Airlock Change-O-Rama

Hi ALL,

I just wanted to share this story for others that may think its funny or who have done this.

Made a DFH Punkin' Ale clone last Sunday, used 6 gal better bottle and filled it about to 5.75gal or so (a bit to much, but some headroom)

Started fermenting like a champ in about 6 hours. (WLP 001 w/starter of course)

It blew out the top of the airlock, I sanitized another airlock and switched it out, waited about 8 hours after I came home from work and airlock #2 is blown out fermenting beer almost gushing out the top of the airlock, SO I switch it out with the 1st now clean and sanitized airlock etc.

Anyway I had to switch the airlocks out 5 more times in the last three days !!! OMG !!

I took a sample of the wort today and tasted it (after 7 airlock changes & cleanup each time) and luckily no off tastes or signs of infection.

Moral of the story--- USE A BLOW-OFF tube or don't fill the fermentor that full !!

I just wanted to share to point out that if your sanitation is diligent, even if you have to clean up a blowout or change your airlock out 7 TIMES, you can still avoid any issues that will hurt your beer. :rockin:

Merry Christmas & Happy Homebrew New Year !!!

Cheers !

-EROK

yeah I pretty never put an airlock on to start a fermentation anymore. All my carboy's get the blow-off tube for at least 3 days.

jammin said:

yeah I pretty never put an airlock on to start a fermentation anymore. All my carboy's get the blow-off tube for at least 3 days.

Click to expand...

+1

And I don't worry much about having a lot of headspace with a blowoff tube. If you use a 1" vinyl tube there is very little restriction to the "blow off" effort.

7 airlock changes?! My max has to be at most two.

Larger fermenters for me, why let all that yeast go out the tube. Haven't had a blow off in years.

Airlock shmairlock. Unless you've got critters lurking about, foil is all that is needed (unless you have a blow-out of course). Some yeast strains will even thank you for lack of pressure!

zendog said:

Airlock shmairlock. Unless you've got critters lurking about, foil is all that is needed (unless you have a blow-out of course). Some yeast strains will even thank you for lack of pressure!

Click to expand...

I'm sure you are right !

I ferment in buckets for the most part and leave the lid cracked for 24 hours. The only mess I have had was an over active hefeweizen after I overfilled the bucket.