Alcohol for the airlock?

So I'm doing my first solo brew tomorrow.

I know vodka works best in the airlock, and I have some... but, it's good expensive vodka. On the other hand, I have a big bottle of cheap gin that has just been sitting in my cabinet forever because no one ever wants to drink it.

Is gin okay to use? Or should I just quit being such a cheap ass and fill the airlock with the good vodka?

 

I'd use the vodka for now and then buy a cheap bottle for next time. The whole idea is that whatever is in the airlock might end up in the beer. And vodka is (more or less) flavorless. I can't say the same for gin.

 

Gin is fine. Gin is little more than vodka infused with (at least) juniper berries I believe.

Regardless, you can fill it with moonshine if you'd like... people just do it for the alcohol content to ward off any airborne nasties.


EDIT: That is true about it dropping into the bucket. However, I don't think an ounce of gin will make much of a flavoring difference in 5 gallons of beer.

 

I use cheap rum. I like the smell coming out of my brewshop.

 

Now rum makes sense to me. Distilled sugarcane - alcohol and sugar/sugar byproducts.

But I still always use vodka.

 

Use star san.

If you don't overfill the airlock, none of it will get in the fermenter anyway.

 

The issue is with cold crashing. Or any significant decrease temps in general (i.e. if ambient temps fall drastically overnight, etc).

If wort temps decrease, it can create suction and suck liquid through a three-piece airlock or even a blow-off tube. I have had this happen with a three-piece airlock several times. There are also threads about this on here.

I'm told that the traditional S-shaped airlock does not have this issue. So I switched to those myself.

 

No issue using star san or iodophor. They're sanitary products, and an entire airlock full of the stuff wouldn't harm your beer if they got sucked up into the beer. S-shaped airlocks are good for that, though.

I always use sanitizer. Better than food products IMO.

 

The 3-piece airlock, if filled correctly, does NOT suck back fluid.

How does one fill a 3-piece airlock to prevent suckback:

1) Take apart the 3 piece airlock, and put it in a 5-inch or deeper bowl along with sanitizing solution.
2) Let soak for 5 minutes (or whatever contact time is necessary for the sanitizer used).
3) Put together the airlock, while still submerged in the liquid and completely filled.
4) Up-right the airlock, still submerged, and pull it out while still up-right.
5) Watch the airlock empty itself from the bottom until just the right amount of fluid remains.
6) Shake gently.
7) Install.

M_C

 

If you do not overfill it, it will never suck back, ever. Just look on design closer (whatever it is 3-peice or S-shape)

 

All I can say is it that I have had it happen.

If there is a suction from within the bucket, it will raise the liquid level that is in the floating plastic piece because of the pressure difference. I see this happen with cold crashing.

Misplaced Canuck, I read through your instructions but I'm not sure how that is any different than slowly filling the airlock and allowing it to equilibrate liquid levels.

Do you guys cold crash?

 

Not entirely true...brought a pilsner from 60 degrees to 40 degrees at about 5 degrees a day, the suction all but emptied my 3 piece airlock and it was filled right to the line.

 

I like to use star-san because when air bubbles through it, the foam tends to stick around for a while. It's easy to take a quick glance and see if there's any activity going on.

 

I use the cheapest vodka I can get. Keep in mind though you can also mix some water in it. A little bit of vodka with a greater quantity of water is still going to keep it sanitized. Also, you can use other alcohols but I would limit it to clearer types like vodka, light rum, gin, etc. I wouldn't put whiskey in there for example, though the extremely small amount that is in the airlock still wouldn't effect the taste if an airlock full of it got sucked in.


Rev.

 

I guess I'll have to do a write-up about filling a 3-piece airlock. LOL

It will NOT suck back *any of the liquid* if it's filled in the method I explained in my last post.

M_C

 

As long as you don't mess with it. I always fill after it is seated in because if you fiddle with it at all it is just going to vaccum that stuff into it. Which isn't really that bad, but you know don't want to do it too often.

 

Use your method.

Place the filled airlock on a Better Bottle (plastic) carboy.

Lift the filled carboy by the neck.

Does the sanitizer get sucked in?

This is an extreme example but the "suck" that occurs when you lift a plastic carboy this way is essentially what happens with cold crashing.

 

Cover with foil and chuck the airlock.

 

Buddy of mine has been brewing 35 years and he uses star San so it's what I do. Didn't even know about the vodka.

 

Does anyone else here just use water. Then again I only airlock my secondary.
I have a 15 gallon fermenter with just a loose fit lid and it's always worked well . Never have to worry about rigging blow off tubes.

 

Only decent use for ronrico (ronrigo?) brand rum. For some reason every party someone insists on bring atleast a 375ml bottle over and no one ever drinks it.

 

By general demand... How to fill a 3-piece airlock to avoid suck-back.

M_C

 

right to the line is overfill. Try lower and there is no suck back, tried and true.

 

I'll give it a try next time

 

I use Brandy.... Never had a problem. It also doubles as a tasty mouth sanitizer when starting a siphon. $.02