alterosity

Recipes 

Just a few general questions. From my limited experience so far, the blow-off tube seems to work great at reducing the formation of a large krausen ring and foamovers.

Is there any reason why people switch to airlocks at the end of high activity?

Is it fine to just use blow-off tubes for every primary?

Is Starsan good for the sanitizer in the blow-off water?

TimmD

Recipes 

1. You don't have to worry about the tube sticking out of the primary. Easier to move if need be.
2. Yes.
3. I don't see why not.

__________________
Durnbrau Brewery

Primary: Always bitter never sweet IPA
Secondary: Impatient Russian Stout / air
Lager / air / air / air
Keg: Kit porter / Clyde's pluto / Clyde's pluto II

Hammy71

Recipes 

You can just leave the blow off on the whole time...but I switch mine out after the first week (for an airlock) because it makes it easier to move the carboy later....

I've used one everytime just for insurance...seen to many pics on here and youtube videos of what a ceiling looks like after an airlock blows...

I put starsan in my blow-off container....so far never had a problem. I just use some from the batch that I made for sanitizing my brewing equipment when I made the wort...

alterosity

Recipes 

Thanks! I was a bit concerned when every reference to a blow-off tube was followed by 'switched to airlock' in various threads.

Orangevango

Recipes 

Airlocks are much quieter. My beer lives in my room.

Fat Guy Brewing

Recipes 

I have read some threads where people have a temperature drop and it creates a vacuum in the fermenter causing blow-off water to get sucked back into the fermenter. That can happen towards the end of fermentation when there is less CO2 being blown out. That's a reason to switch to an airlock after the vigorous part of fermentation.

__________________
CF
Owner, Brewer, Taster

Brewing: Fat Guy Tire
Fermenting: see above
Aging: Fat Guy Porter
Drinking: Xmas Ale, Raspberry Ale
Up Next: IPA, Brown Belgian White