benefit to the airlock on LBC

[RandyG]

Is there a real benefit to having an airlock(bubbler)installed in your LBC? I have them in both of my LBC and they never bubble. The next time I brew with them(next week) I'm going to just put the plug in instead.IIRC, you then have to remove the lid gasket,correct? Any advice is appreciated.TIA RandyG

[LouieMacGoo]

Is there a real benefit to having an airlock(bubbler)installed in your LBC? I have them in both of my LBC and they never bubble. The next time I brew with them(next week) I'm going to just put the plug in instead.IIRC, you then have to remove the lid gasket,correct? Any advice is appreciated.TIA RandyG

The advantage of the airlock is to prevent air from entering the fermenter which could potentially allow wild yeast or bacteria to contaminate your beer. If the LBCs you have are some of the early run versions those tend to have a seal problem with the lid. Some people have been able to solve this by placing a book or other object on the lid to help it properly seal.

[RandyG]

yeah Louie, I know why we use the airlock,I was just wondering if anyone else using the LBC saw a benefit in using the airlock vs the cap put back into the airlock hole. IIRC when using the cap in the hole,you are supposed to to remove the gasket in the lid,which allows the LBC to work like the vents in the LBK. I asume having said that,that you can still fill the LBC up to the 2.5 gal. mark w/o worrying about having a fermenter explosion even with the plug in it. Maybe the plug works as a blowout plug,which will blow out before letting the whole fermenter explode.Let's hope so Well I'll find out after i brew in them this week.Wish me luck.

[mashani]

Even without the airlock, IMHO the only way something will likely get in is if you squeeze it and let go so that it sucks air in. Beer spoiling bugs do not "crawl up" the only "fall down". So they can't crawl up under the lid, and the vent plug has a lip, so unless it's venting (which would push bugs away anyways) they aren't going to get in that way either.

[FrozenInTime]

I don't see any use of the bubbler on the LBC. I just tighten the lid, then turn it back off about half.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

FIT.........

It's COOL.

That is its purpose.

[mashani]

It's nice that you can do it if you want to. It's a "feature" as such.

[FrozenInTime]

FIT.........

It's COOL.

That is its purpose.

Kewl!