Better Bottle Airlocks?

[Mauldice]

So I'm looking at buying some better bottles to upgrade my "brewery." I have read reviews that some people were having troubles getting good seals with their bungs/airlocks.

Is this a common problem? Should I spend a little more and get the Dry airlock that better bottle sells along with their o'ring closure?

also I am looking at making a brown ale aged for a few months with wood chips. I know that the better bottles claim to be non oxygen permeable, but there seems to be a lot of skepticism on this point. So would I be able to do this in a better bottle?

 

[mosquitocontrol]

I just get those orange bungs they sell and putthe airlock into that. They fit pretty loose but that never hurt my seal as the airlock still bubbled. They are like 2-3 bucks though.

 

[Nurmey]

Carboy caps cost a couple dollars and work great on BB.

 

[Revvy]

A good seal isn't really necessary, if there's a bad seal, then the co2 will escape there, rather than through the airlock, and as long as co2 is escaping 1) then you won't be painting the ceiling with your beer, and 2)as long as it is pushing out nothing bad can get in your fermenter.

Heck some folks even just wrap the neck of their carboy with tinfoil and a rubber band, and put a pin hole in it.....

Don't worry about it, get whatever works for you...I like to use orange carboy caps on my better bottles, but if I run out of them, then i have a couple stoppers that I use instead (I have 9 fermenters, so sometimes I have to use whatever is left).

A tight seal is actually just the opposite of what you want in beer making. If you have a tight seal, the more than likely you will have half your beer on the ceiling.

 

[zanemoseley]

I believe I use a #10 drilled stopper with an airlock, I've used it with and without a blow off tube and never had a lack of bubbling which tells me I'm getting a good seal.

 

[JTY]

I'm using #10 drilled stoppers with my 6 gallon better bottles, and they seal just fine.

 

[Montanaandy]

I have been using a #10 stopper with my BB's but one thing I have noticed is that you need to push it down so that the top of the #10 is flush with the top lip of the BB. Makes it a bit more difficult to remove later on (use post the airlock to pull it out). I have noticed that the CO2/pressure will push the stopper up if you don't seat it into the neck far enough. It may not make a difference from a sanitary standpoint but from a psychological standpoint I like to make certain that I have an air tight seal. I also have used a universal carboy bung and that seems to provide an airtight seal also. Montanaandy

 

[Montanaandy]

I meant to preface my prior response that this was with respect to a 6 gal BB. The orange carboy caps also work very well (I normally use this to rack from primary to corny). If I use them on the BB during primary I like to use an adjustable clamp just to make certain that there is a tight seal. Montanaandy

 

[passedpawn]

I have 4 6g BB's. I have solid stoppers, orange carboy caps. But my favorite stopper for these guys by far are these $1 guys. They fit perfectly down into the neck of the carboy. They are soft silicone rubber and can take either a airlock or a piece of tubing perfectly.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/fermenting-equipment/stoppers-bungs/universal-bung-medium-fits-better-bottles.html

 

[BreWirfel]

^^^^^ that's what i use.

 

[KhellendrosXS]

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/fermenting-equipment/stoppers-bungs/universal-bung-medium-fits-better-bottles.html

^This

Ive got 3 BB's and these are the only stoppers I use. The solid ones with a hole drilled in them dont do a very good job and just 'sit' on the opening. These stoppers can get a decent seal if thats what you are looking for. I also use the caps when I have to hook up a blowoff hose.

 

[Bobby_M]

One reason to NOT use bungs or stoppers is that "stuff" can settle at the joint between the BB neck and stopper and fall in when you remove the bung to rack out. The carboy cap is more of a complete cover so when it's removed, you still have a relatively sterile area to work with.

 

[samc]

Look into corny keg fermenting. BB are fine but pushing your beer around with CO2 is so much easier. Fermenting for several months in one of them is no issue at all.

When I used a BB I just used a stopper/air lock or an orange carboy cap, both worked.

 

[Cliff897]

I have read reviews that some people were having troubles getting good seals with their bungs/airlocks.

I think it's a materials problem.

I have in years past never had any issues with lab grade rubber stoppers.

However those I've purchased lately are made from another polymer altogether and when the glass carboy is wet they slip out.

Aside from using stretch film to clamp the little slippery suckers in place: The only solution is not to buy the cheap crap from the home brewery suppliers.

I haven't used any of the below:

http://www.rubbermill.com/stoppers.html

http://www.fishersci.com/wps/portal...f=&store=Scientific&type=&showAdvanceOptions=


http://www.labdepotinc.com/Product_Details~id~115~pid~9358.aspx

 

[passedpawn]

...when the glass carboy is wet they slip out.
...
Aside from using stretch film to clamp the little slippery suckers in place: The only solution is not to buy the cheap crap from the home brewery suppliers.

Yes, that is exactly the problem. The pictured items above are the $1 answer.

 

[Mauldice]

thank you for all your responses. Has anyone used these for long term aging? i.e. a few months. They advertise being impermeable to oxygen, but in reading reviews there seemed to be some skepticism. I was hoping someone here has done it and can tell me if it works or if I should stick to glass for that.

 

[Revvy]

thank you for all your responses. Has anyone used these for long term aging? i.e. a few months. They advertise being impermeable to oxygen, but in reading reviews there seemed to be some skepticism. I was hoping someone here has done it and can tell me if it works or if I should stick to glass for that.

Yes, well there's a lot of opinions out there........One often wonders where stuff like that actually originated, like maybe those who have the most to lose should another product enter the market place?

I've used them for 6 months to a year with no issues.....I've also used standard water bottles for the same amount of time, and again no complaints.

 

[EricCSU]

I just get those orange bungs they sell and putthe airlock into that. They fit pretty loose but that never hurt my seal as the airlock still bubbled. They are like 2-3 bucks though.

The red caps fit very nicely if you soak them in hot (110-120 degrees F) starsan for a minute or so to make them pliable. It takes a little practice and elbow grease, but it fits very snug. I use it when I am moving the carboy. I use the medium drilled stopper (see $1 solution pictured above) for blowoffs and airlocks.

Eric

 

[Mauldice]

cool thanks...

 

[GatorBru]

Will the $1 medium airlock that is drilled work with the BB dry tap? They want $30 for their stopper, and I am not too keen on spending more in stoppers than on the BB itself! Is there another size that will work for the dry tap? Thanks!