Ripped Off

[Geezah]

Top post ditch

Oppertunist retailers tell the consumers what they need and how to do it and the consumer obeys.

What really gets me is when someone asks a question and their internet is not broken.

[oldbloke]

Airlocks are handy for wine. For ale/cider, they're just a lid to stop crap falling into your brew. I mostly use demis, and a bung with a lock in it is what I have about the place. When I use a bucket I don't bother.

[Cozzyb]

Haha ditch, as always great post. Hell I'm not disagreeing with you, if I bought another FV right now, I would buy one with just a lid or even one of those coopers jobbies that lifts up the lid. It is a shame that some people get all their homebrew advice from LHBS (honestly my LHBS doesn't have that type of openness I like, so I asked them nothing) I listen to lots of people on here, and only respect probably 20 or so and they all have high post count and clearly have been brewing for a time

[Bailz]

lol been good fun and informative viewing your reply thanks loads..... i have just started the brew this morning around 2 hours ago so what should i expect to see happen visualy now?

Bailz

[sbond10]

Not much you might here a slight fizz but in 12-24 hours you should start seeing a head forming which will keep growing at 36-48 hours you may need a chair and a whip to beat it back into the Fv. But honestly Leave it alone and it should get going

[Bailz]

all i did was sprinkle the yeast put lid on and left it ... is this right
bailz

[sbond10]

That's all I do apart from lightly folding um in just so I know there wet (sterilised tablespoon lift and fold)but yes sprinkling is fine

[gnutz2]

I found the best thing to do with the hole in the FV lid is put a thermowell in it, making sure it's long enough to touch the wort.

You can then drop a thermometer in there or a temp probe for your temp controlling device

[Bailz]

good idea

[operon]

It seems to be personal choice when it comes to using airlocks, my kit came with one and I use it. But I don't go by it for deciding whether the beer is finished fermenting or not thats what your Hydrometer is for. Me I''m strange I just love the sound the airlock makes with it bubble, tells me there beer a coming

[floydmeddler]

People sell air locks, to mugs, these days. Just adding to their sale profit margins. Then, the mugs come here, flapping their lips about how bloody essential their bubblers are Can't lose face by admitting they've been taken, can they? And taken because of their ignorance of the game.

Ask the commercial brewers on here; How many of them ferment in hermetically sealed bins with air locks?

I have to disagree Ditch. I ferment for 4-5 weeks in primary. There's no way protective gasses are going to stick around that long; I have to lock them in.

Air locks are essential for long term secondary fermentation too. If I'm going to go for a 2 month condition period on a Belgian for example, it also needs an airlock to keep a protective layer of co2 on top of the beer. Not adding an airlock is like pouring it into a glass, leaving it for 2 months, picking the glass up, having a drink and expecting it to taste spot on. It would be completely rank.

HOWEVER, you're right about many commercial breweries as they only primary ferment for a week usually and the gasses are still pumping off the beer when they keg it.

[Ditch]

you're right about many commercial breweries as they only primary ferment for a week usually and the gasses are still pumping off the beer when they keg it.

There y'are, see? My own level of consumption requires damn near commercial levels of production. Only, I've learned how to shave those valuable days off the process

Belgian Beers?! Oh, come on! That's a bit like comparing making an egg and bacon sarnie to a roast dinner! Both fit the bill. But, one's an absolute drama

[floydmeddler]

Haha. You're right about them being a drama. I've been almost brought to tears because of Belgians f*cking me around. Can't bring myself to brew one again. When I do though... I'll be making sure I have a lovely shiny airlock to ensure I do it right.

[Ditch]

Just had to fix the broken Quote in my post there. Can't stand broken stuff in posts! Worse than pointless f**king air locks