Replacent Cube Lids

[manticle]

Sorry a little off the OP.
When you no chill your cube do you fill it and leave no air? If so you will have no head space so Krausen will certainly over flow. If not how much air do you leave, and aren't you afraid of infection / oxidation?




Fear_n_loath

Krausen won't overflow until there is yeast in there. Can't realistically put yeast in a no chill cube until it's cool and you've undone the lid at least once (to get the yeast in)

If you ferment in a no chill cube you (should) squeeze the air out when you first fill the cube and tighten the lid, then, when the yeast is pitched, let air in, aerate (I retighten the lid and shake) and put yeast in. No more risk of oxidation than taking the lid off a cube and pouring into a fermenter.

I think you missed something but it's strongly possible that I did.

 

[Brewman_]

Yeh I am missing something I think?

If I no Chill, and cool the cube, there is no air / gas in the cube at room temp, completely liquid phase in the cube. I could not even pitch a dry yeast into it without it running onto the floor? Not really sure what you mean by taking the lid off and letting air in then pitching yeast? Do you squeeze the cube in as you fill with hot wert? Missing something? Or do you guys leave a head space of air in the cube?
Fear_n_loiath

Edit my poor quote.

 

[Florian]

Give it a try and you will see that once you open the cube it 'de-squeezes' itself and there is plenty of space for a generous pitch and even a krausen, provided you actually had to squeeze the cube to expel air and didn't fill it to the brim.

EDIT: Freezkat, that sounds about right, depending on where you measure.

 

[manticle]

Yeh I am missing something I think?

If I no Chill, and cool the cube, there is no air / gas in the cube at room temp, completely liquid phase in the cube. I could not even pitch a dry yeast into it without it running onto the floor? Not really sure what you mean by taking the lid off and letting air in then pitching yeast? Do you squeeze the cube in as you fill with hot wert? Missing something? Or do you guys leave a head space of air in the cube?
Fear_n_loiath

Edit my poor quote.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showarticle=197

 

[ForkBoy]

I am using the white jerry cans from bunnings (the white ones with two openings, not the blue ones). They come with a black plastic funnel (which are also sold separately for a couple of bucks). You could use that for a blow-off tube.

Alternatively, the lid that comes with the funnel has a hole in it where the funnel part fits. I have found that a 1/2" ss washer fits the opening in the lid perfectly, and with a little grinding a 1/2" nut will fit on the inside of the lid too. This allows me to use 1/2" fittings on the openings of the Jerry with an airtight seal. I use that to fit a blow off tube and my 1/2" ss temperature probe.

It's a bit more complicated than the old glad wrap approach, but I like to watch the bubbles

The first time I tried the ferment in cube approach, I ended up with quite a mess too...

 

[Brewman_]

OK I get.
Thanks for the link Manticle.

Makes sense, one less vessel and one less transfer of the beer, I can see why some brewers do it.

Fear_n_loath

 

[freezkat]

OK I get.
Thanks for the link Manticle.

Makes sense, one less vessel and one less transfer of the beer, I can see why some brewers do it.

Fear_n_loath

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx...9&catid=816

I have 3 of these that don't fit anything I own. All my cubes use a 70mm cap. I'll look to see how much it is to mail them,

These have a knock out if you wanted to add a spigot or connect an airlock.

 

[Joshisgood]

Another option is to use a few drops of fermcap, also called antifoam.

I've been using it close to a year now, it's inexpensive and does a good job of keeping the krausen down . I ferment in cubes as well and haven't had any blowouts since.

Just wondering how many drops of fermcap to use in a 20 L batch. Anyone know?