Lid Too Tight?

[Slightly]

So I put in my draught last night, airlock still isn't bubbling... I wondering if my airlock may be too tight? I tampered with it a bit last night so I don't really want to play around with it again. It's been sitting at 22 degrees so my hopeful guess is that it will take a while to bubble because of this temp?

Is the lid being too tight - if this is the case - a problem?

 

[Supra-Jim]

Probably not. Search airlock bubbling around here and you'll learn not to trust the airlock.

Most yeasts (more so dried yeast as they require rehydration time) will have a lag time (yeast growing phase) before they start really kicking. This can be upto 24-30 hours. So relax and look for better indications of fermentation like krausen (big whitish froth) and condensation or even better a hydrometer reading!

There are techniques like re-hydrating dry yeast or making starters for liquid yeasts that help reduce lag time.

Cheers SJ

 

[Slightly]

Thanks for the reassurance! It hasn't been 24 hours yet ^_^ , it hasn't even been 10 :huh:

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Thanks for the reassurance! It hasn't been 24 hours yet ^_^ , it hasn't even been 10 :huh:

Just relax. B)

I have a standard Morgans QLD Bitter in the fermentor at the moment and it took 18ish hours to form a krausen at 23degrees.

As you go with more and more brews you will have varying times between pitching the yeast and signs of fermentation.

Can I make a suggestion to you?

Next brew, don't use the plastic lid. Use glad wrap with the rubber seal in the lid to wrap around the threads to hold the glad wrap. You can see straight down into what your wort is doing and you can see fermentation from the wrap bulging. This is what I've done for the last 3 brews and won't be using a lid and airlock again in the near future!

Don't be scared, give it ago. Also less to wash and sanitise!

 

[Slightly]

*relaxes*

I'll have to give the glad wrap idea a go for the next brew I reckon'

 

[jbowers]

Do you guys just use the normal glad wrap? I tried it with this brew and man it was impossible to get it over - just wasnt quite wide enough for a good seal.

 

[Slightly]

Do you guys just use the normal glad wrap? I tried it with this brew and man it was impossible to get it over - just wasnt quite wide enough for a good seal.

Good quesiton.

*awaits Aus_Rider's reply!*

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Good quesiton.

*awaits Aus_Rider's reply!*

I just use this stuff http://www.glad.com.au/gladProducts/foodDetails.asp?pId=11 and it covers the open top of my fermenter. It was a Toohey's starter kit. I guess the top sizes could be different from fermentor brands. I always have a spray bottle of starsan and water made up for brew day and just give one side of the glad wrap piece a little spray and this kind of stops it from sticking together and sanitises it at the same time. I will take a photo when I get home.

 

[Slightly]

you are too good, cheers.

 

[svyturys]

Do you guys just use the normal glad wrap? I tried it with this brew and man it was impossible to get it over - just wasnt quite wide enough for a good seal.

I have Coopers fermenters. Standard gladwrap, two sheets at right angles to each other has done the trick for me for ages. Held down by the rubber seal, of course.


Cheers

 

[Slightly]

I have Coopers fermenters. Standard gladwrap, two sheets at right angles to each other has done the trick for me for ages. Held down by the rubber seal, of course.


Cheers

do you spray or put anything on the gladwrap for sanitary reasons? Or is it fine as is?

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

do you spray or put anything on the gladwrap for sanitary reasons? Or is it fine as is?

I would assume the wrap should be sanitary as it's meant for food contact. I just always spray a bit of starsan so I can manouvre it better and is easier to "unfold" if it sticks back onto itself.

 

[Slightly]

I would assume the wrap should be sanitary as it's meant for food contact. I just always spray a bit of starsan so I can manouvre it better and is easier to "unfold" if it sticks back onto itself.

Of course!

Yeah I hate it when gladwrap folds back over itself. Surely Gladwrap could do something about that, or am I asking too much?

 

[svyturys]

do you spray or put anything on the gladwrap for sanitary reasons? Or is it fine as is?

I use the gladwrap straight off the roll. It doesn't touch the brew. The amazing thing about this method is that you can see exactly what is going on with the brew almost hour to hour. I can see how different yeasts act. There are tiny little tell tale signs that develop and one learns to read. The intensity of the fermentation can be read by the amount of bulge in the gladwrap.
You become an eyewitness to the entire process, while the airlock is akin to someone sending you text messages from the scene.

Cheers

 

[Slightly]

Sounds good, looks like I've been converted to glad wrap!

 

[WarmBeer]

Do you guys just use the normal glad wrap? I tried it with this brew and man it was impossible to get it over - just wasnt quite wide enough for a good seal.

Use 2 pieces of glad wrap, at 90 degrees to each other.

This way you should end up with enough over-lap over the side of the lip of the fermenter to easily get the rubber o-ring on. The double layer makes it a little harder to see in, but only marginally.

 

[Pollux]

I use one piece of coles savings brand clingwrap over the top of both of my coopers fermenters, it takes a touch of patience to get it on but once you get used to it, it's actually quite easy.

 

[Slightly]

I use one piece of coles savings brand clingwrap over the top of both of my coopers fermenters, it takes a touch of patience to get it on but once you get used to it, it's actually quite easy.

do you keep it on with a large rubber band?

also, do you put a hole in the glad wrap?

 

[raven19]

Or just remove the O ring from the fermentor lid and continue to use the lid...

I use a bottle cap to cover the airlock hole.

I tend to pitch active starters so its raring within 12 -18 hours.

 

[Pollux]

do you keep it on with a large rubber band?

also, do you put a hole in the glad wrap?

Sorry, yeah I use the large o-ring from the lid. Don't bother with a hole, gas will find a way out if it wants it.