Air lock question

[Iceman6409]

Hello all. I recently made a 3 gallon batch and used Star San only in the air lock. Will the beer be ok?

 

[bfrerich]

You're fine. You want to put some kind of sanitizer (starsan, vodka, etc) in the air lock and not plane water. That is all.

 

[kristiismean]

well,
did it get sucked into the fermenter?

you need to use the proper ratio of water vs star san for it to be effective. (I read that you only used star-san non diluted) and read the label. foam will not hurt you, drinking straight star san or star san that has not been diluted properly can.

if you don't want to mix, you can add liquor. vodka is the chosen one due to it's neutral flavor... but any 30% or higher will do.

 

[DemonsRun]

StarSan in the airlock is fine.
Now when you "StarSan Only" you mean diluted and not the thick syrupy concentrate?

I've used plain water, vodka, StarSan "mixed to instructions", and Gin without issue
Can't say if the beer will be good or not, way too many other factors, but StarSan is not one of them.

 

[Iceman6409]

I usually use water but this particular time it was straight StarSan. Nothing added

 

[danielbeckera]

Whats the advantage (if theres one) on using sanitizers, or vodka, instead of water in the airlock?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Starsan only foams like crazy and will bubble out of the airlock. Not really an issue per say..I've used nothing but water(usually),a spritz of starsan and all starsan. Never had an issue I would blame on an airlock...If your worried for whatever reason just pull the airlock out and fill it however you want

 

[seabrew8]

I've made well over 200 batches of beer. Mostly extract and around 30 all grain and i just use water in my airlock.

I've been saying on here for a while sanitation is way over prioritized on this forum. Now that doesn't mean you should throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[oakbarn]

I have used a wet paper towel that is allowed to dry over the airlock hole and never had any issues. I normally use just water in an airlock, just sometimes I have "forgotten" to put the airlock in as many times I cover for at day with the wetted paper towel.

 

[jabberwalkie]

The purpose of an air lock it to let gases escape while to let microorganisms enter and spoil the batch. I have used water, vodka and starsan (diluted to the amount as instructed on the bottle). All have turned out infection free. I would think as long as it blocks inflow to your beer you'd be fine.

 

[jbunton]

Kinda a waste of starsan to be using it pure in anything. In my opinion it's to expensive to be doing that plus it's a very strong acid when you take into account that 1oz of it makes 5 gallons! If you get in the habit of keeping some spray bottles full of starsan solution then you'll always have some to fill your air locks

 

[Yooper]

I've made well over 200 batches of beer. Mostly extract and around 30 all grain and i just use water in my airlock.

I've been saying on here for a while sanitation is way over prioritized on this forum. Now that doesn't mean you should throw the baby out with the bath water.

Me too. I'm at over 500 batches, though. Of course I've made wine for over 25 years as well, so maybe the same number of wine batches (?). I've only used water in the airlock I'm pretty sure.

However, the idea is that you want to prevent air and bugs from going into the fermenter through the gas valve (the airlock) so using star-san alone in there would be fine.

 

[Morrey]

Kinda a waste of starsan to be using it pure in anything. In my opinion it's to expensive to be doing that plus it's a very strong acid when you take into account that 1oz of it makes 5 gallons! If you get in the habit of keeping some spray bottles full of starsan solution then you'll always have some to fill your air locks

Good point especially for our junior members learning the merits of sanitation. Spray bottles like 99 cent ones at Walmart that are found in the household section are ideal to have handy. I fill airlocks with diluted starsan from these bottles every brew day.

 

[dendron8]

I am certainly no pro or expert here, but I can share a cautionary tale about an airlock that was filled with water; the airlock ended up being knocked out of its hole, the water spilled, and mold formed on the lid.

Only vodka from now on for me

 

[Iceman6409]

So I just noticed the airlock is empty. Could have been empty anywhere from 1 day to several weeks. Any serious worries?

 

[Yooper]

So I just noticed the airlock is empty. Could have been empty anywhere from 1 day to several weeks. Any serious worries?

Definitely. It could be oxidized, or if you have fruit flies around, it could be vinegar. Oxygen could allow mold to grow. Or, it may be fine. Only one way to find out!

 

[Lefou]

An airlock does two things.
It provides an escape valve for excess CO2. Escaping gas causes an overpressure condition as long as the yeast is active. Liquid acts as a buffer once the yeast activity dies down so it's good to have a sanitizing agent in it. Once the liquid is gone there's no pressure differential or sanitary buffer to the outside air so it's important to get the uncarbed beer bottled as fast as possible.

I had my last batch ruined because one of my kids dropped a glass on top of a fermenter in the kitchen. It broke the airlock.
I replaced the airlock and a few days later found out my contaminated beer was below predicted FG in the vinegar range, so I chose to dump it.

 

[jcav]

So I just noticed the airlock is empty. Could have been empty anywhere from 1 day to several weeks. Any serious worries?

Well if you used straight Star San in the air lock and there is probably close to an ounce, depending on the type of air lock (bubble tube type, or X type) and the whole concentrated amount leaked into your three gallon batch, I would be very concerned. You only need 1 ounce to make a 5 gallon batch of full strength sanitizer. You can taste the beer and try it but I don't think I would drink it or give it to my friends or family. I don't know how safe that much in the beer is to drink either. Others may chime in with their opinions on this, but that's a lot of Star San for a 3 gallon batch of beer and it probably will give it a flavor and it will be very slick.....

John

 

[Lefou]

Putting a filled airlock on a fermenter that's warmer than room temperature will cause a pressure difference as the fermenter cools. Warmer air (or gas) has a higher pressure. As airspace in a fermenter cools it contracts and can pull outside air and liquid back into your wort.

Ask me how I know. LOL

 

[Dan65]

I've made well over 200 batches of beer. Mostly extract and around 30 all grain and i just use water in my airlock.

I've been saying on here for a while sanitation is way over prioritized on this forum. Now that doesn't mean you should throw the baby out with the bath water.

With no brewing or sanatiation knowledge I have made alcohol(ghetto wine) with my airlock being a ballon with holes poked in it from a needle. The ballon was over the opening of a milk jug. I cleaned out the milk jug by shaking it with water, pouring it out and calling it good.
I have no idea how I managed to not have anything fuzzy growing.

 

[Iceman6409]

How ca I tell if I lost this or not?

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Taste it...

 

[dallasdb]

I would think as long as it blocks inflow to your beer you'd be fine.

Some people even practice open fermentation and are fine.

Regardless, you will be fine.