Cold Crash/Suck Back

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kingjam99

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I have a large (width) blow off tube installed into the neck of my 6 gallon glass fermenter. The other end is in a small pitcher with starsan. The pitcher is sitting on the compressor hump of my temp controlled freezer. Since I have such a large blow off and the "liquid lock pitcher" is below the top of the fermenter (about halfway from the bottom" will the starsan be sucked into fermenter. I have a hard time believing that much suction could happen. I know I can put foil on it but I rather not do anything except hit the down arrow on my temp controller. Also would stepping the temp down over several hours help on the suction and or be better for the beer. :mug::ban::tank:
 
kingjam99 said:
I have a large (width) blow off tube installed into the neck of my 6 gallon glass fermenter. The other end is in a small pitcher with starsan. The pitcher is sitting on the compressor hump of my temp controlled freezer. Since I have such a large blow off and the "liquid lock pitcher" is below the top of the fermenter (about halfway from the bottom" will the starsan be sucked into fermenter. I have a hard time believing that much suction could happen. I know I can put foil on it but I rather not do anything except hit the down arrow on my temp controller. Also would stepping the temp down over several hours help on the suction and or be better for the beer. :mug::ban::tank:
Click to expand...

I've never had suck back on a beer that was cold crashing with an airlock. I don't see it happening with a blow off tube. Especially if it has to fight gravity.
 
Really? What kind of air locks and fermenters do you use? I've seen suckback in my buckets with a change in ambient as little as 10* F.
 
I use a three piece airlock filled with vodka for cold crashing. The three piece ones seem to do a little better on suck back and the vodka really won't damage your beer or harm the residual yeast if you are a bottler.
 
I use 3-pieces and it still sucks back :( Maybe there's too much headspace in my buckets or something.
 
sooo....you think I am safe with my set up? Anyone cold crash with the set up in the OP?
 
indigi said:
Really? What kind of air locks and fermenters do you use? I've seen suckback in my buckets with a change in ambient as little as 10* F.
Click to expand...

3 piece, glass carboy. Going from cellar to fridge.

I've only had fermenters suck back in primary before I had a chiller. You would need a large change in atmospheric pressure to suck back through a blow off tube.
 
kingjam99 said:
I have a large (width) blow off tube installed into the neck of my 6 gallon glass fermenter. The other end is in a small pitcher with starsan. The pitcher is sitting on the compressor hump of my temp controlled freezer. Since I have such a large blow off and the "liquid lock pitcher" is below the top of the fermenter (about halfway from the bottom" will the starsan be sucked into fermenter. I have a hard time believing that much suction could happen. I know I can put foil on it but I rather not do anything except hit the down arrow on my temp controller. Also would stepping the temp down over several hours help on the suction and or be better for the beer. :mug::ban::tank:
Click to expand...

I know this is an old thread but here is my public service announcement...I am currently cold crashing with a better bottle set up with a blow off tube. I just checked on it and it has sucked in about 1-1.5 pints of starsan. The beer was very clear before cold crashing now it is cloudy like old starsan hope it tastes ok.
 
bassmaster911 said:
I know this is an old thread but here is my public service announcement...I am currently cold crashing with a better bottle set up with a blow off tube. I just checked on it and it has sucked in about 1-1.5 pints of starsan. The beer was very clear before cold crashing now it is cloudy like old starsan hope it tastes ok.
Click to expand...

Yep, that definitely happens. It's too late now for you, but I recommend buying some of those "carboy caps" or a solid bung, and removing the airlock before cold crashing and covering with the solid cap. Or even some sanitized foil.
 
I have an idea for an adaptor that would go between a corny gas disconnect and a Brewcap, which would allow you to have a very small, tightly controled flow of CO2 go into the carboy to offset the pressure change while cold crashing. The amount of gas used would be about the same as required to properly carb 2 pints of beer per hour, but it would provide positive displacement with sanitary CO2 to blanket and protect your beer.

Would anyone be interested in a re-useable adaptor for about $12.00?
 

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