Educational program on a water seal: which one is better for mash and how to put it correctly so that it does not turn sour

I am of the opinion that the alcohol that is made by hand is much better than the purchased one. I personally have experience in making homemade wine and mash. As for the brew, I have been making it for the last three years, and I must say that not only I, but also my guests are pleased with the result.

The last time I put several cans of home brew and hung different water seals on each of them. I just wanted to see which one performs better.

This story was sent to us by subscriber Kirill O.

Why is a water seal needed and what will happen if it is not installed

I hope everyone is familiar with how the fermentation process takes place? If not, I will briefly try to explain it. In simple words, either sweet berries or cereals are used for mash.

Water, yeast and, if necessary, sugar are also added. Personally, I did it on currant berries and on potatoes. The latter does not apply to cereals, but also contains starch.

After I have mixed all these ingredients, the fermentation process begins. I put all this either in glass jars or in large plastic bottles. The fermentation process is the consumption of sugar by the yeast. During this time, carbon dioxide is released.

All that was required of me was to install a water seal. It, in turn, allows carbon dioxide to escape from the tank and at the same time prevents oxygen from entering inside, which, of course, would interfere with the whole process.

If the container is simply plugged with a lid, then nothing good will come of it. I once broke a bottle of wine.

Important! If oxygen gets into the mash tank, the wort can start to turn into vinegar, ruining everything.

Varieties of water seals

I used 3 types of water seals. I bought 2 of them from a hardware store, and I made one myself (which will be discussed below). They work in the same way, but they are used a little differently. Which one is better, I will naturally tell you at the end.

The first option is an ordinary nylon cover, in which there is either a hole or a border filled with water. In the middle there is a tube through which gases (water around it) exit. A cap is put on top of the tube.

The bottom edges of the cap should touch the water. The downside is that the water constantly evaporates a little and it needs to be constantly topped up. I did this about once every 2 weeks.

The second option is a plastic curved tube, inside of which there is also water. One side of it is inserted into the lid of the container (for this you need to make a hole in the lid). At the other end of the tube is a valve that releases gases, but does not allow oxygen to enter.

I liked this version a lot more. It’s just easier to use them. True, cover up with something the place of contact of the tube with the lid for complete sealing.

Important! A water seal from a nylon cover may not hold too tightly. Therefore, I advise you to wrap it with tape at the point of contact with the jar.

Homemade water seal

In extreme cases, you can make a water seal yourself. To do this, I took a silicone tube, a liter jar, scissors and plasticine. The task is simple. It is necessary to insert one end of the tube into the lid of the container with mash, and lower the other end into a liter jar, which should be filled with water.

To do this, you need to make a hole in the lid so that the tube fits into it. I sealed the joint with plasticine for tightness. I heard that plasticine can be replaced with glue. That’s basically it. Scissors, of course, are needed in order to cut off the excess tube if necessary.

That is, the length of the silicone tube should be such that its edge reaches the can of water. Or, if the length is not enough, you can move the jar. It took me 10 minutes maximum to make such a water seal.

Important! This water seal is less convenient to use. More trouble with him. But in terms of efficiency, versatility and cheapness, in principle, it is good.

Proper use of a water seal

I want to tell you that you should not be too scrupulous about this issue. You just need to prevent oxygen from entering the container and, conversely, let carbon dioxide escape. This is the correct use of it.

Another important factor in the use can be called the need to achieve complete tightness. Although this requirement follows logically from the first. Only in such conditions will the mash turn out to be really good.

At least I got a great product in all three cases. As for water seals, of the three that I used, I liked the plastic curved tube the most.

If there are any other options for water seals, then I ask you to share your knowledge. Perhaps there are even more convenient and practical to use. Or you have some unique technology for making mash. I hope that together we can achieve better results.

Dear readers, remember that alcohol abuse harms your body. Take care of yourself!