Do You Really Need An Airlock ?

Some of you who watch the Big Secue on youtube will know that he does not use airlocks or bubblers on his fermenting buckets. I always assumed you had to tbh, but he seems to manage very well. Thing is some really cheap 30 litre bottling buckets have come up on a HB store site here, 13 euro a piece from Brewferm including tap and bottling stick. Am thinking of getting a couple of these to replace my current buckets and use my current ones for other things.

www.homebrewwest.ie/brewferm-30-l-basic-...ing-stick-2958-p.asp

My question is this, can i ferment all the way through primary on a 23 litre batch in these with the lid completely shut and no airlock ?

I'm guessing those lids are airtight? If so no you can't the lids will blow off.

You don't need airlocks though, this is true. In fact the latest Coopers fermenter just has a lid that sits loosely on top. Others use Glad/Cling wrap on their fermenters and use the lid rubber seal like a big elastic band to hold the wrap on, the gas escapes slowly out the sides.

In the old days a clean tea towel was just put over the top of the bucket.

I guess with those buckets you could just sit the lid on top loosely.

Airlocks though do have their place though especially if you have ant or bug problems.

Fermenters are usually kept in a fairly sheltered environment out of drafts (well they should be!) and so the only problem you have is wild yeast and nasties falling downwards, so as long as the top is covered you won't run into too much trouble.

I would take all precautions though if you were planning on leaving a beer in a fermenter for an extended period of time, just to be sure.

Cheerz!

Yep agree with all that, also as someone on FB said i can always drill the lids and stick in a rubber grommit myself.