Basic starter kit

PedroPete

Just received my Home-Brew online basic starter kit in the post today, everything looks great but I'm puzzled by one thing, do I need to drill a hole in the FV lid to put a grommet in for the air lock or can I ferment without doing this and effectively use the FV with a closed lid?

HBO_Staff

Different kits have different ways of doing it, some intend to use an airlock in the lid, and with others you just place the lid on but leave it slightly cracked open so it is not fully sealed, and this allows any gases to escape. As long as the gases can escape one way or another it prevents too much pressure building up inside the fermenting vessel. Even those with holes in the lid for an airlock often brew without the airlock fitted in place, and the gases escape from the hole, sometimes to stop the noise from the airlock which can be a nuisance if brewing in a room where it can be heard, although not all brews will make the airlock bubble at all

sine_nomine

Airlocks in fermenters cause no end of confusion to first-time brewers. One of the commonest worries is that the airlock isn't producing bubbles so the brewer assumes the wort isn't fermenting when, in nearly every case, it is working perfectly. In fact a 25 or 30 litre plastic fermenter such as Home Brew Online's just doesn't need an airlock — it makes no difference to the fermenting process so, in my opinion, you are better off without one. In my experience as long as the vessel is airtight the fermenter will work perfectly satisfactorily with a plain lid.

PedroPete

Thanks for the comments guys, just started off my first ever batch, a Simply Yorkshire bitter kit,got it in the FV now, so fingers crossed and hopefully all goes well

PedroPete

Just did a gravity reading, measured 1010, had a sneaky taste as well, didn't taste too bad actually, had a developing bitter taste but the texture seemed watery, was very cloudy though. So if I've got things right here, check the gravity again over the next 2 days, if the reading stays the same then it's ready to keg?

HBO_Staff

The reading sounds like it is getting nice and low, once it is constant for two readings 24 hours apart, and all signs of small bubbles rising to the surface have stopped, it can then be transferred to your barrel. It will lack taste and be cloudy at this stage, if you prime your barrel with some sugar, and then seal it up, it will begin to clear and carbonate. This is when the full flavours develop, the longer you leave it the better it will be. Ideally keep it at a warm temperature, 20 degrees C or so, then move it somewhere a few degrees cooler