Home brewers that use a blow off tube?

[Brewme]

After reading the Primary explosion thread, I was curious to know how many brewers use a blow off tube compared to an airlock.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I went with other, only because I use both. Depends on what I'm brewing, how much head space I have in the carboy, etc.

 

[Soulive]

I think the longer-standing members around here know how I feel about airlocks. Let's just say I voted blow-off...

 

[chefchris]

That lid would have exploded either way, FWIW.

 

[Hammy71]

I go blow-off for the first week (or until I think that main fermentation is done) and then switch to a cheap 3-piece airlock..

 

[carnevoodoo]

For me, it depends on what type of beer I'm making. Lots of wheat (or something similarly explosive) and or high ABV get a blow off tube. Otherwise, I just use an airlock.

 

[fat x nub]

I said other cuz it depends if it is very active or not

 

[Jonnio]

I have to say, from experience, anyone that strictly uses airlocks will at some point wish they had used a blow-off tube.

 

[billtzk]

I start with a blowoff tube and switch to an airlock about day 4 of fermentation.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

I use an airlock with foam control without any problems. I do have a blow off tube on hand just in case.

 

[Christian]

I use both

airlocks with my buckets and if i do a secondary in a carboy.

blow off tubes with my carboys but only during the first week or so of primary then i switch to a airlock.

 

[PseudoChef]

Neither - I just go with Aluminum foil.

 

[barely]

I use an air lock 95% of the time, using the blow-off only for wheat beers.

Has anyone ever used the piece of plastic over the bucket secured with a bungee method? That's what my old college roommate did - and used an old spoon to push down the "cap" (krausen) every day. It made good beer in the day, but seems a bit unsanitary to me now.

 

[shertz]

I start with a blowoff tube and switch to an airlock about day 4 of fermentation.

+1. I don't like to use the blowoff too long because they get nasty and after day 3-4, rapid fermentation has slowed. I always have little headspace also.

 

[mthompson]

I have used blow-offs for the first two (nut brown and pale in buckets), and will continue to do so as far as I can see. I use starters, and the tube has neatly directed the copious amounts of foam in a 1gal water jug with 3" of sanitizer in the bottom. After a week or so, I put an airlock on, and let the tube soak over night in dish liquid solution so it rinses clean.

 

[StunnedMonkey]

As always there are two kinds of people. In this case they're (a) people who always use blowoff tubes, and (b) people who need to paint their ceilings. The B's have a way of becoming A's.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Other. I use both for all the same reasons already stated.

 

[menschmaschine]

For me, in general:

Blow-off = Ale
Airlock = Lager

 

[mkling]

+1 Both!

Like others I use a blowoff tube the first 2 or so days of vigorous fermentation, then switch to an airlock.

I've learned this lesson well . . . I pitched yeast on one of my first batches one afternoon and put an airlock on. Next morning I got up, was groggy, watched some TV when I heard a weird sound from the kitchen. I went in and beer was spewing out of the top of the airlock. Now, I knew I needed to switch to a blowoff tube, so I grabbed a racking cane & hose. So I pulled out the airlock (I was groggy and not thinking clearly yet) and . . . .BEER GEYSER!!! The beer literally shot out thru the small hole in my drilled stopper all the way up to my 9 foot ceiling. (Luckily SWMBO was out of town that weekend.) I cupped my hand over the geyser so it deflected to the floor, got my 8 year old to get me my racking cane, shoved it in the stopper and put a pitcher under it. It was far and away the most vigorous and quickest fermentation I've ever had.

Anyway, there is good reason to use a blowoff tube first!

 

[lucky2balive]

I use a blow off tube for the first week and then switch to an airlock after the active fermentation is over. It gives me the peace of mind to know that I'm not going to clog my airlock and shoot my wad all over the top of my chest freezer!

 

[Beerbeque]

There have been times that I didn't use a blowoff and ended up sorry with a gummed up airlock so now I always use a blowoff for the first 4 days or so. Many times though, it doesn't blow out anyways. I have found kraeusen to be quite unpredictable so I err on the side of caution.

 

[Fingers]

I used to get blowoffs before I started fermenting at lower temperatures. Since then I haven't had a single one. Of course I don't really like wheat beers so that has something to do with it. I'm a proponent of low and slow.

 

[Dpostman]

I'm an Airlock only user. But I have not used a glass carboy in about 15 years. It is way too small for me. I make about 11 or 12 gal, batches in a 15 Gallon Pail. That along with a low temp fermentation, never had an issue. So for all those that are dead set that their method (Blow off tube) is the only way, please realize that there might be alternatives. We are Five (5) in my circle of coworkers that make beer, and not one of us uses the same methods.

dp

 

[AnOldUR]

I thought there'd be more others. Airlocks are just so much easier, especially if you are moving your carboy around for temperature control. But I will use a blow-off if yeast and/or head space warrant it.

 

[Bopper]

I selected "other" because I use both an airlock and blowoff tube. I start with a blowoff tube for the first few days. I then switch to an airlock for the remainder of my 3 week primary

 

[Seabee John]

I use a blow off tube because it works better with the better bottle counter pressure racking system I have.

 

[syd138]

Well, if he had a glass carboy and a blow-off tube, that wouldn't have happened.

I generally keep the blow-off tube on for about 4 days, just to ensure it gets all the crap out.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I just lay the lid over top. If the kraeusen doesn't appear to be violent then I will secure the lid and throw on an airlock.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

one more for "depends on the situation"

There is a time and place for both.

 

[flyangler18]

I typically use an airlock for most mid-gravity beers- only my Roggenbier really necessitates a blow-off rig.

However, over the past couple of batches I have forgone the airlock/blow-off completely and simply lay the lid on the bucket without snapping down the seal ala Gila.

I think I'll start doing the foil route with my carboys

 

[Saccharomyces]

Airlock on buckets, always blowoff tube on carboys.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I use airlocks unless I suspect or know there will be blowback. Smaller brews do no need a blow off imho.

 

[Bopper]

As always there are two kinds of people. In this case they're (a) people who always use blowoff tubes, and (b) people who need to paint their ceilings. The B's have a way of becoming A's.

B's definitely have a way of becoming A's. I was an A/B in that I sometimes used a blow off, sometimes an airlock during the first few days of fermentation. I had an explosion and actually did need to paint my ceiling (see better bottle explosion thread). I am now a FIRM A.