Blow Off Tube for Bucket?

[Sleeper]

I just put together a partial mash version of SWMBO Slayer and put in my primary fermenter last night, from what I've read in this forum that beer/yeast usually needs a blow off tube. I havn't used a blow off tube yet, and was wondering - is it ever necessary if you are using a 6.5 gallons bucket for primary, or only if you are using a smaller glass carboy? Seems like the wort would have to produce quite a bit of gunk to push its way through the airlock on that 6.5 gallon bucket, but then, I'd hate to defeat the purpose of this beer and have SWMBO come home after work some day this week to find a smelly foam party.

Thoughts?

 

[GRHunter]

Do a blow off tube. A 6.5 gallon carboy and a 6.5 gallon bucket both have a 6.5 gallon capacity. Once the foam reaches that limit it's got to go somewhere.

 

[AJC16]

I have had to use a blow off tube in a bucket with my Belgian wheat. I think I used the WLP 600 (whatever the beligian liquid yeast was) I just added a tube that fit over my 3 piece air lock

 

[Sleeper]

"Do a blow off tube. A 6.5 gallon carboy and a 6.5 gallon bucket both have a 6.5 gallon capacity. Once the foam reaches that limit it's got to go somewhere."

I was under the impression most glass carboys were about 5.5 gallons, which is why people seem to need a blowoff for them so often? So you'd say a 5 gallon batch can definitely push its way through that 1.5 'gallons' of air space?


"I have had to use a blow off tube in a bucket with my Belgian wheat. I think I used the WLP 600 (whatever the beligian liquid yeast was) I just added a tube that fit over my 3 piece air lock."

I was thinking that I would just use the same tube I use for siphoning - seems if I heat it up pretty well I should be able to squeze it into the gromet on the "ale pale" type bucket fermenter. Anyone know if I could use that small (I believe 1/4" or 1/2" diameter) tube or if I would have to rig up a larger tube?

 

[fretsforlife]

When I used the traditional Ale Pail, I always needed a blow off tube. Since buying a 6.5 gallon carboy, I've never needed one. I've brewed all kinds of beer with the most vigorous yeasts and still have yet to see the krausen make its way to the air lock.

 

[MikeG]

... Seems like the wort would have to produce quite a bit of gunk to push its way through the airlock on that 6.5 gallon bucket...

It's not that uncommon. When using liquid yeast made from a starter I need a blow off tube regularly though not 100% of the time. I have a batch right now that I pitched on Sat and I noticed this morning that the foam had gotten to just below my rubber stopper (airlock) and receded during the night.

 

[stageseven]

A picture is worth a thousand words... so here it is. By the way, that was a clear sanitizer solution, all that brown gunk is blowoff, and there's about a half inch of yeast sediment at the bottom.

 

[doctorRobert]

what size tube do I need for that?

 

[Sleeper]

Thanks everyone for the timely responses! That picture looks like exactly what I need. I used the Wyeast Belgian Wit, and though I havn't read anything about it in particular I think I'm gonna hook this up to my bucket pronto.

Looks like I might be leaving work early today and making an emergency run to the LHBS. Mwa hahahahah!

 

[stageseven]

If I remember correctly that's just a piece of 3/8" tubing. I've seen plenty of people that rig up huge tubing, but this fits right into the grommet and it's never gotten clogged for me.

 

[Revvy]

Rig up an airlock blowoff tube...take your bottling wand hose or other suitable one, put a small slit in it...Heat it for a few minutes in hot water to soften, then do this.

One thing that I do to all my airlocks is saw or break off the little criss/cross of plastic on the bottom of them.

 

[dedhedjed]

Any body ever put a siphon tube into the drilled hole on the top of a bucket? Bad idea?

Edit: My bad, missed the above posts.

 

[kingmatt]

Rig up an airlock blowoff tube...take your bottling wand hose or other suitable one, put a small slit in it...Heat it for a few minutes in hot water to soften, then do this.

One thing that I do to all my airlocks is saw or break off the little criss/cross of plastic on the bottom of them.

I do this but my siphoning tube actually fits down into the airlock instead of going around the outside of it. Works like a charm.

 

[ugly_mother]

One thing that I do to all my airlocks is saw or break off the little criss/cross of plastic on the bottom of them.

I was wondering about this. I saw that cross of plastic and thought that it could definitely get clogged up with some hop pellet particles. It kind of seemed to defeat the purpose of the airlock, but maybe it's useful for wine making. I'll be breaking them off as soon as the airlocks are free again.

 

[Shooter]

I was wondering about this. I saw that cross of plastic and thought that it could definitely get clogged up with some hop pellet particles. It kind of seemed to defeat the purpose of the airlock, but maybe it's useful for wine making. I'll be breaking them off as soon as the airlocks are free again.

Yep, listen to the good reverend and cut those things off!

 

[Sleeper]

Sure enough, the airlock was oozing goop only 14 hours after I pitched the yeast. Did smell good though!

 

[abneuph]

I just finished this stage on my first brew. I woke up the day after pitching and found the airlock filled with brown bits and nastiness and the lid of the bucket bulging and straining to stay put. I yanked the airlock and rushed to clean it out and my inner-MacGyver grabbed my bottling tubing as it is all I had on hand. I was able to slide the tubing inside the inner tube of the airlock and place it back in the hole of the bucket. It immediately started motorboating the container of sanitizer I placed the other end of the hose in followed by globs of more junk. It all lasted about 14 hours until it tapered back to a more reasonable flow. i cleaned and replaced the regular airlock this morning and all seems well. Fingers crossed. Go yeasties, make me beer!

 

[Sleeper]

The goop on the SWMBO was so thick I figured I would be better off just putting a few drops of silicone on there lest it clog the 3/8" tubing. I think it has passed the crazy stage now and should be fine without a blowoff.

 

[MikeG]

The goop on the SWMBO was so thick I figured I would be better off just putting a few drops of silicone on there lest it clog the 3/8" tubing. I think it has passed the crazy stage now and should be fine without a blowoff.

WTF? goop on SWMBO?

 

[springer]

The goop on the SWMBO was so thick I figured I would be better off just putting a few drops of silicone on there lest it clog the 3/8" tubing. I think it has passed the crazy stage now and should be fine without a blowoff.

thick goop on SWMBO ?!! Where did you put the silicone and tubing. Man if I did that and then posted it SWMBO would have had a major blowoff ...And SWMBO never pass the crazy stage