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Bucket fermenter lid

Northern Brewer General
#1

I just completed a beer on Saturday and I am using a bucket fermenter (brand new from NB with a grommeted lid). I went to check on the bucket today and the krausen had begun pushing out through the air lock. No big deal, happens a lot even though I wasn’t expecting such an aggressive fermentation. I know it was technically still an air lock, just with krausen instead of sanitizer in there.

But as I cleaned up the mess and inserted a blow-off tube instead, I noticed something about the lid of the bucket. It sounds like it’s pissing air and the lid seems to have some play to it. I am 100% certain that the lid is on as far as it can go, I know it clicked on each side as I closed the lid, and I put my entire body weight on top of the lid just now and couldn’t get it to sit any differently. However, if I push down, the lid will move maybe 1/16" down, and then when I release it will come back up that same distance. There’s no rubber grommet inside the lid for a seal, but it could very well be just the way the lid works. Also, no idea if this would continue to be the case after the fermentation slows down and finishes. I’m just trying to avoid oxidation at all costs.

Any thoughts? Has anyone ever experienced this? It never happened on my old bucket fermenter so I’m curious.

#2

Maybe a great time to move towards a smaller opening to keep an eye on fermentation? Sneezles61

#3

That’s allot of pressure. Maybe you need a bigger car airlock.

#4

Well I’m into a blow-off tube for now. I’m just curious about the lid at this moment. If pressure can get out, then obviously oxygen could possibly get in. However, once the pressure drops a little once fermentation subsides, maybe this will stop. Then again, once it stops I’m going to open the lid to introduce some fruit.

#5

Bucket lids leak especially with that kind of pressure. As long as the pressure is outward, nothing can get in. When it calms down just tap around the lid with the palm of your hand or even use a rubber mallet. The gaskets seat better wet also so spraying a little Starsan on helps.

You can replace the little grommet with a rubber drilled stopper by drilling out the hole then you will have a large enough hole to use some tubing for a blow off hose. I just pull the the top and guts out of a three piece air lock and stick a hose on it if the fermentation isn’t too wild.

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#6

Tip: drill an 1 1/4 hole and get a stopper to fit. You can observe and also pull out a sample or siphon to another and don’t need to open the lid.

#7

Yea the lid was sprayed with star San before closing. It closed fine, it was just something I noticed when I was cleaning up the mess. I have the rubber grommet in the blow-off hole, I just meant the inside of the lid has no rubber gasket to seal the actual lid to the bucket, so the lid shouldn’t have that sort of play. As of this morning, I don’t hear any hissing sounds.

It reminds me of when you squeeze a water bottle. It has some play but it springs back. I just wanted to see if anyone had seen anything like this. Hoping it’s just a result of the new pressure created by fermentation

#8

I just took a look at my bucket lids and they have a round rubber gasket inside the lid. Yours don’t have any kind of gasket? The two I checked are BSG from my LHBS.

BTW the rubber gasket on my conical often doesn’t seal right so it’s not just buckets.

#9

Obviously I can’t check the inside at the moment, but I’m pretty sure it has no gasket to help seal the bucket. I’m pretty sure neither bucket fermenter I have (one recently purchased and one I’ve had for years) came with a lid that has a gasket. Obviously there is a grommet for the air lock itself, but not for a bucket seal.

Looking at the reviews on the NB site, someone said the same thing in a review saying theirs came with no gasket for seals, and someone from NB responded saying they never do, and that it would be fine.

#10

I have some with a rubber gasket and some without. Usually none of them leak so I don’t think it matters that much . I have had some leak on occasion I pay it no mind

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#11

I have some buckets a neighbor gave me that had must for wine in them. They even had gaskets in the lids. The lids were kind of cheap so I use the buckets for clean up and soaking equipment in sanitizer.

#12

Bucket lids leak…no biggie…unless you paid for one with a rubber seal(o-ring) that’s not suppose to leak…then I’d be PO’d.

When I need to see inside I do something really crazy…i take the lid off…:astonished:

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#13

Ok. I’ll continue to watch it and make sure it’s ok. I’m going to rack onto some strawberries for the secondary, so I’ll be swapping to my older bucket. At that point I will inspect the new lid.

I assume things inside the bucket will be ok since it’s pressurized and such. This is a remake of a recipe I botched recently so I really don’t wanna screw the pooch again

#14

During fermentation you have positive pressure in the fermenter with the wort/beer producing CO2 that pushes everything out, ideally through the airlock, but really just by the path of least resistance. For a secondary…if you’re inclined to that…I’d recommend using something less air permeable than a plastic bucket if you intend to let it stay for long. I’m no fan of glass carboys but not much performs better over a long aging/clarifying period.

#15

Yea I have a glass carboy and another bucket. I’ve never had any real trouble with either before. I just bought this new bucket just to alleviate the bottle neck I was having.

I don’t mind using the carboy but it’s hard to introduce fruit with such a narrow neck. I don’t plan to leave it in there got more than 2 weeks max, so a bucket should work

#16

two questions…
What yeast, and what temps are you at?

#17

Omega American wheat yeast, pitched into 73 degree wort

Temps are around 66-69 degrees.

#18

Mayby look at the speidel fermentors. They come with a huge airlock.

#19

For my fruit beers. I do use the big mouth bubbler. As secondary

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#20

As others have mentioned, a non-airtight lid is a non-issue for primary. The yeast produces CO2, which is heavier than air and forms a blanket that protects the beer. It’s really more about keeping non-yeast bugs out.

I have not used omega’s wheat yeast, but when i did a Hefe with Wyeast’s 3068 the fermentation was exceptionally vigorous. You may want to keep temps a bit lower at the beginning next time, then let it rise a bit as fermentation progresses.

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