For lambics and other sour beers that should sit undisturbed in the fermenter for a year or longer, it would be great if I could stick the carboy in a dark inaccessible corner of my storage room, set a calendar reminder for sometime in the distant future, and then literally just forget about it. The only thing preventing me from doing that is the fact that I need to keep checking on and refilling the airlock.
I use Better Bottles exclusively and I've been eyeing their "Dry Trap" airlocks for a long time to use specifically for long-term aging of sours. I never pulled the trigger because a) they're hideously expensive and b) I'm not sure how effective they actually are for keeping out oxygen. I'd hate to spend over $30 for a special bung+airlock only to find out a year later that my beautifully crafted lambic is now 5 gallons of vinegar.
But, if they actually work then maybe I could justify the steep price. So... has anyone tried using these things for long-term aging?
I use Better Bottles exclusively and I've been eyeing their "Dry Trap" airlocks for a long time to use specifically for long-term aging of sours. I never pulled the trigger because a) they're hideously expensive and b) I'm not sure how effective they actually are for keeping out oxygen. I'd hate to spend over $30 for a special bung+airlock only to find out a year later that my beautifully crafted lambic is now 5 gallons of vinegar.
But, if they actually work then maybe I could justify the steep price. So... has anyone tried using these things for long-term aging?