Modified my heater

BUDFORCE

I always brew ale, and despite what the instructions of some of the kits say you I do not believe need to keep the primary fermentation vessel airtight. Infact Graham Wheeler who has written several good books on home brewing recommends that you do not keep it airtight, provided it is covered to keep dirt and infection out.

My old lid had the hole and gromet (for an airlock) and I have one of the Electrim 75 heaters like below link - again, with another hold in the middle of the bung for an airlock.

http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/electrim-te75-immersion-heater-p721

2 airlocks used for each brew which only purpose where to plug the holes so dirt etc didn't get in, pretty pointless....

So I ordered a new lid the ones without the gromet, one hole removed. I also have now modified my bung on my heater.

I carefully cut out the wire from the old bung (the old bung was also starting to get a bit knackered anyway). I had to cut the wire at the plug, as the old plug was one of these self sealing jobs.

Threaded the wire through the centre of a new bung. Made sure to measure where to have the bung on the wire so it is the right height in the fermentation vessel. I used a glue gun to plug the hole and seal it, which was a little messy, may have been better to use bathroom mastic or similar but it should do the job.

The cut a hole out of my new lid with a holesaw drill attachment.

Anyway, I have gone from 2 needless holes to a new sealed lid now which should better protect the top from debris getting in.

HBO_Staff

Looks great, a perfect solution and should keep the brew at the right temperature, the immersion heaters are useful but the bung being for a demijohn is a bit of an awkward design