OK so my daughter is about to start walking which means my Primary is going to have to find a new home. My “best” option is my 100 year old basement realy nasty down there and cold! My plan was to get rubber maid containers and fill them with water put the fermenters in with an aquarium heater or two. My problem is that I have the “NEW” coopers kit for my primary. It doesn’t not have an air lock, it uses what they call the burp system, with a lid that due to pressure inside lets air out but not in. Think I will run into any problems with this set up in my nasty basement?
When someone told me that bacteria and spores have to “ride” on dust particles or other air particles, I felt much calmer. If you were able to cover the airlock area so the circulating air does not continually bring dust particles to it, I think you are pretty good.
The fear would be that dust or bacteria settles on the dry “outside” area of the airlock, and when it opens to let pressure out, the dust or bacteria could settle in or get slightly sucked in. I’m curious how dry airlocks work so well, but I haven’t heard a lot of people complain.
Many of my friends (and Denny Conn, I’ve heard) use tinfoil during active fermentation, then switch to airlock later on when there is less pressure- this is essentially what you have- a very complicated path of dry tinfoil the dust/bacteria needs to make it through.
I ferment in a nasty old basement that’s cold too. I like it though, it doesn’t get above 60° until June and it’s great for making lagers this time of year.
Nasty basement has been my house flavor for years! Seriously I’ve always fermented in dank dusty basements and never had a problem. Follow good procedures of keeping fermenters closed to the air even when racking and you’ll be fine. I use tin foil a lot to keep dusk particles from falling to my carboys when racking. I also spray sanitizer on carboy necks, bungs before touching them in case anything has settled there.
I’ve worn a tinfoil hat ever since I started brewing. Keeps the yeast from reading my mind. Beer is much better that way.
I wish we had basements where I live.
Anyway… I think if I were you, I’d consider building a fermentation chamber of some sort. It could just be a simple plywood box with some insulation. Inside you could include a heat lamp on a temp controller to keep the temps up where you want.
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m going to give it hell down there. But I might get a big cabinet, like one that is used for storing sports equipment in a garage to put everything in.
We have a two year old son and his room used to be where I would do primary fermentation so I know where you are coming from. I luckily had enough spare space to get a small shelving unit in a closet that allows for enough space to the side of it for a primary. Just had to do some reorganization and with the closed door it works great for keeping the little one out. Be creative; that’s what homebrewing is all about
