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**Aschecte** · 01-26-2013, 06:03 PM

Has anyone used the silicone vented stoppers that northern brewer and Midwest etc. sell ? Thy basically are a dry airlock for glass carboys. I have a lambic that the airlock is drying out every 3 days or so. It's in it's fourth month and I'm loosing my mind adding water every few days but, I'm also nervous about these dry airlock a. Any input is appreciated.

stpug · 01-26-2013, 09:29 PM

I've seen them used in wine making with great success. Basically a one-way vent in case there is any offgassing. I'm also interested in how useful they are in beer brewing, or bulk aging. They seem like they would work well but maybe I'm overlooking something.

tjpfeister · 01-26-2013, 09:35 PM

I have never purchased one simply because I have a shoe box full of 3pc airlocks. But today, after I checked on my lager and found most all the water sucked in from the rapid temp change, I am seriously thinking of picking one or two up.

**Aschecte** · 01-27-2013, 12:17 AM

Well unless anyone else chimes in ill be the guinea pig. I've got to do something as I will not continue aging this lambic and babysitting a airlock every 3 days.

**JollyIsTheRoger** · 01-27-2013, 12:23 AM

I use them at work, you just don't want to use them for primary. They do release pressure but sometimes they get stuck and build up pressure. So just check them every once in a while to make sure they don't pop out.

**sea1961** · 01-27-2013, 12:43 AM

I use them for my Bourbon barrel aging and for secondary fermentation.... So far so Good!

**Aschecte** · 01-27-2013, 01:08 AM

That's exactly what I want them for is bulk aging. For a lambic..Flanders red and a barleywine. So ill be clicking the botton with northern brewer T-5 sec.

Demus · 01-27-2013, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aschecte

Well unless anyone else chimes in ill be the guinea pig. I've got to do something as I will not continue aging this lambic and babysitting a airlock every 3 days.

I've used them with no problem. For you issue though I'd just stay with a blowoff tube in a bucket. It would take a LONG time for evaporation to be an issue, and this setup is basically a giant airlock anyway.

For the vacuum issue created by chilling I used one and it obviously prevented airlock water from being sucked in but the vacuum was still there causing my better bottle to deform from the pressure. I'm not sure what the solution to this is. Anyone? Buehler?

stpug · 01-27-2013, 04:13 AM

I would not trust a blow-off system to any brew that's outside of it's initial stages of fermentation because of the chance of temperature pressure changes sucking back in the blowoff water. I just saw a post to this effect on this forum today actually. Could it work? Absolutely, but my feeling is that the risk is too high considering that it could be minimized for a few dollars.

I prefer to use S-lock airlocks for long term aging but there is the definite possibility of complete evaporation with these just like the 3-peice airlocks. However, I find the evaporation to be reasonably slow and the chance of suck-back to be minimal. I only fill my S-lock airlock about half as high as the 'Max Fill' line so that when all liquid is sucked back into the closest chamber to my carboy there is still plenty of headspace so that bubbles don't actually get sucked into my carboy (I hope that makes sense

). I definitely prefer the S-lock to 3-piece airlock any day.

If I knew I was planning a yearlong bulk aging on something that might be offgassing periodically, I might opt for the silicone vented stopper. So far, my long-term brews (red wines and meads) have not required more than my S-locks (which are quite cheap at about $1.25 each).

**HopSong** · 01-27-2013, 01:35 PM

IMO, Primary only unless it's a lower gravity beer.. or, if you don't secondary, use them after the main fermentation is complete. They won't work successfully if full of blowoff. They are great if you are moving a brew from one location to another as there is no suckback.