Blowoff Water Sucked Back into Primary??

So I moved my Primary out onto the porch on Friday to Crash cool, and when I checked it today ,over half of the water in my Blowoff container was gone. I've done some reading and now I know a suction is created when you crash cool, But is it strong enough to suck that much water all the way back into the fermenter? I'm a bit concerned since this hasn't happened to me before, I usually use a bucket with an airlock. The water itself was an Iodophor mix that was about a week old. Obviously I'm new to the technique of Crash cooling, I won't be leaving the blow off on it from now on, I'll switch it to an airlock if I'm using a carboy.

It is possible that one my dogs could have drank it, but i would imagine them turning their nose at that water. I thought it possibly evaporated too, but that's a lot of evaporation in a short amount of time.

Anyhow, Do I have anything to be concerned about other than it may have thinned the beer a little?

I have crashed mine from around 65*F to 35*F and haven't gotten the blowoff mix to go all the way up into the carboy... How far was the water in the blowoff tube when you saw it?

As far as Iodophor getting in the beer, I don't use it, so I can't really answer...

Duckfoot said:

I have crashed mine from around 65*F to 35*F and haven't gotten the blowoff mix to go all the way up into the carboy... How far was the water in the blowoff tube when you saw it?

As far as Iodophor getting in the beer, I don't use it, so I can't really answer...

Click to expand...

It was probably about 3/4's of the way back up the tube, give or take a little

this has happened to me, and I figured the batch of cider was ruined. However, it was not! I'm pretty sure I had C-brite solution in my suckback, but even with multiple ounces sucked back through the blowoff tube, the batch tasted fine. there were even flies in the solution that ended up in the batch, which i of course removed. no infections and the batch is still improving. from now on you may want to put the carboy cap on though when you are cold crashing.

I've had this happen, and not to freak you out but I think it spoiled a batch. I was brewing this last november and it was warm for a week or two, then a storm moved in and the temp dropped pretty quickly over a day. I noticed the water level in my blowoff container was lower than before, and there was a bunch of fluid in the tube. Since that point, I've replaced the blowoff tube with an airlock after the danger of a blowoff is over (usually after 1 week). I also make sure to put fresh sanitizer in the airlock before crash cooling, just to be safe.

Nooo Nooo Noo, actually I think your dogs peed in it, then it was sucked back in. JK. Well I pretty sure you're idea about using a airlock vs blow off tube will not work. It's easier to get suck buck using an airlock. Now on the blow off tube and container. I always place my container lower than my carboy. If it is higher than carboy, you risk suck back starting a siphon.

JesseRC said:

Nooo Nooo Noo, actually I think your dogs peed in it, then it was sucked back in. JK. Well I pretty sure you're idea about using a airlock vs blow off tube will not work. It's easier to get suck buck using an airlock. Now on the blow off tube and container. I always place my container lower than my carboy. If it is higher than carboy, you risk suck back starting a siphon.

Click to expand...

LOL, that was good for a chuckle. Both were on the floor, so the water would have had to get sucked up a couple feet.

My biggest concern is that the Iodophor is no longer viable, but Like I said it was only a week old. I'm gonna bottle tonight, so I'll give it a taste. We'll see what happens.

Thanks

According to the iodophor makers the stuff worksfor quite awhile. google "iodophor brew danger" and you will see a guy's report on how it really works. I am guessing this is the reason you use it in the bucket. Why else would you need it?

I would suggest you stop using iodophor solutions in your airlocks and switch to vodka. That way if anythig gets sucked back into your brew, all it does is raise the ABV.

LibertyBrewer said:

I would suggest you stop using iodophor solutions in your airlocks and switch to vodka. That way if anythig gets sucked back into your brew, all it does is raise the ABV.

Click to expand...

yeah - but a gallon of even rotgut vodka ain't cheap...
he was using a blowoff tube and tank - not an airlock...
one time I put some makers mark in my 3 piece (was out of rotgut vodka)
I had been using a blowoff tube due to a very vigorous ferment - and when it finally subsided I put an airlock back on - only to discover I had nothing but SWMBO's bottle of makers mark... the next day I bought a bottle of rotgut (flieshmans to be exact) vodka - and I added the makers from the airlock to 6 ounces of Coke... and drank it

waste not...