You mean a bit like goat cam?


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## Forever Wort (13/10/14)

I like it. Ferm-Cam™©, will be ordered online from the U.S. by several brewers for $700 a pop, then a clone thread will start up with detailed instructions of how to mod a Go-Pro and create your own "Krausen-Cam". Then a revolutionary movement will swell to restore order to the universe and retain the magic of the yeast, the "No Vis" movement, whereby receiving any visual stimuli of the yeast doing its work whatsoever is considered imprudent. Etc etc etc.


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## Spiesy (13/10/14)

hotmelt said:


> Maybe they could make a lid with a perspex window and give buyers the op
> tion.


Not a bad idea.


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## Spiesy (13/10/14)

Flash_DG said:


> oh serious!? So I'll be able to see in with the lid on?


I don't understand the need to constantly see what's going on, to be perfectly honest.
Sure, it would be nice - but I'm not going to replace the gasket fitted stainless lid with blowoff tube for a glad wrap substitute. 

I take a few gravity readings to see where my brew is at.

If I need to, I can open the lid to take a peak (and/or dry hop) - it's super easy with the clasp system the buckets have.

Just my personal preference, of course.


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## Forever Wort (13/10/14)

I think when you first start brewing it is simply awesome to watch the yeast do their thing. But you get over it. Some people sooner than others.


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## Flash_DG (13/10/14)

Spiesy said:


> I don't understand the need to constantly see what's going on, to be perfectly honest.
> Sure, it would be nice - but I'm not going to replace the gasket fitted stainless lid with blowoff tube for a glad wrap substitute.
> 
> I take a few gravity readings to see where my brew is at.
> ...


You know my first post was meant to be a bit of tongue in cheek.


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## philmud (13/10/14)

Forever Wort said:


> Then a revolutionary movement will swell to restore order to the universe and retain the magic of the yeast, the "No Vis" movement, whereby receiving any visual stimuli of the yeast doing its work whatsoever is considered imprudent. Etc etc etc.


I guess ferm-cam™© would essentially record yeast rooting. Rooting, then gorging on sugar. Sounds like my sex life during my 20s come to think of it.


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## Flash_DG (13/10/14)

Prince Imperial said:


> I guess ferm-cam™© would essentially record yeast rooting. Rooting, then gorging on sugar. Sounds like my sex life during my 20s come to think of it.


Beer Porn!?


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## hotmelt (13/10/14)

Prince Imperial said:


> Maybe a small, sanitizable ferm-cam™© that feeds to wifi and a phone app so you can check it anywhere. Could also provide a time-lapse option to facilitate further AHB pissing contests


Jaycar $99.
http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC3368&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1035#5


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## Bribie G (13/10/14)

hotmelt said:


> Jaycar $99.
> http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC3368&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1035#5


Might get my friend Alison to sneak one into the changing room at Curves.


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## Spiesy (13/10/14)

Flash_DG said:


> You know my first post was meant to be a bit of tongue in cheek.


Yeah, I picked that up.


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## shaunous (14/10/14)

hotmelt said:


> Jaycar $99.
> http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC3368&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1035#5


I feel that camera should be illegal, I could only imagine what people are doing with them, being so creepy and affordable. I've caught people doing some weird arse shit at random times on my big bulky game camera I used to mount around my farm. That thing is tiny, it would for perfectly in a Curves change room Bribie, hell you could mount a few at different angles for that price


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## sp0rk (14/10/14)

I bet the quality is terrible
The Mobius action cam is where it's at for tiny hi def voyeur cams 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mobius-ActionCam-Full-HD-Sports-Camera-1080P-30FPS-720P-60FPS-Pocket-Camcorder-/151071891306?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item232c961f6a


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## slcmorro (14/10/14)

Bribie G said:


> Might get my friend Alison to sneak one into the changing room at Curves.


You have a fatty fetish? Don't get me wrong... they're all gods creatures... just some a lot more than others.


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## Spiesy (14/10/14)

sp0rk said:


> I bet the quality is terrible
> The Mobius action cam is where it's at for tiny hi def voyeur cams
> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mobius-ActionCam-Full-HD-Sports-Camera-1080P-30FPS-720P-60FPS-Pocket-Camcorder-/151071891306?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item232c961f6a


Ummm.....


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## sp0rk (14/10/14)

Spiesy said:


> Ummm.....


I stumbled across them when looking for cheap helmet cams, realised they've probably got a much more likely use by some pervs...


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## sp0rk (14/10/14)

slcmorro said:


> You have a fatty fetish? Don't get me wrong... they're all gods creatures... just some a lot more than others.


We prefer to be called chubby chasers, thank you very much


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## klangers (14/10/14)

hellbent said:


> a huge nippleless breast and to touch it and feel the firmness!.........


This is why I like these forums. You just don't get these comparisons elsewhere!


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## seamad (14/10/14)

Glad wrap is way cool.






Black IPA pitched with wyeast scottish less than 24 hours ago
Can't do that with an airlock
End of argument.


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## Drew (14/10/14)

Billowing > Bubbling.
Opaque = Mistake
See Through = Good Brew


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## michaeld16 (14/10/14)

Ha that is cool gonna be a sticky clean up though


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## Spiesy (15/10/14)

seamad said:


> Glad wrap is way cool.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Don't think I'd want to, tbh.

Enjoy the cleanup!


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## Pogierob (16/10/14)

seamad said:


> Glad wrap is way cool.
> 
> 
> Glad wrap.jpg
> ...


nice blow off fridge.


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## 2much2spend (16/10/14)

seamad said:


> Glad wrap is way cool.
> 
> 
> Glad wrap.jpg
> ...


Nice! Looking at this has anyone used the defoaming stuff? 
Doe's it work?


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## Bribie G (16/10/14)

sp0rk said:


> We prefer to be called chubby chasers, thank you very much


Chinese Proverb:

_Thin women for looking at_
_Fat women for lying on._


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## GrumpyPaul (16/10/14)

Prince Imperial said:


> Rooting, then gorging on sugar. Sounds like my sex life during my 20s come to think of it.


In my 40's - now I just gorge on sugar.


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## menoetes (16/10/14)

That looks messy, I had something similar in my last brew but perhaps not _quite_ as vigorous.

Still sterile enough inside though I reckon...


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## angus_grant (16/10/14)

Yay for krau-splosions!!!
Dunkel weizen with wyeast 3068. 
This was about 20 hours into ferment. 





Edit: would have needed massive blow-off container to contain it. Parks got "20L" of krausen on a similar weizen in his 60L fermentor.


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## sp0rk (16/10/14)

I've never had a big explosive krausen like that in all my years of brewing, don't know what I'm doing wrong/right


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## angus_grant (16/10/14)

Both ferments have been similar. I may have over-pitched, but by all accounts it is a puke-monster.....

It also fermented out in 4 days which I have certainly never had. I left it on the yeast and raised temps to clean up for another 5 days though. Epic ferment!


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## SJW (16/10/14)

I alway use glad wrap as a lid. Easy to see whats going on and easy to drop the temp probe in for accurate temp control. Why the floc would you need a sterile lid for anyway? it aint Bourbon in oak barrels.


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## Lesbob (26/10/14)

I do exactly the same as pratty1 and haven't had any issues. Wouldn't go back to a bubbler now and it stopped me staring at it all the time lol. Plus I learnt to look in the fermenter and learn what is happening in there


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## rossbaker (27/10/14)

rheffera said:


> I recently started using the glad-wrap method. My fermenter doesnt fit in the brew fridge with the airlock on it. The alternative is to just have glad wrap over the grommet. I figure using glad wrap and the o-ring is actually going to be better than simply throwing glad wrap over the grommet. No issues thus far. Just sanitize as per usual.


+1 there seemed to be enough consensus on here that it is a pretty foolproof method


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## Pirate323i (27/10/14)

I was told to "stop that noise, it's not ok!" that is the reason I will be going cling wrap in the future!


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