Keeping the stopper from creeping up..

I'm sure everyone has this happen.. My question is what do you guys do to keep the stopper from creeping up?

I've just been pushing it down repeatedly until it stays down. I think I have bought every size stopper out there (within reason) and none seem to work better than others...

I just want to see if anyone has any great methods.

Sephro said:

I'm sure everyone has this happen.. My question is what do you guys do to keep the stopper from creeping up?

I've just been pushing it down repeatedly until it stays down. I think I have bought every size stopper out there (within reason) and none seem to work better than others...

I just want to see if anyone has any great methods.

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I've never had a stopper creep on me. They stay right where I put them.

Sorry I can't really help.

Is this a common problem? I've never heard anything like it, and I think every question has been asked at least 10 times on this forum.

-walker

I've never had that problem either, but if you are really concerned try giving the neck of the bottle and the stopper a couple of wraps of Saran Wrap.

weird... On all my carboys (4) Every time they start to slid up. If I don't push them back down they will pop right out.
Maybe I need to get something to really clean the glass of any residue...

This is going to happen until you push it all the way through into the carboy. Then, like me, you will switch to a carboy cap.

I have that problem also. It sucks when you come home and see the stopper laying on the floor next to your car boy. It doesn't happen all the time with me. It seems like it happens mainly when the stopper or neck of the carboy is still wet when I put it in there. It will even happen about 3 or 4 days after I put it in there sometimes. I just now noticed the wet thing, I'm going to start paying attention to that next time I put one in a carboy.

The stopper will want to rise up out of the neck of the carboy only if it's wet due to the taper of the stopper. I'm assuming this is what you are talking about. Try to keep the neck and stopper dry and it will seat where you press it.


Carboy bungs work pretty well too and are harder to push all the way through!

heh yeah I am very carefull about pushing them too far..
When you are talking about the caps do you mean these?
http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/carboy-caps.jpg

I have one I use for racking... Never thought about using them rather than the plugs..

Sephro said:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/carboy-caps.jpg

I have one I use for racking... Never thought about using them rather than the plugs..

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My favorite device in the word right there. I should be paid royalties on those f*ckers since I'm constantly promoting them.

Sephro said:

heh yeah I am very carefull about pushing them too far..
When you are talking about the caps do you mean these?
http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/carboy-caps.jpg

I have one I use for racking... Never thought about using them rather than the plugs..

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dems da ones.

I love those carboy caps. Walker, were you the one who wrote that big post about using them to start a siphon? That's such an easy way to do that, I know there's some risk of contamination from forcing my breath in there, but it also gives a real nice excuse to fill my mouth with hard liquor at 10:00 in the morning. I need to get another couple, I bought plugs with the last couple carboys, and they don't seem to seal as well for some reason. I know the beer was fermenting fine, but I hardly saw any activity in the airlock. Don't think they set properly, even though they were in there good.

For siphoning with them If going from a carboy to carboy or keg I use a paintball CO2 tank to blow in there..... Works great! If you want you could always buy an inline air filter for like $5 http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/inline-air-filter.jpg
but if you are going into the carboy sucking on it won't contaminate anything..

Walker-san said:

My favorite device in the word right there. I should be paid royalties on those f*ckers since I'm constantly promoting them.

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yeah, you got me using them for siphoning, and they're nice. I'll just send you a nickel every time I use them for that! I'll probably let the amount build up before I send, though. Just keep waiting on the check....

Sephro said:

For siphoning with them If going from a carboy to carboy or keg I use a paintball CO2 tank to blow in there..... Works great! If you want you could always buy an inline air filter for like $5 http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/inline-air-filter.jpg
but if you are going into the carboy sucking on it won't contaminate anything..

Click to expand...

That's a great idea (the inline filter; don't have a CO2 tank, can't see acquiring them just to start a siphon... if I ever start kegging, however...)

Star San makes the stoppers slippery. Iodophor doesn't (at least for me)..

-a

Is the bottom of the airlock going all the way thru the stopper? (holes in the bottom of the stem completly exposed)

I ferment in buckets & have never had this problem. I have had the lid blow off once or twice.

ajf said:

Star San makes the stoppers slippery. Iodophor doesn't (at least for me)..

-a

Click to expand...

that might be the problem... I do use star san now... I was using B Brite before and don't recall if it was happening then or not..

D*Bo said:

Is the bottom of the airlock going all the way thru the stopper? (holes in the bottom of the stem completly exposed)

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I have tried pushing it all the way through and only 1/2 way... no difference.

Mine do that if they are wet. I dry them with the second piece of paper towel on the roll. They stay.