Last year I used plastic wrap on the cap during 1 week of extended
maceration. I did this primarily because I was useing CO2. I did not
punch the cap, by the way. This year I am using Argon, but I've been
reading that it is important to keep the cap wet. So do I go without
plastic, and just punch through the gas, assuming that most of the gas
will stick around, then just give it a bit more gas? That is my
intention anyway. It seems the plastic is useless if you are using
gas, and I'd rather not have to put new plastic down daily.

wrote:
Last year I used plastic wrap on the cap during 1 week of extended
maceration. I did this primarily because I was useing CO2. I did not
punch the cap, by the way. This year I am using Argon, but I've been
reading that it is important to keep the cap wet. So do I go without
plastic, and just punch through the gas, assuming that most of the gas
will stick around, then just give it a bit more gas? That is my
intention anyway. It seems the plastic is useless if you are using
gas, and I'd rather not have to put new plastic down daily.

The plastic wrap seems to keep the cap moist enough when I do extended
maceration, so I've never punched down after placing the plastic wrap on
top of the cap. I thought the CO2 generation rate was too slow to dry
out the covered cap.

Gene

On Aug 18, 4:31 pm, wrote:
Last year I used plastic wrap on the cap during 1 week of extended
maceration. I did this primarily because I was useing CO2. I did not
punch the cap, by the way. This year I am using Argon, but I've been
reading that it is important to keep the cap wet. So do I go without
plastic, and just punch through the gas, assuming that most of the gas
will stick around, then just give it a bit more gas? That is my
intention anyway. It seems the plastic is useless if you are using
gas, and I'd rather not have to put new plastic down daily.

Marc, What I do or have done is to fold the wrap halfway back,
sample, check temp punch gently, replace wrap, Argon around perimeter
of wrap, cover fermenter with black plastic secured with large rubber
band then replace cover on fermenter. Takes time with six fermenters,
but never had a problem.

On Aug 19, 10:04 am, Tacoma Joe wrote:
On Aug 18, 4:31 pm, wrote:

Last year I used plastic wrap on the cap during 1 week of extended
maceration. I did this primarily because I was useing CO2. I did not
punch the cap, by the way. This year I am using Argon, but I've been
reading that it is important to keep the cap wet. So do I go without
plastic, and just punch through the gas, assuming that most of the gas
will stick around, then just give it a bit more gas? That is my
intention anyway. It seems the plastic is useless if you are using
gas, and I'd rather not have to put new plastic down daily.

Marc, What I do or have done is to fold the wrap halfway back,
sample, check temp punch gently, replace wrap, Argon around perimeter
of wrap, cover fermenter with black plastic secured with large rubber
band then replace cover on fermenter. Takes time with six fermenters,
but never had a problem.

I'll try that.