Cold Crash Sucks

Im fermenting at 65 degrees using a blow of tube for about a month.
I use a refer with a 2 stage temp controller All this done it the shop the water in that bottle was not very good looking.

Well I turn the temp down to 40 that bottle gets sucked down.

Obviously I did something wrong. What is the right way.

Can you ask the question in English?

Fletch78 said:

Can you ask the question in English?

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Heh.

Anyhoo, that's normal. Either tilt your airlock to allow air in, or make sure that airlock contains Starsan so it won't be a problem for the wort.

I'm not sure, I'm a noob and haven't run into this yet, but I think maybe swapping the blow tube for a standard bubbler or airlock when you dropped the temp would have helped.

It sounds like when you turned the temp down the pressure of the gas in your fermentor's head space dropped and drew the water from your blow off tube reservoir back into your fermentor.

Then again, I'm a noob, so I'm sure some one will jump on and tell you my head is up my "bleep" and tell you what really happened.

But there must be a way to cold crash with out this happening because plenty of people around here do it successfully.

Have you tried using the site's search function with key words like "how to cold crash" I bet there's a thread on this topic sticky-ed somewhere.

Good luck in the future, and don't give up!

Temperature changes inside the fermenter will cause a vacuum- it's basic physics. BUT sometimes people forget to mention it, I guess.

Next time, take off the airlock and/or blow-off tubing. Either replace it with a carboy cap or a piece of sanitized foil. It's done fermenting, or else you wouldn't be cold crashing so you don't need an airlock anymore.

Fletch78 said:

Can you ask the question in English?

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Im not the greatest at tying my words out.. sorry

Yooper_Brew said:

Temperature changes inside the fermenter will cause a vacuum- it's basic physics. BUT sometimes people forget to mention it, I guess.

Next time, take off the airlock and/or blow-off tubing. Either replace it with a carboy cap or a piece of sanitized foil. It's done fermenting, or else you wouldn't be cold crashing so you don't need an airlock anymore.

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Thanks Yooper

BTW you dont mean those orange lids with the white & blue caps.

I threw them away T Foil it is

I use the "S" style airlocks when I cold crash, no suckback it just bubbles in reverse.

kevmoron said:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/10937//Premium_Breathable_Silicone_Carboy_Hood<br__>

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If you were using a glass carboy, I think you'd probably end up either sucking that thing in to your wort or creating a vacuum. Better to let the air go wherever it wants.

wyzazz said:

I use the "S" style airlocks when I cold crash, no suckback it just bubbles in reverse.

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Me too, those things are great. Cleaning blowoff out of them would be a pain though, so I would start with a blowoff tube and use those for extended primary/secondary(if applicable)/cold crash.

a little vodka/water mix in the airlock is what I use.

suck back happens.

wyzazz said:

If you were using a glass carboy, I think you'd probably end up either sucking that thing in to your wort or creating a vacuum. Better to let the air go wherever it wants.

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It won't get sucked in. I've used it many times for this purpose with glass carboys and better bottles, and for crashing out yeast starters (it also fits 2 L erlenmeyer flasks - one size fits all of these).

It fits like a hood over the neck, so it's impossible to suck it in. If there is positive pressure inside the vessel, it will vent it just like the S style or three piece airlocks. If there is negative pressure (such as when cold crashing), it will simply maintain that negative pressure until you pop it off. So yes, you would get a slight vacuum, but that is preferable to the S style airlock which would just allow oxygen into the fermentor. The thing really is amazing.

It has replaced airlocks for me, pretty much. I always use a blowoff tube for primary. Any situation in which I would normally use an airlock, I use this instead. It does everything an airlock does and more.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/10937//Premium_Breathable_Silicone_Carboy_Hood<br__>

The s-style airlocks work perfect for this sort of thing.