How important is an airlock?

[midasmesh]

Never used an airlock, just a bucket with the lid cracked, then leave it 10 days take a reading job done, this way you dont have to keep opening the lid plus you can see if theres a foam layer on top as you can see it through the bucket wall.

[Stoutman]

Great stuff! Well I'll just get on with it then! I might put a bubbler and grommit in the next brew.

Stoutman

[Ditch]

My air lock arrived today, actually I'm brewing in an Electrim and, of course, it has the little hole and grommet. I live in a rather ..... er ... how shall I put this? " Open " environment and so just thought I'd may as well stick something in that hole.

Bubbles or not won't much interest me. I'm more a leave it alone. Forget about it. Check again in a week or so and see if it smells alright, sort of bloke. But the air lock will keep anything non microscopic out of my wort and so keep me happier.

When I used to brew, in a past life, I just slung a damp towel over the top of the open bucket. Never had the least problem with that either - except, maybe, some yeast head soaked towels that were a bit much to get to the washing machine!

[StrangeBrew]

just thought I'd may as well stick something in that hole

Whenever I've used an FV with a hole in the lid I've just stuck a piece of electrical insulation tape over it.

[ADDLED]

Last couple of brews i've not botherd with an airlock and i've had no problems. The yeast foam layer that forms protects the beer from infection and by the time that;s gone the alcolhol should kill anything that gets in.
i think the risky stage is initially after pitching your yeast, before the yeast head forms though...

Hybrid appraoch I what I do. I leave the lid open during the first foaming stages - as the airlock often gets bunged up if you have one in then.
Once the foam has calmed down I stick the airlock in so I can monitor activity.

Ash youre contradicting yourself, or are you letting Tom and Barbara use your PC?

[Vossy1]

Vote for snapped lid on here.
Airlocks are great for drowning bugs, but that's about all they're useful for.
Air pressure/temp changes can lead to false readings through airlocks IME

So for me, it's a snapped on lid and a hydro test for gravity...

and if you try to take a sample from an airlocked fv via the tap, without removing said airlock, you end up dragging the liquid in the airlock into the fv...not always a good thing

[Ditch]

if you try to take a sample from an airlocked fv via the tap, without removing said airlock, you end up dragging the liquid in the airlock into the fv...not always a good thing

Excellent point, Vossy1! I'll bear that in mind and maybe pick up a lid of vaseline in town, to grease the grommet. Make it easier to slide out.

Hmmm. vaseline or KY? KY's water based. But do they use chlorinated water?

Hell; Maybe vaseline's just less embarrassing to ask for?!

[ashbyp]

Last couple of brews i've not botherd with an airlock and i've had no problems. The yeast foam layer that forms protects the beer from infection and by the time that;s gone the alcolhol should kill anything that gets in.
i think the risky stage is initially after pitching your yeast, before the yeast head forms though...

Hybrid appraoch I what I do. I leave the lid open during the first foaming stages - as the airlock often gets bunged up if you have one in then.
Once the foam has calmed down I stick the airlock in so I can monitor activity.

Ash youre contradicting yourself, or are you letting Tom and Barbara use your PC?

i'll be more careful in future. the last couple of brews i've not bothered with an airlock during initial stages, would have been accurate.

[ADDLED]

i'll be more careful in future. the last couple of brews i've not bothered with an airlock during initial stages, would have been accurate.

No offence, I was just being a smartarse.