How Careful About Light?

I used to ferment in a basement closet but got kicked out when we converted the room into a playroom for my daughter. The closet is now full of toys.

So right now I’m fermenting in an open part of the basement out of any direct sunlight. The room is shaped like an L and has two little ground level windows at either end of vertical part of the L. I’m fermenting at the very toe of the horizontal part of the L. (Like right where the period is at the end of the last sentence.)

No direct sunlight hits the carboys and even at the brightest part of the day I have to turn lights on to see anything over there. But if I turn the lights off and stand there for like 5 minutes my eyes adjust and I can make out general shapes in that part of the room.

Does this sound ok or should I find something to block off the windows?

You’re fine. I ferment in my basement where there is very little light from a couple of tiny windows, and haven’t had a problem with skunking. If your beer begins to smell or taste skunky, then just cover the fermenter with a sheet to keep light out. If not, no worries at all.

Same here. I have a couple aging beers that have been in the basement over a year with no ill effects.

Just place the fermenter in a paper bag or wrap it in a light blanket if you’re worried

I used to use an old small tshirt when I wasn’t fermenting in my chest freezer. It fits nicely over the carboys.

You should be fine. I brew in my basement, and while there’s a bit of daylight coming in on clear days it has has never posed a problem in the 30 years I’ve lived in this house.

Thank you folks.

I keep em’ in the basement too and a black trash bag works good for fermenters, my bottles are all brown.

mine are in the basement storage area, lights out but i keep the glass carboys wrapped in a dark towel as well. So when i do go in there and turn the light on they’re not exposed to direct light. I have lots of old towels and it’s easy enough to wrap them around there.

I saved the boxes mine came in. I cut a hole in the top so that I can close the lid and just have the airlock sticking up.

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