Noobie question regarding airlock

[Dalymiddleboro]

Hey all,


I am currently brewing a Russian Imperial Stout. I used a liquid belgian yeast made by WYEAST.

After about 36 hours, I looked at the primary and the airlock that was filled with water, is now filled with what looks like the wort. Is this okay? I have everything sanitized and am not sure if we should pull out the airlock, clean it, sanitize it, and put it back. Also concerned about the fermenting wort as if we take out the airlock, that will leave a hole at the top of the bucket and I don't want this batch to be infected...

Can I just leave it the way it is, with the airlock filled with wort.

 

[d3track]

Look up blow off tube, you'll want to swap it out

 

[unionrdr]

That's krausen blowing out through the airlock. If you have some tubing that's about 1/2" ID, then pull the cap & centerpiece out of a 3-piece airlock & stick one end of the tubing over the center tube. The other end in a jug filled 1/3 of the way with water/sanitizer mix, like Starsan. This makes a giant airlock, in effect, & will allow the increased amounts of krausen foam & Co2 to blow off into the jug without making a mess. Then, when the blow off rig looks like it's slowing way down, you can re-install an airlock for the remainder of fermentation.

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

Would my syphon hose work?

I just have a beginner brewers best kit...

Would leaving the krausen in the airlock be harmful? I definitely don't want this batch to be messed up...

 

[unionrdr]

If you could maybe get your siphon hose to go through the airlock grommet? I by clear tubing at home depot or lowe's in bulk for such things. i cut the end off an old "S" type airlock & shoved it in one end of some 3/8" tubing. Then cut it long enough to go to the bottom of a plastic half gallon vodka jug. Fill the jug 1/3 full with water & a splash of starsan. That way, it doesn't foam out the jug like crazy with krausen foam adding to it.

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

If you could maybe get your siphon hose to go through the airlock grommet? I by clear tubing at home depot or lowe's in bulk for such things. i cut the end off an old "S" type airlock & shoved it in one end of some 3/8" tubing. Then cut it long enough to go to the bottom of a plastic half gallon vodka jug. Fill the jug 1/3 full with water & a splash of starsan. That way, it doesn't foam out the jug like crazy with krausen foam adding to it.

Okay,


I can look into that. I just asked the wife (she's at home with the baby, while I work) and she said it's bubbling away but no more leaking. Would it hurt the batch to leave as is?

 

[unionrdr]

I'd clean the airlock out well & re-sanitize it. If you have a spray bottle of sanitizer, like Starsan, the spritze the airlock grommet before re-installing the airlock. Since airlocks are so cheap, I bought an extra handful for such occasions.

 

[GrogNerd]

Okay,


I can look into that. I just asked the wife (she's at home with the baby, while I work) and she said it's bubbling away but no more leaking. Would it hurt the batch to leave as is?

beer is tougher than you think. won't hurt it either way

if you want to take out the airlock and clean it, go ahead. you don't have to rush to get it back in, but don't take all day with it. take a few minutes to clean; wild yeast and bacteria are not waiting for an opening to jump in to ruin your beer.

relax. you and your beer are going to be OK

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

beer is tougher than you think. won't hurt it either way

if you want to take out the airlock and clean it, go ahead. you don't have to rush to get it back in, but don't take all day with it. take a few minutes to clean; wild yeast and bacteria are not waiting for an opening to jump in to ruin your beer.

relax. you and your beer are going to be OK

Ok, this makes me feel a little better. I've heard of people leaving Vodka in the airlock instead of water.

If I just let it bubble with the krausen, will the batch ferment and carbonate properly? Thanks again.

 

[unionrdr]

It'll be fine, but try to make a blow-off for future brews. I use a 50/50 mix of plain clear vodka or grain alcohol & Starsan in my airlocks.

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

It'll be fine, but try to make a blow-off for future brews. I use a 50/50 mix of plain clear vodka or grain alcohol & Starsan in my airlocks.

So I can just leave it with the krausen?

What benefit does using vodka and starsan give the airlock?

 

[GrogNerd]

Leave it in or take it out to clean it, you'll be OK

 

[hezagenius]

Happens to everyone eventually. As long as krausen is not still actively bubbling up out of the airlock hole, then just take out the airlock, rinse it with hot water, re-sanitize it and put it back in the airlock hole. I've started filling my airlock with vodka so I can easily top it off if I need to and I don't have to mix up just a little bit of sanitized water.

I also use a blowoff tube now for the first few days of fermentation. I just buy the size of tube that is big enough that I have to cram it into the airlock hole. That should give you a good enough seal.

At least you know your yeast is working!

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

Happens to everyone eventually. As long as krausen is not still actively bubbling up out of the airlock hole, then just take out the airlock, rinse it with hot water, re-sanitize it and put it back in the airlock hole. I've started filling my airlock with vodka so I can easily top it off if I need to and I don't have to mix up just a little bit of sanitized water.

I also use a blowoff tube now for the first few days of fermentation. I just buy the size of tube that is big enough that I have to cram it into the airlock hole. That should give you a good enough seal.

At least you know your yeast is working!

Well apparently she washed her hands, cleaned the airlock, resanitized it, and inserted it back into the grommet. I hope this doesn't hurt the batch. I have high hopes for this one (even though I had a small boil over when the first batch of hops was being dumped in, and I hope the IBU's didn't get affected).

 

[Beaudoin]

I wouldn't worry about it myself. When you have a vigorous fermentation like that, there is so much CO2 production that it's pushing out all of the foreign air out of the fermenter. There wouldn't be much chance of a foreign organism getting through at that point.

I once had a blow off that blocked my airlock and then built up so much pressure that it blew the airlock right off the carboy. I didn't find it until a day later and that batch turned out fine. I just cleaned the airlock, sanitized it and put it back on. I had the same fears, but it was good.

 

[Mexibilly]

Would my syphon hose work?

I just have a beginner brewers best kit...

Would leaving the krausen in the airlock be harmful? I definitely don't want this batch to be messed up...

If your siphon hose is standard 5/16 ID it will work. I use siphon hose for all my blow offs. Just shove it in the grommet, sanitized inside and out. After the vigorous initial fermentation is done I just pull the hose and stick a sanitized airlock in. Never had a problem

 

[unionrdr]

So I can just leave it with the krausen?

What benefit does using vodka and starsan give the airlock?

It's better to clean it, sanitize it & reinstall when you get a chance. I use the vodka nowadays to keep the Starsan from foaming too much & provide some additional protection.

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

Hey guys the airlock only bubbles for 3 days.

An it only bubbled 1 day after the krausen seeped into the airlock ad seeped into the lid.

We cleaned sanitized an put the airlock back in.

Is it normal to only bubble in the airlock for 3 days? Should I be worried?

 

[IDoBleedBrew]

That's not abnormal at all. Depends on the yeast, the beer, the temperature, lots of factors but three days isn't abnormal. I did a side-by-side batch this weekend of a honey saison and a caribou slobber... the slobber only had an active fermentation for about 36 hours or so then slowed way down. The saison had an extremely active fermentation for about 96 hours and then slowed way down. You have nothing to worry about it... it should be fine.

 

[VT-NAV]

I use a 50/50 mix of plain clear vodka or grain alcohol & Starsan in my airlocks.

By doing that, you're diluting the alcohol which greatly reduces its effectiveness. By adding alcohol to starsan, you are greatly increasing the pH which pretty much eliminates its effectiveness.

So, I'd recommend you do one or the other. A 50/50 mix is much less effective.

 

[VT-NAV]

What benefit does using vodka and starsan give the airlock?

None, don't do that.

 

[Dalymiddleboro]

Good to know.

I used wyeast and its a Russian imperial stout.

I think I'll let it ferment for 2 weeks, then leave in bottle for two. Hopefully tastes great.

 

[GrogNerd]

there are no worries in homebrewing

your next step won't be until it's done fermenting, and you can't tell it's done until successive similar gravity readings 2 or 3 days in a row. even after the yeast have finished turning sugar into alcohol, there is other stuff going on in there which needs time. plus, higher gravity beers need more time than lower.

so, you're going to be waiting a while for an imperial stout; a couple weeks, maybe even months

 

[GrogNerd]

Good to know.

I used wyeast and its a Russian imperial stout.

I think I'll let it ferment for 2 weeks, then leave in bottle for two. Hopefully tastes great.

it's the yeast's timetable, not yours. you might give them 2 weeks, they may have other ideas

 

[unionrdr]

None, don't do that.

It's better than plain water or just the alcohol. The vodka thins the Starsan a bit so it doesn't foam up & out right away during initial fermentation. And still adds some protection along with the sanitizer, more so than mere water. I originally got that bit from Gary on Home Brewer TV.

 

[VT-NAV]

It's better than plain water or just the alcohol. The vodka thins the Starsan a bit so it doesn't foam up & out right away during initial fermentation. And still adds some protection along with the sanitizer, more so than mere water. I originally got that bit from Gary on Home Brewer TV.

Just realized you meant that you take straight starsan concentrate, and mix it into a solution that is 1:1 starsan to alcohol.

I took your original meaning as you filled your airlocks with a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and properly diluted starsan solution.

So your method is not ineffective; I take it back. It is overkill, though. 1oz of starsan is good for 5 gallons of sanitizing solution. You're using 1oz to fill an airlock - seems like a waste to me. It's your money, do as you please.

 

[unionrdr]

I could've been clearer I guess? I meant that I thin the Starsan solution 50/50 with the alcohol (actually using white lightnin' atm), so that the Starsan doesn't foam up & out through the little holes in the airlock cap. The grain alcohol is lil bits left in quart jars the folks my son works with take home after making this Georgia Moon bbq sauce. I emptied them all into a pint liquor bottle to use with Starsan in my airlocks. Not even a start of infections since I started doing that. So it does seem to be doing it's thing quite nicely. Just my personal observation...not meant to nit-pick or anything. I just know it works.