busta98
Well-Known Member
So I'm using a 3 piece airlock for the first time. I brewed a pretty big beer and was pretty sure there would be blow off. Does it bubble like the S-shaped airlock?
Three Piece Airlock
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COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
Yup, and if you're counting on blowoff, you may want to rig a blowoff tube.
stedtale
Well-Known Member
It is simmilar yes.
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busta98
Well-Known Member
Ok mine isnt doing what it's doing in the video. I saw tiny bubbles on the wall of it but no bubbly activity and it makes me nervous. I opened it up and there is a good layer of krausen on top of it. Thoughts?
stedtale
Well-Known Member
No bubbles does not mean no fermentation. My brews usually bubble like mad for 24 hours, then bubble about once every frew hours for a couple days...then nothing. Don't worry. Krausen is a good sign.
busta98
Well-Known Member
Ok. That makes me feel better. This beer is a clone of one of my favorites and I want to be right.
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also i have found that you need to make sure that the liquid level is filled up to line or pretty close to it
busta98
Well-Known Member
Yeah the water level is there. I was pretty sure thats where it needed to be. I know the activity in the airlock isn't a 100% way to judge fermentation but its complete lack made me nervous.
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hey the first time i used a 3 piece i didn't even add any liquid. I just figured the CO2 would be enough to lift the bell. Couldn't figure out why it hadn't taken off. Added some liquid and she lit up like a machine gun.
Catch-22
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The main purpose of the liquid is allow CO@2 to escape yet not let anything else back inside.
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yeah but on a 3 piece air-lock don't you have the bell cover? I'm not sure how the liquid in a 3 piece prevents anything from getting back in.
because to get in, air or bacteria or whatever would have to go down through the liquid then back up under the bell cover and then down the tube into the fermenter. Sometimes (if you move the fermenter, say) there can be some suck-back of the liquid in the airlock, but other than that, it'd be really tough for anything to get in there.
Catch-22
Well-Known Member
http://morebeer.com/view_product/16598//Airlock_-_3_Piece
The hood or bell creates that barrier to prevent dust and bugs from getting into the beer
The hood or bell creates that barrier to prevent dust and bugs from getting into the beer
busta98
Well-Known Member
So just to give an update. The krausen layer finally dropped off and I took a gravity reading it came in at 1.024. My OG was 1.078 so it came along nicely. Thanks for all the info guys!
