Wild yeast - open or closed primary

[SGX]

Hello,
Would you recommend to keep the fermentation tank open or closed before the fermentation starts?
Does this increase the chances of the wild yeast activating themselves quicker and in larger quantities?
When fermentation starts, do you recommend having it open or closed?
Thanks.

 

[cmason1957]

Open to the air, but covered to keep out flies, dogs, and cats and all manner of FOD (foreign object debris).

 

[SGX]

Open throughout the whole process, before and after the fermentation?
What tools would you recommend to cover the fermentation tank as advised, spread some kind of net above it?

 

[Scooter68]

Cloth NOT net. Has to be fine enough to keep out the very small frult flies, Gnats etc. If the container is large you can use a towel or an old bedsheet.
Certainly NO net.

 

[meadmaker1]

Open for primary only.
While the yeast is the meanest thing going on.
The must is more less consuming o2 and creating loads of co.
No chance of "me" punching the cap and stirring like i should after snapping a lid on a five gallon bucket, that doesn't seal tight anyway. And my bigger, brute or stainless fermenters don't seal at all, lids just work good to hold the cloth down.

 

[meadmaker1]

This is one time easiest works super well, take it when you can.

 

[Scooter68]

Open to the air, but covered to keep out flies, dogs, and cats and all manner of FOD (foreign object debris).

I'd agree - Coming home to drunk dog or cat could be really ugly.

 

[balatonwine]

Cloth NOT net. Has to be fine enough to keep out the very small frult flies, Gnats etc.

No-see-ums netting will keep out all of the above. And will work fine. And easier to use on larger vats.

 

[GaDawg]

I’ve got a towel secured with a bungee as we speak.

 

[Scooter68]

I work in a basement. Dust and 'stuff' collects everywhere over time and I lived in the desert growing up - dust finds a way in if not blocked out and dust can carry micro-organisms.

 

[bstnh1]

A few layers of good cheesecloth works well, although one lone fruit fly made it through on my last batch because the weave was too open. I like Balatonwine's suggestion of using noseeum netting.

 

[SGX]

Hello,
Had covered with a blanket and fermentation has started. a bit more than 1 brix has fermented. Should I keep it open, or close it?

 

[Johnd]

Hello,
Had covered with a blanket and fermentation has started. a bit more than 1 brix has fermented. Should I keep it open, or close it?

Covering the open end with a blanket / towel is sufficient until you transfer into a carboy near or at the completion of fermentation.

 

[Scooter68]

At the risk of belaboring or offending I'll offer this one last comment about covering buckets.

I use a unbleached muslin cloth because:
It's not expensive to buy and cut to any sizes I want
A relatively smooth surface so little to no dust can catch in it and then fall off into my wine.
Being thin it breathes well but tight enough to keep out bugs
And of course It's easy to rinse in sanitizer and dry quickly.

I have some smaller pieces I use from time to time to do course filtering of liquids.
Other cloths like T-shirt type material can stretch out and sag, Linen type cloth, very tight weave, can actually clog and not breath well.

Again, just my personal choice for use around kitchen when I'm working with wine and juices.

I'm am little OCD from time to time. Right now I'm cleaning about 100 bottles and sanitizing them before I store them.
I'll store them with tops covered or plugged with a cotton ball. Before I fill them I'll give them one more rinse with StarSan. Just my preference.

 

[GaDawg]

I use a unbleached muslin cloth because:
.

Only in Georgia, but I had a woman tell me that Barack Obama was a muslin...lol