Is this cube swollen?

[rossbaker]

Hi guys, I've lost all perspective and I can't tell if this is slowly swelling up or normal. From memory, the cube was quite full on brew day, almost no squeezing before screwing the cap. Still looks to have a slight indentation from vacuum up high but it looks like it's belying out down low. Thoughts? Does anyone have pics of a swollen cube so I know what to expect?

 

[nosco]

It looks ok to me. Leave it another day if you can. It it gets worse then you will know for sure. If it has started to ferment then even over night will be enough.

 

[Bribie G]

How long were you going to leave the cube before pitching?
I'd suggest leave for another 24 hours then just slightly crack the lid open. If you get fizzing, then bad news. Otherwise reseal and I doubt if any nasties would have got in to spoil the wort.

 

[MHB]

If as you say it is sucking in at the top and swelling out at the bottom (which is the way it looks in the photo), I suspect its more of a comment on the quality of the plastic than on the wort.
Short answer, its fine, leave it alone until you are ready to pitch - going to disagree with Bribie on this one - if it is OK it will be under a bit of a vacuum, open it and I can almost guarantee you will infect it.
Having seen several swollen no-chills, its a bit like having an orgasm, there is no maybe about it, you will be sure when it happens.
Mark

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I've had a swollen cube (and fermented in a cube), there is a marked difference.

 

[Bribie G]

Mark, yes I'd forgotten they would be a bit of a low pressure in the headspace. Ignore my post

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I'd be inclined to store cubes without the tap on, that's asking for trouble imo.

Cube looks fine to me.

 

[Bribie G]

Didn't notice the tap in the pic... yes, replace with blank. Use the tip and glug method into the fermentor.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Definitely easier to keep it airtight with a bung not a tap.

 

[manticle]

I ferment in my cubes so a tap is essential. However, if storing for longer than a couple of days, or transferring to another vessel, I'd also go bung.

That's more to do with kicking it out inadvertently though - taps are easy to clean and sanitise and cheap and easy to replace.

Cube doesn't look swollen to me but infected wort stinks like Eric Abetz's unwashed arsehole so when you are ready to pitch and you crack the lid, you will know. A bit like MHB suggested, but less of an afterglow.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I ferment in my cubes so a tap is essential.

snip

taps are easy to clean and sanitise and cheap and easy to replace

I ferment in cubes at the moment as well, but I haven't found a tap to be essential.

Taps may be easy to clean but threads aren't: I will not have any threaded joints in contact with wort or beer*, so I leave the cube unbroached.

All the valves in my brewing rig are butterfly valves for the same reason.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

One of the reasons for me not having a tap on my cubes, (other than the potential for infection) is for when the hot wort has been transferred, the risk of knocking the tap and having it dislodge and having near boiling hot liquid gushing out, isn't one that I'm prepared to take.
Another is when they're stored, the same could happen, cooled wort gushing out instead.

 

[manticle]

I ferment in cubes at the moment as well, but I haven't found a tap to be essential.

Taps may be easy to clean but threads aren't: I will not have any threaded joints in contact with wort or beer*, so I leave the cube unbroached.

All the valves in my brewing rig are butterfly valves for the same reason.

Essential (and adequate) for my current purposes.

I no chill and ferment in the same vessel, transfer to keg (or ageing vessel in some circumstances) via the tap and silicon hose.

I haven't found a well looked after tap to be a source of infection ever (badly sealing hot cubes, yes), but as above, they need care not to be knocked.

 

[Tony121]

Deleted - posting after 6 pints not ideal

 

[Brewnicorn]

Mercy, that escalated quickly.
If that’s a Bunning’s blue cube the shape can change a little with heat and pressure (I suppose they all do?) - call me captain obvious...but having seen a swollen fresh kit recently at LHBS, yours looks ok.

 

[Schikitar]

If that’s a Bunning’s blue cube the shape can change a little with heat and pressure

Mine definitely does this, it actually allows me to squeeze just over 28 litres into a supposedly 25 litre cube..

 

[rossbaker]

Awesome, thanks for the responses guys. I've moved the cube off the keezer so there should be less mess if it did go pop. This will be my next ferment, hopefully in a few days so not planning to store it for too long. Hopefully it smells like esb wort, not vomit!

Replacing tap with a bung is a good idea. Speaking of which, is there an ideal tool for tightening those bungs? I use the handle of a bread and butter knife to loosen them, not sure how best to tighten them...

 

[Schikitar]

is there an ideal tool for tightening those bungs? I use the handle of a bread and butter knife to loosen them, not sure how best to tighten them..

Oh my gosh, yes, this - I've been doing the same thing, total PITA!

 

[unwrittenlaw]

Big flathead screwdriver works too

 

[luggy]

Awesome, thanks for the responses guys. I've moved the cube off the keezer so there should be less mess if it did go pop. This will be my next ferment, hopefully in a few days so not planning to store it for too long. Hopefully it smells like esb wort, not vomit!

Replacing tap with a bung is a good idea. Speaking of which, is there an ideal tool for tightening those bungs? I use the handle of a bread and butter knife to loosen them, not sure how best to tighten them...

Grab yourself a cube wrench