Air lock vs blow off tube

[kprestel]

My first batch of beer just went into my first Carboy last night. Right now I have an airlock on there. But I was wanting to know when and if I should use a blow off hose. My og was 1.052. There is some bubbles in the air lock now. I was wondering when to switch ton a blow off hose. Ps it's a caribou slobber.

Thanks!

 

[loopmd]

Blow off tubes are used for numerous reasons. Not enough head space in bucket, very active aggressive fermentation are a couple. I for one always use a blow off tube. The first "explosion" you have, you will kick yourself in the pants and utter "i should have used a blow off tube.

Hth Loop

 

[Ace_Club]

You should usually use a blow off tube for the first week of fermentation. That being said, you will learn as go that some beers you make don't ferment as violently as others. Additionally, you may have them in a large enough primary that there is adequate space for the full fermentation. However, until you learn the nuances of your system and the beers you brew, you should stick with a blowoff tube at least for the first week.

 

[joeunc]

I use the 6 gallon better bottles and always use blowoff tubes, there is just not enough headspace for the batch in there. After 10 days or so, I do switch to an airlock.

 

[cvstrat]

I've gotten to the point I use blow offs for everything. Cleaning fermenting beer off the walls/carpet/ceiling/everywhereelse after particularly vigorous explosion will get you thinking twice about using a regular airlock.

Of course you can use your best judgement, but it reminds me of a time.. Fermenting apfelwein with champagne yeast produces nothing but a stream of tinnnny bubbles. There's no way you'd ever need a blow off. However I decided to pitch some apfelwein on a US-05 ale yeast cake instead of champagne yeast, and figured it'd take off.

Well my buddy had a theory that the krausen only happens in beer because you use grains and that apfelwein, being make of juice and sugar, wouldn't produce any. I posed the theory that it's the ale yeast going ape**** that causes the krausen and that it would happen with any sugary substance you pour in the carboy. He insisted. So we didn't use a blow off. Needless to say we woke up to the sound of the carboy bung being blown off at the speed of light and juice/sugar/yeast spraying all over the carpeted loft.

I had made a bet that if it did blow up, he was cleaning, and he did.

 

[milesvdustin]

I use a blowoff tube until the krausen falls, usually a week or so. Then I swap in an airlock.

 

[BigTexun]

I've never used a blowoff tube and never had a problem. However, all of my beers spend at least their first two weeks in either of my two fermenting buckets... Both of which have ample headspace. I also make sure to keep my temps below 70... Which makes a difference.

 

[jvcjbl]

I have a Life & Limb clone that had an OG of 1.103 that is fermenting at 64'f and I used a blow off tube. The tube and the 1 gallon jug have krausen in it. Good move on my part for using one.

 

[glenn514]

The keys are #1...ample head space, and #2...the way the beer ferments. For me, I use a blowoff tube for the first 48-72 hours of fermentation, just to be on the safe side. I just did a Dawson's Multigrain Red from Northern Brewer, and even with a six-gallon Better Bottle, I still got gunk in the tube and water bottle.

glenn514

 

[K5MOW]

THanks all for all this great info. I will be useing a blow off tube.

Roger

 

[kprestel]

Yeah thanks I switched to a blow off tube thisnmorning. Thanks!

 

[Gridlocked]

I've been brewing for ~3 years and always had good luck with the three-piece airlocks. I had cut the little plastic X off of the bottom. Right up until about a month ago when I went to check on a batch and there was an abnormally large amount of junk in the airlock. I wiggled it and PSSSSHHHHHHHH. It was just about to blow. so, I scrambled around in the garage and found some "funny pipe" irrigation tubing to stuff over the neck of the airlock:

And a video of the action:
[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/SuperTedMaximus/?action=view&current=video-2010-10-24-22-48-13.mp4] [/URL]
(don't mind the scummy basement, it was a precautionary move.)

I didn't learn my lesson because I'm an idiot. December 30th, I brewed 3 batches in 24 hours and on New Years Eve, I ended up having two airlocks blow off. Luckily I moved both batches to my shower. Nothing says happy new year like cleaning a Porter and American Amber off of a popcorn ceiling. Needless to say, I ordered the blow-off tubing that afternoon.

 

[ButcherBrew]

I've been brewing for ~3 years and always had good luck with the three-piece airlocks. I had cut the little plastic X off of the bottom. Right up until about a month ago when I went to check on a batch and there was an abnormally large amount of junk in the airlock. I wiggled it and PSSSSHHHHHHHH. It was just about to blow. so, I scrambled around in the garage and found some "funny pipe" irrigation tubing to stuff over the neck of the airlock:

And a video of the action:
[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/SuperTedMaximus/?action=view&current=video-2010-10-24-22-48-13.mp4] [/URL]
(don't mind the scummy basement, it was a precautionary move.)

I didn't learn my lesson because I'm an idiot. December 30th, I brewed 3 batches in 24 hours and on New Years Eve, I ended up having two airlocks blow off. Luckily I moved both batches to my shower. Nothing says happy new year like cleaning a Porter and American Amber off of a popcorn ceiling. Needless to say, I ordered the blow-off tubing that afternoon.

That is some amazing fermenting action you have going on there! I don't think I have ever seen that type of activity before - granted, I am new but through all of my research and videos, none have really bubbled like that caldron!

Just to add - doesn't it make sense that as we respond to this topic, we include whether we are using a bucket to ferment versus a Carboy? I have not been using a blow off tube and do my fermenting in a Plastic Bucket. My last batch had 5.25 gallons as will most of my batches. There was at least 4 to 5 inches of headroom in my fermenter so it seemed to me that this was plenty of space. Are most of you using carboys that go the blow off tube route?

 

[Ace_Club]

Don't be fooled. There are plenty of posts (and some pictures) of bucket primaries that either overflowed the airlock or popped the lid.

 

[jasondominy]

Lesson learned. This happened to me. How best to clean it off a speckled ceiling? I was using a blow-off tube, but somehow the tube got crimped, and it just blew. Also, gonna have to get the carpet cleaned.

 

[Newsman]

THanks all for all this great info. I will be useing a blow off tube.

Roger

Yeah, "Discretion is the better part of valour" and "better safe than sorry" and all that rot. If you didn't use a blow-off tube you might get lucky. Or you might not. If you don't get lucky, you'll be crying in your wasted beer.

 

[jasondominy]

What's the best way to clean it off the ceiling?