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Condensation


Otto Von Blotto

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I'm not sure if this has been brought up before or not, but what is the significance of condensation on the lid or whatever with regard to fermentation activity?

 

The reason I ask is because, say for instance you lie a half full bottle of water on its side for a while, the evaporation creates condensation on the inside of the bottle on the part not covered by water. It seems to me logically that if you left a batch of wort in the FV without any fermentation activity that some of it would evaporate and cause this condensation on the lid.

 

However, even when it takes it a day or so to kick in fermenting, I haven't really noticed any condensation. What is it about the fermentation that causes it, the CO2? I've also noticed when I CC it that the condensation droplets get bigger.

 

I've been wondering about this for a while so just a curious question really. [joyful]

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I get it too when it starts fermenting. I'm just saying based on the bottle of water thing' date=' it should theoretically appear without fermentation, but it doesn't. That's where my question comes in about what it is with the fermentation activity that causes it.[cool']

 

Hmmm interesting question. Having a stab in the dark, it may be due to the higher viscosity of the wort (from to the high concentration of sugars), causing a lower evaporation rate of the water. For example, I believe you would not see condensation form in a bottle of honey at room temperature. Perhaps when these sugars are converted to alcohol (which does evaporate from the wort to some degree) during the fermentation process it makes it easier for the alcohol and the water to evaporate, hence causing the condensation to form.

 

Although this is all just speculation ;)

 

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I had thought about the higher viscosity thing but not the alcohol part. Even though it's a stab in the dark it sounds like a logical theory.

 

Just did a quick google search and have found this:

 

During active fermentation lid is colder than the beer causing some water vapor to condense.

 

Makes sense I guess!

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