Using a cloth as a lid

[tadbrewer]

just about to brew a youngs bitter and was wondering if it would be suitable to use a cloth as lid instead of using the one supplied with the bucket?i was thinking of soaking the clean cotton towl in sterilsing sol. before and just placing it over. i have heard that using one will increase alcohol content and also allowing more oxygen in to the FV will produce a cleaner ale?

any help would be much appreicated.
thanks in advance!

[Benson_JV]

I just had a hole drilled into hte lid of my FV, and i place a dry, but clean towel over the hole. Havn't had anything get infected or go weird yet.

Saying that, i havn't drank any of mine yet!

[alefric]

Hi Tadbrewer.....Don't do it.....after the initial oxgenation (stirring) when pitching keep the air out as even if it doesn't cause an infection it can create stale flavours in the finished beer (you know how i know this !!)

Hope this helps

Andrew

[shawaddy]

What to do if you have lost the lid to your fermenter ? I have claimed some of dads old brewing kit and will be starting a brew soon enough but the fermenter has no lid. Do i really have to go out and buy a new one ?

[wetdog]

What to do if you have lost the lid to your fermenter ? I have claimed some of dads old brewing kit and will be starting a brew soon enough but the fermenter has no lid. Do i really have to go out and buy a new one ?

you could always use a piece of polythene, put it over the top and secure it with a large elastic band round the top of the fv but personally I have used a tea towel many times in the past with no ill effects.

[boingy]

Or use cling film, just remember you need a small outlet for the CO2 to escape though (unless you fancy growing a huge clingfilm bubble!)

[alefric]

What to do if you have lost the lid to your fermenter ? I have claimed some of dads old brewing kit and will be starting a brew soon enough but the fermenter has no lid. Do i really have to go out and buy a new one ?

you could always use a piece of polythene, put it over the top and secure it with a large elastic band round the top of the fv but personally I have used a tea towel many times in the past with no ill effects.

Seconded for the polythene........look at the price of a new FV and the cost of a brew......the FV is less than half the price of losing a brew from a decent 2-can kit.

[Lillywhite]

What to do if you have lost the lid to your fermenter ? I have claimed some of dads old brewing kit and will be starting a brew soon enough but the fermenter has no lid. Do i really have to go out and buy a new one ?

I see from another thread that you're planning a trip to Wilkos today. I brought one of their 5 gallon Young's fermenting vessles on Monday. They're only £10.99 and you can fit an air lock into the supplied 4" cap. They're more rigid than a bin and have nice carrying handles and I think I will only use them in future. No chance of getting nasty oxygen into the brew.

[tadbrewer]

well i have placed the lid on the bucket (which has threads) but not tightened it on. then placed a sanitised white cotton cloth over this...it has began fermenting anyway.

I was also wondering about possibly removing the scum from the top of the brew and giving it a gentle rouse everyday, would this be recommended?!?

as i found twenty pound on the floor, this is just a experiment brew so its not end of world if it goes tits up. also just used normal household sugar instead of DME or brew enhancer, to see if there is any difference in the quality of the beer.

[davvac]

Graham Wheeler, revered HB writer and member of this very forum, does not recommend fitting a lid to the FV at all, unless your yeast head has gone and the air can get to the wort. Under these circumstances the recommendation is to losely lay the lid over the FV to help prevent any airborne infection, but still allowing CO2 build up to escape.

I hope he's right because I just casked my first brew using these very instructions!

Cheers

Dave

[Lillywhite]

I was also wondering about possibly removing the scum from the top of the brew and giving it a gentle rouse everyday, would this be recommended?!?

The experts are now saying leave well alone and don't rouse because you might cause oxidisation to the wort and ruin it.

[boingy]

If the kit has used any grains or hops (rather than extract) it is likely that the first few days fermentation will lift some hop fragments and stuff to the top. I think it is definitely worth carefully skimming the worst of this off but do take care not to reduce the froth by too much.

I only ever rouse when I think the yeast has stuck.

[Ditch]

Funny. As I've some time since posted about on this very board; I used to live in a pretty basic place and brew beer like a good 'n. Only Ever slung a 'clean' towel over the - otherwise open and lidless - FV. Used to rinse and wring the damn thing in the kitchen sink, when the head hit and soaked it!

Best bit is; I'm damn sure I'd have been getting my ideas from Dave Line (Bless him!) at that time? NEVER lost a brew!

[Benson_JV]

Funny. As I've some time since posted about on this very board; I used to live in a pretty basic place and brew beer like a good 'n. Only Ever slung a 'clean' towel over the - otherwise open and lidless - FV. Used to rinse and wring the damn thing in the kitchen sink, when the head hit and soaked it!

Best bit is; I'm damn sure I'd have been getting my ideas from Dave Line (Bless him!) at that time? NEVER lost a brew!

Ar, my dad & his grandad did similar to this, with the lid with a hole in it and clean towel over the lid. Apparently my dad's never had one of his 100's of brews go bad!

[shawaddy]

What to do if you have lost the lid to your fermenter ? I have claimed some of dads old brewing kit and will be starting a brew soon enough but the fermenter has no lid. Do i really have to go out and buy a new one ?

There really is nothing like your mum eh ! I asked her if she still had the lid for the fermenter and she must of emptied the shed looking for it as i couldnt find it. Anyway a couple of hours later she turned up at my house with it washed and disinfected and ready for action.