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snyklez · 11-12-2012, 11:03 PM

Got about 6 gallons fermenting in a bucket. Airlock is blown, blowoff tube keeps clogging because it's a small diameter that fits in the small hole in the bucket lid. Lid keeps popping and besides the mess, I'm a bit worried about contamination. Any thoughts on what to do? I've got a carboy, maybe I should transfer some over?

**cluckk** · 11-12-2012, 11:39 PM

Your local shop should carry some of the large diameter hose used for blow-offs. I started using this on very active fermentation. It fits into the neck of the carboy, or the hole in the fermenter bucket without a stopper.

**jiggs_casey** · 11-12-2012, 11:50 PM

Put the whole thing in a tub and leave the lid a little loose. Once the blow off is finished, reseal the lid and put a clean airlock back on it.

snyklez · 11-12-2012, 11:53 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I need to pick up a larger diameter hose. I ended up siphoning some into a sterilized growler with it's own airlock. Hopefully that'll lower the amount in the bucket enough to keep the krausen from getting to the tube.

**thewurzel** · 11-12-2012, 11:57 PM

Before now i have just used the plastic 3 piece airlock,
cut off the very bottom so it doesn't clog and it still slides into the port for the airlock in the lid or carboy stopper.
then attach 1/2 blow off tube to the inside of the 3 piece, 1/2" tube fits over very nicely.

snyklez · 11-13-2012, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewurzel

Before now i have just used the plastic 3 piece airlock,
cut off the very bottom so it doesn't clog and it still slides into the port for the airlock in the lid or carboy stopper.
then attach 1/2 blow off tube to the inside of the 3 piece, 1/2" tube fits over very nicely.

That's a great idea. I actually did similar with the tube I had but it fit inside the airlock piece since it is a smaller diameter. I'll use your method when I can get a larger tube. Anyway, now my growler's overflowing but that's much more manageable than cleaning my fermentation chamber every 30 minutes.

DSmith · 11-13-2012, 02:33 AM

The large tube that fits tight into s Carboy neck works great. I blow off into a mason jar filled with starsan. I've recently been using a lot less starsan in the jar to prevent suckback because I finish my cooling in a fermentation chamber before pitching. Blowoff tubes can suck liquid into the fermenter but if the liquid is minimal it can't make it into the beer before falling back to the jar. Determine how much liquid fills 12" of a big tube and just use that as an airlock.

**cluckk** · 11-13-2012, 09:29 PM

A while back, I had a Russian Imperial Stout literally blow the top off an airlock. I had the hose, fortunately, and put it in. That one had so much Kraeusen it went all the way down the hose and filled the Iodophor solution bucket.

TheBeerist · 11-16-2012, 10:13 PM

Just wanted to tell you not to worry about contamination. The CO2 sitting on top of your beer is providing a natural barrier against contaminants. Fear not!

**Grossy** · 11-17-2012, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewurzel

Before now i have just used the plastic 3 piece airlock,
cut off the very bottom so it doesn't clog and it still slides into the port for the airlock in the lid or carboy stopper.
then attach 1/2 blow off tube to the inside of the 3 piece, 1/2" tube fits over very nicely.

Dang, I thought that was my idea.

I also cut the ends off all my three piece airlocks. and then melt the plastic just a little bit, with a lighter, (smooths out the plastic). Ill leave the cap a little loose, so if there is an unexpected fermentation it just knocks the top off the three piece airlock, rather than blow the lid. (thats the theory anyway, never had to test it)