Lager Fermentations - blow off tube?

[Leadster]

I know that if you're brewing a high gravity ale, it's often good to use a blow off tube. Would the same be true for a high gravity lager? If lager fermentations are much slower than ale fernmentations, would the initial fermentation be intense enough to require it?

 

[android]

it's kinda hard to say, but in my experience, I have only needed a blowoff tube once in 2 years and never for a lager. depends on a lot of factors, but how big is your primary fermenter?

 

[Leadster]

Primary will be 6.5 gal and this will be a 5 gal batch.

 

[flabyboy]

what temp will you be fermenting at? 50? I doubt you will need a blow off tube. My one experience with a lager was a much more subdoed fermentation

you in Rochester NY or MN??

 

[shushikiary]

Currently I have a lager at 50 deg F with an OG of 1.081 and WLP 833 as the yeast. I pitched a 3 liter starter into the guy and aerated well, normally when I do that with my 1.072 chocolate orange stout with WLP004 it goes NUTS and I have to blow off.

Given the above it will depend on your yeast, but I'm now into the 2nd day of fermentation on the guy and it has a nice 1 inch krausen on it, no need for a blow off too it seems. But like I said just watch it every day and see, every yeast will be different. I doubt you'll need one from my experience so far (though limited).

 

[RukusDM]

Lager fermentation is typically slow. Sometimes takes 2 to 3 weeks to finish. I had a interesting thing happen with my Harp clone. It was 1.056 OG and it finished to 1.010 FG inside of a week at 48 degrees with Wyeast Lager 2007 strain.

I definatly wasn't expecting that. I put it in the fridge and was going to forget about it, but I noticed a dramatic slowing of airlock activity after 5 days. I decided to take a reading and found it was at 1.012.

I pulled it out of the refridge for a 48 hour diacetal rest and it finished up to 1.010 in 24 hours of that rest.

I never saw the need for a blowoff tube even with that quick a ferment. I haven't a clue why it went that fast other than the possibility that I had more yeast cells in my starter than I thought.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Primary will be 6.5 gal and this will be a 5 gal batch.

You prob won't need one. If I fill my 5 gal carboys up to the top 'ring' (right about where the sides start tapering to the neck) I don't get blowoff at the bottom of the temp range (~50* F) but it's close.

 

[miafunk2003]

I needed a blow off tube for my oktoberfest in a 6.5 gallon carbon at 50 degrees. Id use it better safe than sorry.