Air lock sucking in water????

[SSLocal]

I brewed a rather plain recipe using Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale), an extract recipe. It's been in primary for 3 days and there is a good 2 inch krauzen pad on top, so I believe it is fermenting rather well. However, my air lock is not bubbling, it's actually sucking the water in the lock backwards as if the beer is inhaling! The fermentation smells great, but I've never seen this before and I'm a bit concerned. Any thoughts, experience, advice on this?

 

[waldoar15]

The only thing I can think of is that it's cooled off quite a bit where you're fermenting it at.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

The only thing I can think of is that it's cooled off quite a bit where you're fermenting it at.

+1, when your fermentatin begins to slow, and the ambient temperature is warmer than the fermentation temp (or very near the same temp) you will have some suck back, it really sucks (no pun intended) when this happens using plasitc fermenters, I'll assume the problem isn't as dramatic with glass, but I am an advocate of plastic, therefore own no glass, and cannot comment.

However, using some cheap vodka, or grain alcohol remedies the situation, not only does it increase your ABV, albeit slightly, when it is sucked back in, but it ensures sterilty.

Personally I use Star-san, and have found w/ higher ABV brews the suck-back seem to be more prominent, however i could not comment on why, other than a higher alcohl by volume actually can be cooled more, and more quickly than say a liquid (ie. water of the same volume).

Regardless, it sucks (pun totally intended), and it usually isn't an issue. Brew On!

 

[SSLocal]

I pitched at about 85 degrees and my ale pale sat in 65 degree ambient temps. However, the temp of both the wort and my house are around 67 and have been for the last two days (day 2 adn 3 of fermentation), and it's still doing it. I have yet to see it blow out of the airlock. Though, there is definitely fermentation going on. Could this be caused by a leaking lid? It's just weird.