Airlock

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DanishBrewer

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Hi, I'm new to homebrewing and this forum. I just made my first batch and it's in the fermenter, but then I got to thinkin, should I put water in the airlock?
 
Yeah, without water in it, air could move in any direction.....out of the fermentor, or in, carrying beer spoiling things.

I started with a three peice airlock, but found a two peice is much nicer.
 
Some people put cheap vodka in theirs. Sounds like a good idea, in case the stuff is sucked in during a temp drop. I used it last time.
 
i use a three-piece airlock and there might be a thin faint line along the circumference. this is supposedly the line to which you fill up with water. obviously it should be sterile water (that's why some people suggest vodka). i just poor some of the gallon'd spring water that i use for brewing.
 
i've been seeing that some folks use cheap vodka in their airlock, but i didn't know that it was b/c liquid could be sucked in to fermentor during temp drop 'till this post.

just curious on whatever stats can be posted about: how vodka affects taste, what is the contamination risk of just using filtered water, at what temp does a significant amount of water get sucked into the fermentor, ect.

thanks for any info,

shane
 
You're talking an ounce in 5 gallons...not nearly enough to affect the taste.

As far as risk of sanitation...not much, but if you use bottled water or alcohol, the risk is zero.
 
i'm using vodka in my current batch, and I will never do it again.

I don't even know why I tried it. I've always used filtered tap water or bottled drinking water for my airlock. NEVER had a problem. The risk is low.

However, I decided that since I had a bottle of vodka, I would try it. The stuff is evaporating pretty quickly. I brewed on Saturday night, and I had to re-fill the airlock last night (I had lost 1/2 of the liquid).

However, I won't do this again, because at this rate, I'll have used about 4 shots of vodka on this batch, and it's an unneccessary expense, IMHO.


I don't expect it to affect flavor at all. You'll never be able to tell if someone used water or vodka or sanitizing solution. I'm actually just going to fill it up with water the next time it gets low.

-walker
 
I have never used anything more then tap water. Although nothing got sucked in the last bactch. I did what you guys said and put a glad bag over it till the temperature stabilized. Have not had to replace anything.
 
I just use boiled water. I have a stainless steel turkey baster too, so when checking SG, I boil a small pot of water, and while boiling, sick water into the baster a bunch of times to sanitze the inside, fill the airlock with the boiled water, and use the baster to sample. haven't had an issue yet.
 
I'll agree it ain't an air lock until it's filled! I put a campden tablet/water solution in my airlocks. I'm paranoid though. Damn acetifying bacteria and their fruit fly mounts......
 
I have always used iodipher solution in my airlocks. Never had a problem yet and never had any sucked into the carboy
 
Walker said:
i'm using vodka in my current batch, and I will never do it again.

I don't even know why I tried it. I've always used filtered tap water or bottled drinking water for my airlock. NEVER had a problem. The risk is low.

However, I decided that since I had a bottle of vodka, I would try it. The stuff is evaporating pretty quickly. I brewed on Saturday night, and I had to re-fill the airlock last night (I had lost 1/2 of the liquid).

However, I won't do this again, because at this rate, I'll have used about 4 shots of vodka on this batch, and it's an unneccessary expense, IMHO.


I don't expect it to affect flavor at all. You'll never be able to tell if someone used water or vodka or sanitizing solution. I'm actually just going to fill it up with water the next time it gets low.

-walker
Click to expand...

You must of been using the good stuff ;) I use cheap vodka in my 3 piece and hardly loose anything due to evaporation :)
 
I don't know if it's good or not. It's mexican vodka (yeah, I didn't know that they made vodka in mexico either, but my sister-in-law's boyfriend bought it for me.)

The brand name is "Oso Negro" (Black Bear, I think is the translation). It certainly has a LOT of flavor, which (to me) means it is not a good quality vodka.

-walker
 
So what's the flavour of 'Oso Negro'? Zubrowka is the only 'flavoured' vodka i've had.....
 
What I meant was that it is not a smooth/clean tasting vodka, like some others that I have had. It tastes..... "dirty" (for lack of a better word.)

-walker
 

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