Leaving lid off fermentation vessel

[Dennis King]

Always keep mine on, keeps out insects etc.

[Horden Hillbilly]

Fit your lid, but don't snap it down all the way round, leave part of it loose to allow the Co2 to escape & keep the "nasties" out.

[spudbasher]

Dont some breweries have open fermenters?
I always do mine in an air locked fv in-case I have to leave it longer than I should before bottling,then at least its got its own gas over it.

Years ago some kits recommended scooping the "scummy" head of a fermenting brew after a couple of days as this was supposed to have a lot of sour bitter taste,but this never seems to get mentioned any more, does anybody still do it?

[scuppeteer]

I cover my fermenters with a net curtain type material, then rest the lid on the top to keep in place and cover the lot with a tea towel. Seems to work a treat for me. It lets air get to the brew and keeps out those pesky little fruit flies.

[Kev888]

Some breweries do ferment in open tanks, it helps if they use yeast which needs regular rousing and/or like to skim the top regularly, but I think that for the home brewer with less dedicated facilities its usually advisable to offer a bit pf protection in one way or another. So, let the beer breathe/vent freely but take precautions to stop dust/flies/spores getting in.

Personally I use either a loosely placed lid or a (sanitised) cloth over the fermenting bucket, reasonably well sealed cupboards can also work but you'd want to be sure there aren't nasties floating about in the cupboard itself. Some people prefer to use airlocks, and theres nothing wrong with that but Its not really necessary unless you keep the beer in the FV (such as a secondary FV) beyond the stage where lots of CO2 is being produced.

Cheers
kev

[gnorwebthgimi]

in Belgium....

[LansonBrewer]

I could almost guarantee that if I left the lid off my fv, I'd find a cat or a baby paddling in it within seconds.

[lupulin]

I could almost guarantee that if I left the lid off my fv, I'd find a cat or a baby paddling in it within seconds.

HA!

I leave the lid off my fermenter pretty often, but I have a small fermentation chamber that I keep sanitary when I do so. I also keep an eye on it and I don't think I'd do it if I wasn't around to watch what was going on. There is a risk for oxidizing the beer if it sits without a lid after fermentation is done.

[fullclaret]

One of my kids posted some toys into a FV when I left the lid not snapped down enough, happily didn't ruin the beer Now I leave the unsnapped bit by the wall so they don't twig...

[TC2642]

I've got a wine fermenter, they have screwtop lids with place for an airlock and enough space to easily carry a 25Ltr brew.

[piet_v]

in Belgium....

... we always use an airlock.

[oldbloke]

Beer was made for centuries before the airlock was invented
But some protection is required from intruders (ranging from dust to dogs)
Don't think "breathing" is really happening, with the CO2 layer lying across the top

[leewink]

previous poster spot on.

if you brew single stage ferment, theres gasses coming out only, so if you leave a lid laying on it rather than an airlocked snapped shut jobby, air (gasses) is only coming out still, how does dust and nasties get in if air is forcing out ?

Once my airlock bunged fermenters have had their life, i'll use buckets and lids.

I always peak in the fermenter anyways part way through, even though they are opaque (see thru'ish) and have had no hassles.

Ive heard of brewers simply brewing in a bucket with a towel over it, no probs, choices choices, nuff said.

brew on, lee

[gregorach]

Having used wort agar plates to check the rate of "fall out" in my flat, and having lost a couple of batches to vinegar flies sneaking in through an unsealed lid, I now keep my FV sealed from when I sanitise it until it's time to clean it. I have a 1" port in the lid for filling, oxygenation, sampling and racking. Better safe than sorry, I reckon.

[mshergold]

I always use an airlock because I have some and a couple of spare grommets from wine making. It's no more effort to sanitise them and if I have to leave a brew for longer than I'd planned before bottling or putting in a polypin. Also, I know that any problems with the beer, it's likely to be down to me rather than any outside factor. When I first started, I just used to leave the lid unsnapped a little.

A lot of people seem to get hung up on whether to use an airlock or not, but I really don't think it matters. Find a method that suits you and don't be swayed by anyone telling you any different, but remember that clean = good and that once beer has finished fermenting, exposure to air will oxidise it.