Inactive Yeast

[brewsters millionths]

spot on oz. i'm the same in the uk. only plastic and half of my buckets don't fully seal leaving no activity in the airlock. just have to take a peek and see how she looks.

[seanhagerty]

If you put a bright light on one side of the bucket you can see the krausen on the sides of the bucket with out opening them.

Sean

[brewsters millionths]

cheers sean. it's an excuse for a look and a sniff though.

[FizzyLiftingDrinx]

Just a follow-up note on this...I've got another batch going in the same primary fermenter bucket and noticed the same issue after 24 hrs. Keeping this thread in mind, I gently applied pressure progressively around the circumference of the lid until I got to a spot that made the airlock react--here was the location of the poor seal. I grabbed a clamp and clamped the lid down in that area and it seems to be functioning normally. I'll have to check the integrity of the plastic when I transfer the beer. Thanks again for helping me on this one.

[Speyedr]

Fizzy,

Glass is more expensive in AU and in the UK, but here it is fairly cheap and probably worth the extra $$ to upgrade. Plastic WILL scratch at some point, and that is just more potential for infection. Besides, clothes like that, you can afford it

Also, you gotta remember whose telling you all this. OZ has like 50 bazillion buckets fermenting at once. That many Carboys costs so much he may as well buy a unitank!!

Buckets are great here for newbies, and good for some applications, but a lot of us would recommend you upgrade to a 6.5g glass carboy for your primary. You can see into it so you know when it's fermenting and when it's not, and you won't have any problems with the seal.

Just my $0.02, and no offense to all you bucket heads and "better" bottle losers... I mean users...

Rob

[FizzyLiftingDrinx]

You're absolutely right, Rob. On my next trip to the local brewing supply store, I'll likely go ahead and buy the 6.5 gallon carboy. If I ever decide to try bottling, I'll use the bucket as my bottling bucket.