Canadian Eh!L Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hi All, So the life of a Home Brewer is not always an easy one as you all know. You see, I found myself pouring a beautiful batch of E. Bitter down the drain yesterday! What happened? Well I'll tell you. Fruit flies by the thousands had a nice nip & dip and then promptly drown in my amber nectar![sick] [annoyed] The little bastards found the tiniest hole in the glad wrap and told all there friends, and family members all about it. Wow! this pisses me right off![annoyed] I guess that is +1 for airlocks. This is the second batch in five that I'll had to dump due to infection! I had a Dark Ale go sour grapes on me a while back. This really hurts the winter inventories![crying] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 [crying] That is one reason I use the lid and airlock... I know it's probably highly unlikely for that to happen but just in case.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 There is never a good reason for a lid and airlock [pinched] I've never had anything get through my glad wrap barrier - maybe you should try 2 layers Chad?? But then maybe my brew fridge keeps them away too [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Bad luck mate. I spilt some beer in my fridge when the bottom of my hydrometer tube fell off. I didn't clean it properly at first and I got some bugs in my fridge. They must have squeezed in through the tiny gap in the seal made by the temp probe cord. They didn't get through the cling wrap though. You should have bottled it, given it to friends and told them it was just some hop floaties [innocent] I thought you brewed in carboys. There is only a small opening there so if the flies got in through a hole in the gladwrap then it was one of those one-off freaky things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Bad luck mate. I spilt some beer in my fridge when the bottom of my hydrometer tube fell off. I didn't clean it properly at first and I got some bugs in my fridge. They must have squeezed in through the tiny gap in the seal made by the temp probe cord. They didn't get through the cling wrap though. You should have bottled it, given it to friends and told them it was just some hop floaties [innocent] I thought you brewed in carboys. There is only a small opening there so if the flies got in through a hole in the gladwrap then it was one of those one-off freaky things. Ha! I have a coupla' bottles that have flies in the bottle from a batch a year or more ago for the very reason to give to someone special[devil] . I wouldn't think to give it to someone I liked though[sick]. I do brew in carboys and pastic dust bins, some with glad wrap, some with airlocks.[alien] The fruit fly season it about to come to a halt over here in the Great White North as we are expecting our first frost of the season.[crying] Back to my regular brewing weather when the brewery is heated with wood and there are no bugs to go for a bath in my bitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I'm glad we don't have fruit fly's here in Melbourne yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 We do actually get fruit fly here in the centre, can't say they have ever given my brew any trouble though, (they used to knock my grapefruit about...until the termites killed the tree!) I actually use the shrink wrap designed for wrapping pallets as my cover, it is wider than cling wrap and a lot thicker and stronger, in fact I don't even put a hole in it, the pressure seems to force the gas out under the ring, so far it has never blown the top off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Yes I know you hate airlocks Muddy [tongue] but it just gives me peace of mind that nothing will get into it. I don't take any notice of it regarding fermentation activity. I've got a clear lid anyway [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Did the beer actually go sour? grow something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Did the beer actually go sour? grow something? Hey Yob, Yes! So sour out of the FV both in smell and taste that I could barly sample it.[sick] It's a puzzling thing that makes me think the dark ale was not the first batch to have it but definitly the worst. I've had a bad string of crappy batches of beer. All being too sour or would not carb up in the bottle. I kinda thought I was getting to exited with too much citrus style hops. The carb issue, I thought was that the brewery was too cold during the summer months with no wood heat. Now I think it was my second FV. It was made with LDPE instead of HDPE. [unsure] I hope things are back on track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainiac Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Why hate on airlocks? What is the down side to them? I have used airlocks and my DIY and never had any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordEoin Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I love airlocks [kissing] Between my beer and wine, I generally have 4 or 5 of them in use at a time for the past year and never had any trouble with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Why hate on airlocks? What is the down side to them? I have used airlocks and my DIY and never had any issues. It isn't the airlock itself, it is the use of the airlock as a sole indicator of fermentation that causes problems. Which then leads to the recurring question: "My airlock is not bubbling ........" I have no problems with the airlock but I did find it easier using cling wrap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordEoin Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Actually, I can think of one other problem with them. A really explosive krausen can block the U-bend style ones and cause a buildup of pressure in the FV. Back to the fruit flies, I'm not surprised that they ruined the batch, they'll turn wine into vinegar in no time at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I've got one of those other type that you can take apart. I also have a 30 odd litre fermenter, there's a fair bit of headspace in it filled to 23L. My last batch was the toucan stout, I just went and filled it to 23L, it was volcanic but it barely touched the lid. My SMOTY Ale did escape when I was using the old style FV with the green lid. That's half the reason I bought a new one, the other being so I could bulk prime. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Why hate on airlocks? What is the down side to them? I have used airlocks and my DIY and never had any issues. Further to what Hairy so eloquently stated, I hate devices that serve no purpose other than to make things harder. I like to be able to move my fermentor and take samples without having to worry about drawing festy water into my beer. Also, not having a lid on the FV makes dry hopping etc. a breeze. I don't really have a problem with airlocks as such but I just rigidly believe they have no place in brewing [rightful] ...[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Why hate on airlocks? What is the down side to them? I have used airlocks and my DIY and never had any issues. I have two DIY FV's (and I know Muddy is not a fan of the DIY terminology) and have to question why Cooper's chose to go this way. Could it be that they took a leaf out of Muddy's brewing manual when they designed there glad wrap, air lock free device? I also have an old style FV that I have only used twice, both time with glad wrap and the o-ring. A friend from work gave it to me and said just wait to you here the music coming from the airlock. He used to run three at a time and named two of his FVs Bill & Ben after the flower pot men. He still uses an airlock with his 50 litre FV. I note on AHB that brewers were suggesting that a new brewer do away with his DIY FV and get a proper FV and then throw out the air lock and use glad wrap. I have no idea why but suggest it has something to do with our inherent aversion to change. Those who love their air locks have a similar dilemma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I also noticed the advice on AHB to do away with the DIY FV and thought it quite strange. Apart from the name ([pinched] ) the DIY FV seems a quite progressive vessel and seems to be an advancement in brewing equipment (I say seems as I have never used one myself). If I ever see one at the right price I would love to give it a go - I'd use the lid and everything [biggrin] I think positive change is a good thing (Only last week I changed my brand of underwear). I think there is a tendency by some brewers to put the blinkers on and have an anti-Coopers stance therefore anything made by them is to be pooh-poohed. I think this is just a case of recto-cranial displacement and helps nobody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I use airlocks on my carboys. I have never in the last two years seen one bubble out of them. This is coause I only use my carboys for secondary fermentation when all the activity is over. I use glad wrap on one fermenter (dust bin without a lid) and the other fermenter has a lid. The lid is great because you have a perfect seal with no chance of nasties getting in (unless you lift it to sneak a peak[bandit] . The gald wrap is great for the window aspect which let's you merrily watch your brew do its thing. The draw back is that I can't seem to ever rip the stuff off the roll without F#$cking it all up[roll] . I thought that women were the only ones to be able to master it until I met you guys![lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I think positive change is a good thing (Only last week I changed my brand of underwear). a case of recto-cranial displacement /quote] Weggl would love the underwear reference there, Muddy![joyful] A case of rectol-...What??[innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I also noticed the advice on AHB to do away with the DIY FV and thought it quite strange. I believe the issue came from Coopers doing away with the standard tap and the fact that the tap is mounted higher than people thought reasonable (and the issues people seem to be having with the taps) I personally dont have an opinion one way or the other as I dont use one. (and have never weighed in with one except to tell people that are having trouble to contact Coopers who are very good at Customer Care) Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 The only "complaint" for want of a better word I have with the new style FV is that the tap is a fair way off the bottom. However, there is nothing stopping me from tipping the FV a bit when I am transferring the brew to my old FV for bulk priming. I have never had a problem with the workings of the tap that others have had regarding leaking. If it hasn't sealed properly when it is put together it is simply to turn it off & on once or twice & it seals. This can be done prior to filling the FV as you can see the seal through the side of the tap. I think they are a great piece of equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 It's all personal preference really. If something works well, I only bother changing to a new method if the new method works better than the existing one (e.g. switching to bulk priming). As far as I can see, glad wrap works no better or worse than a lid and airlock except for a bit less cleaning. I do have a clear lid though. But I can see why new brewers would possibly have some problems. If I'd relied on it as an indicator I'd still have my first brew from January in the FV[lol] [lol] [sick] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 But that is exactly the point Otto - The glad wrap method works much better and is much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 For new brewers yeah I would agree because it eliminates the confusion as to whether it's fermenting or not. But for me and whoever else has been brewing for a while and know to take no notice of airlocks, the only real advantage is a tad less cleaning. Other than that it makes no difference. I guess though, I do have a fairly logical way of thinking so when it never bubbled I just figured the CO2 was escaping from the lid not sealing completely. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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