I know, I know, RDWHAHB...

I had set up a bucket with some sanitation filled water to accommodate a blowoff tube (which I never actually needed). After 6 days in primary, I noticed some mold growing in the bucket, both on top of and underneath the water. I promptly pulled the tube and put a sanitized airlock with vodka in it onto the carboy.

There are no signs of the mold in the tubing, and there doesn't appear to be any in the beer, so I think I'm ok. My main question is, at what point would y'all replace the blowoff tube with an airlock (i.e. when does a blowoff typically occur; first 24 hours, anytime)? It's pretty high gravity, which is why I planned on using the blowoff tube.

Hopefully all will be ok, thanks for the advice for future brews.

It depends on the beer, but you can't take away the blow-off tube until the blow-off is done. It could be from 1-3 days. Many brewers use the blow-off tube the entire time the beer is in primary. Not sure why mold formed in your sanitizer bucket.

Mold sounds weird. I don't get mold in just normal water. Isn't sanitizer supposed to kill things like this?

I have only needed a once and that was when I had a REAL good starter. Normally I replace the blow off tube after the first couple days. You can tell when things are calmed down a little. Like a boil over - once the main momentum is over it won't come back.

Are you sure it was actual mold in you blowoff water or was it some krauzen gunk that got blown off and looked like mold?

Or some krauzen gunk that got blown into the water and grew mold? Mold doesn't usually just grown in standing water...

dcott said:

My main question is, at what point would y'all replace the blowoff tube with an airlock (i.e. when does a blowoff typically occur; first 24 hours, anytime)? It's pretty high gravity, which is why I planned on using the blowoff tube.

Click to expand...

My DT clone (1.082 OG) didn't blow off until late in the 4th day of very active fermentation. Lucked out that I was home when I heard the airlock gasping before stuff got everywhere.

I thought an airlock was ok because the starter made it (WLP530) look like a bottom-fermenter -- bubbling up from the bottom but no foamy kraeusen.

If the sanitized water was only in the bucket for a few days, mold could only have formed if it was sitting in an extremely damp environment. I've forgotten about sanitized water and had some mold after a month or so, but a few days - not likely. I'd guess that Revvy is right, it's probably just matter from the blowoff.

ditto to Revvy, Every chance I get to sound like I know what I'm talking about, one of you 'infamous' board members beats me to it. Don't you guys ever go to work? Or does HBT pay it's moderators and elitists very well! haha