quick question about notty

So I'm going to be doing my second batch tonight--I'll be doing Brandon O's Graff. I've never used Nottingham yeast before, but in reading the various threads about it, it seems like some people get some pretty volatile fermentations with them.

I'm going to be fermenting 5 gallons in a 6.5gal bucket, kept in a swamp cooler at (hopefully) 68*F or lower. So, I'm wondering. Do I need to use a blowoff here, or is an airlock okay? I could just go blowoff to be better safe than sorry, but just curious about whether there's a significant risk of things getting messy w/ just an airlock. Didn't seem to be a consensus in past threads (I know, yeasts are people too, fickle and inconsistent).

Thanks gang.
AK

I always use a blowoff now. I had a carboy blow up the other day. The airlock clogged and the stopper didn't give so the bottom of the carboy did. It was in a swamp cooler so no debis, but it did throw my little fan across the room. I lost my beautiful wheat the hard way... Never got a taste...

Yes, you should use a blowoff for a few days and keep an eye on the temps. My last Nottingham batch increased temp by 8*F

I only use a blowoff tube if I am at close to the 6 gallon mark on the buckets, if you really only have 5 gallons you would have to have a boatload of krausen to make it to the top. The safe way would be to use a blow off tube but if you really only have 5 gallons you should be fine with just and airlock.

Notty.......

Like most of the previous posters I use a blow off tube everytime for the first few days. Just some piece of mind for me.

the notty has erupted on me numerous times using a 7 gal bucket. I don't think i kept the temp low enough.

the notty is a beast.

just remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

wonderful. thank you all, i'll use a blowoff. it'll make me feel like more of a man, too. added bonus. here goes!

kid_ak said:

wonderful. thank you all, i'll use a blowoff. it'll make me feel like more of a man, too. added bonus. here goes!

Click to expand...

LOL. Yea it does make seem more like a science project with the blow off tube bubbling in a jar of water. I remember my first batch with a blow off tube. It was in winter and I had in my gettolious cardboard fish box temp control chamber in the basement. The SWMBO said that it sound like it was alive after she heard it bubbling in the jar. :rockin: Of course the yeasties were alive and well.