Using Cling Wrap Instead Of An Airlock

[michael_aussie]

DON'T prick a hole in it, the gas finds a way out, the layer of film bulges up pretty handsomely, but no need to be concerned. Once fermentation tails off the film subsides, if there's a hole in it any condensation or drips will have an easy route into your beer- probably don't want any of that muck in your beer, hey?
Hope this helps! :icon_cheers:

I think I will follow this advice too ------ no hole seems to be a safer bet.

I'm also not planning to sterilise the cling wrap.

Once again ty for all of your comments.

 

[Hatchy]

Sorry mate, I assumed prior knowledge. The only time you want aeration is right before you pitch the yeast. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is that yeast will breed when they have oxygen but when they are starved of it they're happy to survive on sugar which they turn into alcohol & carbon dioxide which is why we love them so much. Have a look in the yeast chapter in how to brew. I'm sure Palmer explains it better than I do. If you don't have a paper copy, the entire book is available at howtobrew.com

Edit: I should've known when I answered my phone mid-post that someone would beat me to it.

 

[Frank]

I have never used Glad Wrap, and have no intention to. I find it funny to read that some have chosen to use it because they cant get a lid to seal 100%, but CO2 leaking under the seal of Glad Wrap is OK. ???
Even with a poor lid seal the air lock is still there just in case you have a peak in CO2 production that can't escape under the lid seal.
I use a blow off tube with my fermenter with no lid rubber seal, CO2 can leak out where ever it likes but excessive production of CO2 and krausen can be expelled through the blow off tube.

 

[michaelcocks]

Hi guys (I think you're all guys??),
thank you very much for your input.
Lots of great pointers here.

It's great to have immediate access to other avid brewers.

Yes, I should have searched, sorry about that. bloody newbies.

I too have had problems getting an air seal, or when I do, removing the lid.
I'm looking forward to the better view.
If I "use" the extra head room to fill the "primary fridge" I won't be able to see in..... hmmmm.

I will miss the reassuring plop-plop. Not sure how I'll cope with this.


aerating?? ...
What am I missing here?
I thought air was my emeny.
I have been careful when bottling to ensure I don't get aeration.

As Pauline Hanson would say ... please explain.

Yeast need oxygen to get them going. After the initial burst or oxygen, you are correct, air (oxygen) is the enemy...
I use a (sanitized whisk) to aerate my wort just after adding the yeast....

Happy days....

Lots to learn

Mike

 

[Hatchy]

Bloody good point Boston. If a lid not sealing is an issue then cling wrap would have to be about the worst "solution" available.

 

[Wolfy]

aerating?? ...
What am I missing here?

As Pauline Hanson would say ... please explain.

After boiling and before pitching yeast, its a very good idea to aerate the wort as much as you can - the yeast will then use the O2 as part of their growth and reproduction phase. So the more O2 you have in the wort the happier/better the yeast will be (everyone is happier with more sex right?)
One very good way to aerate the pre-fermented-wort this is to simply shake the crap out of it (i was reading someone who did an experiment and proved that this was actually the best method to get O2 into the wort), and if you have a lid on the fermenter it's easier to shake without making too much mess.

Any other time, when the wort is hot, or anytime after (about) the first 24 hours of fermentation you need to limit the amount of oxidation because that may cause off-flavours and other problems in your beer.

 

[felten]

I have never used Glad Wrap, and have no intention to. I find it funny to read that some have chosen to use it because they cant get a lid to seal 100%, but CO2 leaking under the seal of Glad Wrap is OK. ???
Even with a poor lid seal the air lock is still there just in case you have a peak in CO2 production that can't escape under the lid seal.
I use a blow off tube with my fermenter with no lid rubber seal, CO2 can leak out where ever it likes but excessive production of CO2 and krausen can be expelled through the blow off tube.

I think you both completely misunderstood or misread what I said. Naturally the dust and germs are not going to be able climb vertically up inside your fermenter with a loose fitting lid, or with cling film; so if you cannot get a tight seal with your lid, tight enough to force the co2 out of the airlock (which is why its there) and not just around the edges of the lid, what is the point of lid + airlock?

Glad wrap does not form a tight seal, co2 can escape; but it does prevent anything from entering. (except for small children/household pets)

That's my personal opinion on it anyway, maybe some lube on the o-ring would make opening/closing easier but I am now fine with using cling wrap.

 

[manticle]

I use both glad and lids at various points. Sometimes glad just seems like one less thing to sanitise or one less thing that can go wrong. Sometimes I have no glad or have a nice clean lid handy and feel like using it. Both have a place in my brewery depending on how I feel. No real problems with either so far except a beetle once found its way through 5 layers of glad wrap and sucked down on some dubbel.

Happy little beetle.

 

[Hatchy]

I think you both completely misunderstood or misread what I said. Naturally the dust and germs are not going to be able climb vertically up inside your fermenter with a loose fitting lid, or with cling film; so if you cannot get a tight seal with your lid, tight enough to force the co2 out of the airlock (which is why its there) and not just around the edges of the lid, what is the point of lid + airlock?

Glad wrap does not form a tight seal, co2 can escape; but it does prevent anything from entering. (except for small children/household pets)

That's my personal opinion on it anyway, maybe some lube on the o-ring would make opening/closing easier but I am now fine with using cling wrap.

I think what Boston was suggesting it that if yr happy to not have a seal then where is the problem with a lid that doesn't seal. The airlock won't bubble but it won't with glad wrap either.

Kids & pets are a good point. The cat didn't seem at all interested in my fermenters when they had airlocks. For some reason she stares at then constantly now they've got cling wrap on them.

 

[theredone]

quick question:
when cold crashing using clingwrap doesnt it suck the wrap into the brew? or does it no suck that much air back in as chilling?

 

[RdeVjun]

quick question:
when cold crashing using clingwrap doesnt it suck the wrap into the brew? or does it no suck that much air back in as chilling?

It can do, particularly in a fermenter with lots of headspace. No biggie for me, if it looks like bursting I'll just release some of the suction.

 

[MarkBastard]

Never happened with me and I crash chill all my brews.

When I'm transferring to the keg on the other hand the glad wrap starts sucking in, so I remove the rubber band and just let the glad wrap sit on top.

 

[Acasta]

Has anyone had trouble keeping oxygen out of their brew for an extended period of time using cling wrap? Say 3-4 weeks kind of thing including cold conditioning.

 

[Rowy]

I haven't.

 

[Cocko]

Na, me neither.

 

[pk.sax]

Fermenting outside at ambient - saison, glad wrap isn't the best idea for extended slow ferments. Never had a problem inside the fridge, it's all cold nothing much moves.

 

[Amber Fluid]

Has anyone had trouble keeping oxygen out of their brew for an extended period of time using cling wrap? Say 3-4 weeks kind of thing including cold conditioning.

Last Sunday I kegged 2 x 26L FVs (1 was glad wrapped) that had been sitting in the fridge at 4C for about 6-7 weeks. Didn't have any issues and in fact, it was a lot clearer than after the usual 2-3 weeks or so.

 

[QldKev]

I've done many extended brews using glad wrap, never had an issue. I've never tried it outside of a fermenting fridge.

 

[Acasta]

Thanks guys, after having a recent run in with acetaldehyde I was wondering if I was letting oxygen into the brew via gladwrap for extended periods.

 

[mr_tyreman]

Same here Acasta, i screwed the lid down uber hard....now its good as gold, no more acetaldehyde type problems.

Whats everyone's thoughts on cold crashing? should we dose with co2 to flush out any air that has been 'sucked' into the fermenter?

or just relax