jigidyjim

Recipes 

I'm on my 4th brew. I went in to check on the fermenter 24 hours after putting it in and my airlock water level was really low... this is a first for me, even though I'm using the same equipment. The water level before never really changed in all 2 weeks of fermenting for the first 3 brews.

Anyway, I wasn't too concerned, I just filled it up (with vodka since at that point I didn't have any clean water left), and I'll check again this afternoon to see if it does it again.

So just thought i'd ask if this is a sign of something of more troubling...

gator_brewer

Recipes 

if it happened that quickly I'm more inclined to think that it was active fermentation that pushed out the water over evaporation. Had that happen to me a couple times and never any issues from it so far.

The Pol

Recipes 

OR it was suck back... it got sucked in due to a small temp. decrease in the fermentor.

mr jones

Recipes 

i've had a suck back before and when i added some tap water (not thinking) some went straight into the fermenter. after worrying for a week i bottled it and it turned out the be an awesome brew

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ifishsum

Recipes 

I doubt it evaporated that quickly, I bet it was sucked back in as the wort cooled a little more. I've had mine try to do the same thing many times, in fact I often just cover the dry airlock with foil for the first few hours just to avoid it. It's not really a big deal but I'd still rather it didn't happen.

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joety

Recipes 

based on your sig, yooper's dead guy clone must have turned out stellar

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ifishsum

Recipes 

Oh yeah, great stuff. It's in regular rotation.

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"If you're gonna be an ape, be a hairy one" - Spyder

Primary 2: Edwort's Robust Porter
Secondary 1: LW Pale Ale
Secondary 1: Blackened Soul RIS
Kegged: Dead Guy Ale
Kegged: Rye Pale Ale
Kegged: Haus Pale Ale
Kegged: Nut Brown Ale
Kegged: Afrikan Amber
Kegged: Jock Scott Ale
Kegged: Afrikan Amber

SpanishCastleAle

Recipes 

It pretty much had to be suck back.

I just don't put any water in the airlock or sometimes I just cover it with foil. After a few hours when it won't be cooling any further or there is fermentation activity...then I'll add water to the airlock.

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