8.5L kit - no airlock?

[Tobes461]

Mentoring a mate who is a newbie to home brewing, who has just bought a 8.5L kit.  Looking at a photo he sent me, and looking at a video on-line, it seems the 8.5L fermenter does not have an airlock, as I know it, and in fact the lid is clipped down. Not seen the fermenter, hence the question.  Has the lid a means to relieve the CO2 gas during fermentation?  Thanks in advance

[Kegory]

The current versions of the Coopers Fermenters don't have airlocks. I have both the 23L and the 8.5L versions. The clips are not to keep the lid on the fermenter, they are for keeping the lid attached to the krausen collar if/when you use one.

[Tobes461]

Thanks for that.  So the CO2 just escapes between the fermenter body and lid (clipped or not) I take it.  Interesting . . .

[Kegory]

Escapes, or forces out the oxygen rich air (preferably). I wouldn't clip the lid to the fermenter, only to the krausen collar. If the pressure builds enough, or the krausen, the lid will lift enough to release it and then fall back into place (at least that's the theory as I understand it). A far worse outcome would be to contain the pressure building up until it forced the tap at the bottom to pop off.

Here's a picture of my 23L without the Krausen collar.

Edited July 31, 2023 by Kegory
Added stuff

[Tobes461]

Nice - thanks for the advise - will pass onto my newbie mate.

[Aussiekraut]

3 hours ago, Tobes461 said:

Mentoring a mate who is a newbie to home brewing, who has just bought a 8.5L kit.  Looking at a photo he sent me, and looking at a video on-line, it seems the 8.5L fermenter does not have an airlock, as I know it, and in fact the lid is clipped down. Not seen the fermenter, hence the question.  Has the lid a means to relieve the CO2 gas during fermentation?  Thanks in advance

The newer Coopers fermenters do not have an airlock. While the lid is "clipped down", which isn't necessary, there is no perfect seal between lid and fermenter, so the CO2 can easily escape.

Generally, airlocks aren't needed anyway. On my fermenters which do have the hole, I have taped over it and just leave the lid slightly loose, so CO2 can escape. There is pressure in the FV, so nothing can actually get in.

Airlocks are nice to watch but are in reality don't say much about ongoing fermentation.

[Tobes461]

Thanks for the advise Aussie.  I am old-school apropos airlocks, but wanted to make sure I was not giving my newbie mate a bum-steer with a fermenter I was not familiar with.