Airlock fluid

[Brewer3401]

Does anyone use any of the following in their airlock ?

Water
Water with iodophore (same strength as used for sanitizing)
Vodka
Rubbing alcolol
Beer
???

May be a little leery of rubbing alcohol, but it is not poison. Causes gastrointestinal distress from what I've heard.

 

[hunter_le five]

I used water for years without any ill-effects. Eventually I gave into paranoia and started using vodka.

Vodka (cheap stuff) is great imho because it's sanitary and if it gets sucked back into the fermenter, it won't hurt a damn thing or affect taste.

Some people also use diluted Star San. Seems reasonable.

I wouldn't use iodophore, even diluted, just because I don't want any of that in my beer.

I wouldn't use rubbing alcohol either. Yeah yeah in such a small quantity you're not likely to even notice, but why risk it when you can just use cheap vodka?

Would not even consider using beer. It will probably get moldy eventually.

 

[peterj]

Causes gastrointestinal distress from what I've heard.

Hmmm, sounds like poison...

Anyway, I always use vodka. Very cheap vodka. Or sometimes Star San. I think iodophore is fine too.

 

[jakenbacon]

You could buy the cheapest vodka in the world and it still won't be as cheap as starsan, nor as effective..... But ya, you can get away with water and probably not have any ill effects....

 

[Brewer3401]

I have never had a problem with pulling back on the airlock, so I guess it really does not matter.
I will take an iodophore soaked paper towel, and fold and put on airlock hole until the temp of the wort is down where I will have it while fermenting.
I then put on the airlock (usually 12-14 hours after it goes in the chest freezer)

 

[Yooper]

I have about 15 carboys around right now, maybe a few more, and all of the airlocks are topped up with water. I've been doing that for many many years, and I just have to refill some once in a while due to evaporation.

 

[day_trippr]

The cheapest vodka I can find goes in my S-locks.
The last fifth cost $6.50.
I can't imagine what it must taste like

Cheers!

 

[CBelli]

vodka

 

[Roadie]

Star san here


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[gravityspiral]

Anytime I brew a batch I use my bottling bucket as a container for a 5 gallon batch of starsan solution. Drop the airlock in there, sanitize it, then just pour out any excess. Done.

 

[Zzyzx3]

Cheap vodka or star san have both worked great.

 

[ImNoExpert]

StarSan.

 

[kh54s10]

Starsan. I already have it. I am too frugal to buy cheap vodka and way too frugal to use good vodka in an airlock.

 

[LordUlrich]

I use starsan just because I have it around when I am moving wort to the fermenter, otherwise water. The starsan is because I am too lazy to go and get water from the tap... Even properly sanitized there are going to be more bugs in the fermenter than that little bit of water that MIGHT get sucked back. Also people have used water to top off without sanitizing the water without problems.