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I fermented my first batch in a carboy but wanted to try a bucket for my second (by all rights for the originally scheduled 6 gallon batch I should have had no choice but to use a bucket).

Problem is my only lid with a hole broke when I dry-fitted it and then couldn't get it off (see attached pic). I put a blow-off tube on it but it was pretty obvious that the blowoff tube wasn't engaging and I was getting leakage from the lid.
The question I have is: tonight is 4 days since brewing and fermentation has definitely slowed down based on krausen level visible when light is shone through the bucket and temperature (needs the belt now to maintain temp). I know that racking is considered by many to be pointless on a beer like this (basic APA) and I wasn't planning to rack it, in fact. But given that I don't have a legitimate seal on my bucket do folks think it's a good idea? Secondary fermentation is expected to be 6-10 days.

Part of me says "just leave it". I haven't even taken the lid off since day 2 let alone checked the gravity and am happy to just leave it. Would that potentially protect me from oxidation (because there's still theoretically a CO2 "blanket")?

Racking isn't a big deal to me, honestly, but I was going to try going without this time.


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Personally I would rack it off just out of fear of anything in the air falling into it, the other option would be to possibly set a garbage bag over the top to keep anything out, other than that I would think there should be enough of a blanket of CO2 over the beer to keep it from oxidizing.

A new lid is like $2. Or you could duct tape it.

That's similar to my setup fermenting in a kettle with the lid on. I think it should be kegged at 7 days and finish conditioning in the keg at room temp, and it will probably be a great beer.

I've left beers in buckets with the lid not sealed for 2 weeks before, I do it often for a bit less. I don't bother with airlocks on my buckets anymore.

It's not really the best advice to do it, but you shouldnt have any problems IMHO.

I have fermented many batches with the lid only snapped down on one side. It has always worked fine for me. I would say that as long as there is no risk of things falling in, don't rack it. If there is, rack it, and the sooner the better. Having that blanket of CO2 on top is definitely a good thing.

Wrap the lid in sanitized Saran Wrap


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I think seran wrap comes off the roll in a sanitized state already. The underside of the sheet, not the side you are contaminating by touching. I can't imagine they would get away with a food wrapper that contaminated food with any kind of microorganisms.

GuingesRock wrote:I think seran wrap comes off the roll in a sanitized state already. The underside of the sheet, not the side you are contaminating by touching. I can't imagine they would get away with a food wrapper that contaminated food with any kind of microorganisms.

Yea, I'm pretty sure the heat from extruding it sanitizes it and then it goes directly on the roll. Pretty sure it has to be made in a cleanroom/etc to actually qualify as sterile though (medical grade). I'm not sure if its intentional or just a happy coincidence. I seem to recall hearing on a first aid course about it being used for wrapping severe burns in a pinch to prevent infection.

I don't think this is true of all food wrappers though, after all your utensiles/hands are unlikely to be sterile either.

GuingesRock wrote:I think seran wrap comes off the roll in a sanitized state already. The underside of the sheet, not the side you are contaminating by touching. I can't imagine they would get away with a food wrapper that contaminated food with any kind of microorganisms.

Agree with Mark. Saran Wrap is very clean, and suitable as a fix for your broken lid.

Personally, I wouldn't bother racking. Though slightly broken, it looks like the gasket is intact and keeping anything from falling in. I figure the CO2 blanket would be doing the trick. It's certainly true that it dissipates over time, but I'd say it's fine.

I don't even snap the lid on anymore, unless I'm putting it in the crawl space.

amartin wrote:I don't even snap the lid on anymore, unless I'm putting it in the crawl space.

I generally throw the lid on and then add Book or so weights on it

amartin wrote:A new lid is like $2.

Not only that but I have at least two more lids and a bit suitable to drill them. So that's an option (that I'm embarrassed not to have thought of).

chalmers wrote:Though slightly broken, it looks like the gasket is intact and keeping anything from falling in.

Well spotted! The gasket is still in place but the tension has been insufficient to force the gas to go out the blowoff tube instead (enough to bubble out the other end anyway). There's certainly no danger of anything falling in; I wouldn't have left it this long if there had been.

I think I'm going to leave it just as it is. Sounds like there's not a big threat from oxygen and it's only got to last another week tops until bottling. No point in an airlock either.

It has been a different experience with the bucket. I miss being able to see what's going on but I'm looking forward to not having to clean a carboy that's been a primary. Can't wait for the wide mouth fermenters to arrive for the best of both worlds.

Thanks for all the advice gang!


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