Oops, something I forgot to mention…

A few people have indicated that they’re following or being guided by my cider making instructions but in detailing the big picture I forgot one of the small details that does make a difference.

Dibnah, as he’s known on the Selfsufficientish forum, was a little concerned that the water-filled airlock was not bubbling away as the carbon dioxide generated by fermentation forced it’s way out.

It turned out that I’d forgot to mention the need for a good seal between the lid of the fermenter and the fermenter, between the bung and the lid, and the airlock and the lid.

So, if you’ve been wondering what’s happening in the absence of bubbles, it’s probably just the CO2 escaping through the gaps.

To stop this happening, you need to use petroleum jelly to coat the sealing ring that fits inside the fermenter lid and screw the lid down hard.

You then apply a film of petroleum jelly to the outside of the bung and force it into the hole in the lid, then use a finger to wipe around the join to ensure the jelly makes a good seal.

Finally, apply some more jelly to the part of the airlock that passes through the bung and push it in firmly, again using a finger to wipe around the join.

You should now get bubbles as the CO2 rises out through the airlock, while also ensuring no air gets in.

My apologies for missing that out and thanks to Dibnah for spotting it.