Ale Pail and UV - any concern?

[thatshowyougetants]

Should I block up a window that might let sunlight hit my ale pail primary, or are they considered opaque enough that it's not a problem?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I wouldn't worry about it. I think you'll be fine without needing to block the window up.

 

[dickproenneke]

I had the same concern with my bucket so I dressed it up in a thick old flannel shirt. It looks pretty silly... I imagine you can wrap your ale pail in just about anything opaque if you're concerned about light. No need to block your window

 

[thatshowyougetants]

Well it's in my basement so I had only a small window and it was easy for me to sit a cardboard box up on the sill to block the light. But I'd rather not if it's unnecessary.

Thanks guys.

 

[DocScott]

Most windows installed in our houses now block uv. Further, the bucket will also keep a lot if the light out of your beer. If you are still worried, wrap a blanket or tshirt around it but watch your fermentation temps.

To the uv point, think about sitting in your living room, if the windows allowed uv through, you'd end up with a pretty good sunburn by the end of the game.

 

[Nuggethead]

Old black sweatshirts work great to cover fermenters.

 

[schooner427]

As far as ultra violet thru glass, some comes thru, depends on the thickness of the glass And any coatings that may be on it. Not alot of UV comes thru most window style glass but any that comes thru probably wouldn't travel thru a bucket ot another piece of glass such as the car boy. I would be more concerned about the other end of the light spectrum, the infra red, that is where you feel the heat. I wouldn't want the extra heat on my fermenter, even with a sort or some type of covering the sunlight directly on the fermenter could raise the temps signifacantly.