AHB Articles: Using Glad wrap instead of a lid

[manticle]

What's the hole for?

 

[argon]

What's the hole for?

to prevent the fermenter catching on fire

 

[wakkatoo]

I use glad wrap on mine. I prick a hole in it using a needle. I stick a sticker onto the wrap and poke the hole through the sticker. That way the hole stays small and doesn't tear.

He, he, ignore Argon. He's a nice person, just having some fun.

Manticles qn is a valid one though, and because your post count indicates newbie status I'll give an answer obvious to many who have been here a while - you don't need the hole as you may as well go open top fermentation if you do (and invite all sorts of nasties in). I've used the cling wrap method for the past 18 or so months with never a hole being pricked (or is it pruck?? :blink: ). I can personally guarantee the gas finds its own way out and there has never been a self-imploding fermenter, or as Argon suggested, an out of control fermenter fire. Don't worry about a hole in the glad wrap, its just inviting the inevitable infection that will happen at some stage.

 

[argon]

yeah i was being a little... facetious. good info above. I always use cling wrap these days and believe it's the only way to go.

 

[raven19]

What's the hole for?

:icon_offtopic: Kitten deterrent.

I am a total convert btw. Less to wash too!

 

[Tilt]

A query for those fellas using the old round fermentors with glad wrap - how do you aerate your wort prior to pitching?
One of the reasons I keep using the lid/seal/airlock on mine is that having the lid securely on allows me to hold a sanitised thumb over the airlock hole and shake the whole shebang for a few minutes to aerate the wort.
Glad wrap wouldn't keep any of the sloshing wort in - so does that mean you fellas use a "splosh the wort with a spoon"or a fishtank pump and sintered stone or even the O2 bottle arrangement?

 

[michael_aussie]

what is the hole for??

It's a serious question.

If there is a good case in favour of pricking your glad wrapper then I'd like to hear it.

I can tell you .. from what I've seen....

If you don't prick:

1) your glad wrap won't "burst".
2) your fermenter won't "burst"
3) the CO2 WILL escape - it's hard enough to ensure sealed systems don't leak.. let alone thinking something as primitive as glad wrap and a big rubber band won't leak.
4) any stray dirt, or water sitting on top of your gladwrap won't get in.

If you do prick.

1) any stray dirt, or water sitting on top of your gladwrap has every chance of getting in.

Has anyone ever not pricked had a problem .. and if so what was it... would pricking have stopped this problem.

Everyone is entitled to brew how they want to .... but I think it's important if there are differing opinions on how to do something that both sides should justify why their way is better.

Particularly when others read what you do and will copy.

 

[Bribie G]

I'm not a fan of pricks, I just use it unpricked. As for aeration, I no chill and use the splash and glug method. Then the next morning as the lag phase is ending (more often than not a krausen appearing already) I use the magic tool to thrash the wort, then cover with fresh gladwrap and the rubber band, and tuck the FV off to bed for the duration.




ps I'm promoting the use of the term FV which seems to be the default on UK forums and a good shorthand.

 

[WarmBeer]

A query for those fellas using the old round fermentors with glad wrap - how do you aerate your wort prior to pitching?
One of the reasons I keep using the lid/seal/airlock on mine is that having the lid securely on allows me to hold a sanitised thumb over the airlock hole and shake the whole shebang for a few minutes to aerate the wort.
Glad wrap wouldn't keep any of the sloshing wort in - so does that mean you fellas use a "splosh the wort with a spoon"or a fishtank pump and sintered stone or even the O2 bottle arrangement?

I pour my cube of room-temperature wort through one of these:

Aerates the wort nicely, I usually have foam wanting to come out the top of the FV from splashing and aeration. Added benefit is it catches any leftover cube hop residue before it gets into the FV (thanks Bribie for saving me all those keystrokes).

 

[Tilt]

Bribie and Warmbeer - thanks for the tips and showing us your magic tools! :blink:

Being a "kettle chillin" brewer I figure I'll open the tap from a height and splash that baby into the FV.
And then for good measure I could remove the glad wrap and give it a good paddle beating after 12hrs or so lagtime.

Actually on that one - I could stand corrected but I thought I heard Jamil Z on his show discuss that the important time for oxygenated wort was the first part of fermentation - if thats the case Bribie, why do you re aerate 12 hours in - is a wee while after pitching the optimum time to provide O2 and boost yeast health?

This forum is awesome for simple solutions to as yet unresolved problems.
BTW I like the FV acronym too - it places all the containers we choose to use under the same umbrella and does it so succinctly.

 

[Wolfy]

A query for those fellas using the old round fermentors with glad wrap - how do you aerate your wort prior to pitching?
...
Glad wrap wouldn't keep any of the sloshing wort in

Yeah it does.
Layer or two of cling-wrap, then put the lid loosely on top, shake the crap through it, replace cling wrap if it got ripped by the lid.

 

[kelbygreen]

many may flame me but I use a silicon hose stretched over the tap and spray the water in of coarse this wouldnt work with full boil. I know you can get aquatic air pumps cheap and with a stone and a sanitary filter its prob cheap if you consider how much use you get

 

[bignath]

Actually on that one - I could stand corrected but I thought I heard Jamil Z on his show discuss that the important time for oxygenated wort was the first part of fermentation - if thats the case Bribie, why do you re aerate 12 hours in - is a wee while after pitching the optimum time to provide O2 and boost yeast health?

Tilt,

the "end of lagtime" (when the yeast is gathering numbers of little yeasty soldiers to eat all your sugar) would be the start of the "first part of fermentation".

Fermentation doesn't start once you pitch the yeast, it starts when it starts fermenting. So 12 hours after pitching seems (to me) like a pretty good time to aerate. It's not something that i currently do, but i may just try it.

What i do is (probably like many on here) no chill out of kettle into a cube. Come back when cube has cooled to pitching temp.

Then pour a litre or two into fermenter.
Add yeast to this.
Then finish pouring the rest of the wort on top of yeast from as high up as i can without:
A: busting my ass
B: spilling any of my precious beery stuff
C: dropping my cube in front of other brewing friends, therefore looking like a complete ********.

Now, off to find me a magical tool.

Nath

 

[michael_aussie]

What i do is (probably like many on here) no chill out of kettle into a cube. Come back when cube has cooled to pitching temp.

Then pour a litre or two into fermenter.
Add yeast to this.
Then finish pouring the rest of the wort on top of yeast from as high up as i can without:
A: busting my ass
B: spilling any of my precious beery stuff
C: dropping my cube in front of other brewing friends, therefore looking like a complete ********.
......

lol .. nice image there.

I poured my first cubes yesterday .... and found they're bastards when they're full.
The gulg gulg of the air escaping as you pour initially made little bits slurt out at each glug.
So I ended up with a little bit splashed over the side of my fermenter and on the floor.

Is this "normal" and how do you avoid minimise this spillage?

 

[bignath]

lol .. nice image there.

I poured my first cubes yesterday .... and found they're bastards when they're full.
The gulg gulg of the air escaping as you pour initially made little bits slurt out at each glug.
So I ended up with a little bit splashed over the side of my fermenter and on the floor.

Is this "normal" and how do you avoid minimise this spillage?

Yeah, that's happened heaps of times to me. I just start slowly and once i get a good pour going, gradually increase the pour rate without going so hard that the fluid blocks air coming in to displace it, which is what causes the inconsistent pouring glug glug thing. I get a nice balance between going hard enough to get some air in it, and slow enough that it pours well....

 

[bum]

Someone (forget who, sorry) once reported good results by pouring with the hole at the top (i.e. from above the handle). I can see why it might work better but all I can see happening if I were to try it is the first few litres of wort running into the fermenter via the hair on my forearm.

Perhaps we need a pouring from a cube article?

 

[bignath]

Someone (forget who, sorry) once reported good results by pouring with the hole at the top (i.e. from above the handle). I can see why it might work better but all I can see happening if I were to try it is the first few litres of wort running into the fermenter via the hair on my forearm.

Perhaps we need a pouring from a cube article?

OK lads, here's my secret.......

If my "cube" happens to be a jerry can, i pour it with the jerry can on it's side, as i am sure that it allows the air in quicker or easier, therefore making the pour better and faster.

Don't tell anyone though.... h34r:

 

[michael_aussie]

Someone (forget who, sorry) once reported good results by pouring with the hole at the top (i.e. from above the handle). I can see why it might work better but all I can see happening if I were to try it is the first few litres of wort running into the fermenter via the hair on my forearm.

Perhaps we need a pouring from a cube article?

hmmmm
i DID pour from the hole on top.
Should I have removed the bung and used the little hole down the bottom? I'm sure the bottom bung holes were still blanked?

 

[bignath]

Should I have removed the bung and used the little hole down the bottom? I'm sure the bottom bung holes were still blanked?

Haaaaaahaaaaaaaaa that's pretty funny.. :lol:

 

[bum]

hmmmm
i DID pour from the hole on top.
Should I have removed the bung and used the little hole down the bottom? I'm sure the bottom bung holes were still blanked?

No, pour from above but with the hole at 12 o'clock not at 6 o'clock - if that helps.

I wouldn't be drilling out a bunghole (outside of mardi gras) if it was already sealed up - less places for nasties to hide.