Question About Blowoff hose

Ok so I have my first batch under way and I'm using a blowoff hose because I have a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bucket. There is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of head space so I'm sure I will have some blowoff.

Incase of blowoff and foam getting into my 1" clear pvc tubing should I clean it out or just let it ferment for 2 weeks with foam in my tube?

I've read some sources that say clean it out after 2 days when the fermentation dies down. Others say to let it run it's course and clean it out before your next batch.

Do you not have an airlock?

I would wait two days and then put an airlock on. If you don't have an airlock, cleaning the hose would probably be a good idea. But airlocks cost like two dollars, buy one!

Don't bother cleaning it untill you take it off to replace it with an airlock, you would just be introducing more opportunities for infection. A 1" tube won't plug off and you'll only need it on there for a couple days.

With all due respect pariah.

pariah said:

Do you not have an airlock?

I would wait two days and then put an airlock on. If you don't have an airlock, cleaning the hose would probably be a good idea. But airlocks cost like two dollars, buy one!

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I have a ton of airlocks but running a hose under water is the same thing though. Why expose my batch to open air if I don't have to? I rather keep her purring away with my blowoff hose if possible. My main concern is leaving the foam in the tubing.

I only use 1/2" tube for blow off, and I've left them in place for over a week with the open end suberged in sanitizer. No ill effects that I've noted...it's just a big airlock.

Chairman Cheyco said:

Don't bother cleaning it untill you take it off to replace it with an airlock, you would just be introducing more opportunities for infection. A 1" tube won't plug off and you'll only need it on there for a couple days.

With all due respect pariah.

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Hey no problem. I use a leaky bucket and so I never need a blowoff tube. Hell, the airlock doesn't even bubble half the time so what do I know.

Yuri_Rage said:

I only use 1/2" tube for blow off, and I've left them in place for over a week with the open end suberged in sanitizer. No ill effects that I've noted...it's just a big airlock.

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I've made wine for a while and I know it's the same exact concept airlock vs blowoff house.
If so why even mess with switching from hose to airlock? I just think it's openning your self up to contamiants or exposing your yeast to fresh O2. Do any of you guys just leave the blow hose on the whole ferment time?

kc_lupo said:

Do any of you guys just leave the blow hose on the whole ferment time?

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I guess that's kinda what I do. I leave the blow-off tube on until I rack the beer from the primary. I use an airlock after that.

For me here is how it works..... If I start with a blowoff tube I won't have one and if I start with an airlock then I will have a blowoff.

What do you have the other end of the blowoff tube in? You should have it submerged in a bucket of water to prevent air/contamanents getting into the fermenter.

Mr Bigins said:

What do you have the other end of the blowoff tube in? You should have it submerged in a bucket of water to prevent air/contamanents getting into the fermenter.

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Yeah I have the other end of the tube submerged in under about 7 " of water at the bottom of an other bucket. It started bubling last night and was going strong today till about 5. Since then it has not let out any more burps from the hose. I can't see the first phase of fermentation behind over (violent bubbling). Why has it stopped? Do you think I may have a leak some where? If I push down on the center of the lid the air in the hose moves so I know I have a little presure still in the bucket. Now this is my first batch of beer. My wines usually bubble for at least 5 days non-stop almost blowing water out their airlocks. Is there something wrong here? I areated the wort pretty well when I put it in my primary bucket.

Suggestions comments would help me out here guys!

Hey one more thing I have to ask. At what point should I switch to an airlock. After how many days pass does it get less likly to have a blow out. I don't want to switch to early and then experience a mess all over my floor and having SWMBO killing me.

I do not use airlocks except for my yeast starters. I only use tubing. Airlocks can dry out and then they do not do their jub. Tubing with the end stuck into a bucket of water will not dry out so easily.