Blow off tube for Stout?

[DoubleTrack]

Hi everyone! I just joined the forum, I'm new to homebrewing, and have 3 batches under my belt, all extract.

For my fourth batch I decided to design my own recipe for an oatmeal stout, based on the various parameters for the style, it seems like it should come out well. It was made with DME, and with a mixture of steeping grains including Roasted Barley, Flaked oats, and chocolate malt. The boil, and everything went very well, but here is my question/concern...

The recipe I came up with calculated out an OG of 1060, when all was said and done I ended up at 1071. I don't think that part is a huge problem, but my concern is if I need a blow off tube or not? Its fermenting in a 6.5 gal bucket fermenter with a 3 piece airlock on it. So, there is a decent amount of headspace (final volume was 5 gal). Oh and I used Wyeast 1084 - Irish Ale.

Thanks in advance for the help, I'm really hoping to not have a huge mess all over my office where I have to have the fermenter! For now i've just got a light weight tarp loosely around it....just in case.

 

[cfonnes]

If the room that you ferment in is under 68 F you will probably not need one. Over 70 F I would definitely use one.

 

[DoubleTrack]

Yeah the room its in sits between 70-72 generally, especially with how how it has been outside lately. Now of course the other half of the question I forgot to add somehow is that I don't have a blow off tube assembly yet. The lid of my fermenter has that standard size small hole in it for the airlock to stick into. I do have some tubing that can fit in there. if i did that, and then ran the other end into a bucket with some sanitizer in it, would that probably be sufficient?

Thanks!

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Yeah the room its in sits between 70-72 generally, especially with how how it has been outside lately. Now of course the other half of the question I forgot to add somehow is that I don't have a blow off tube assembly yet. The lid of my fermenter has that standard size small hole in it for the airlock to stick into. I do have some tubing that can fit in there. if i did that, and then ran the other end into a bucket with some sanitizer in it, would that probably be sufficient?

Thanks!

Yes. That will work. I recommend using the biggest tube you can. I have a 3-piece airlock that I removed the cap and the little "bell" from. I slide a hose over that and use it for my blowoff tube. If you decide to to it that way, remember to cut the little "cross" out of the end of the airlock where it fits into the stopper.

 

[DoubleTrack]

Yes. That will work. I recommend using the biggest tube you can. I have a 3-piece airlock that I removed the cap and the little "bell" from. I slide a hose over that and use it for my blowoff tube. If you decide to to it that way, remember to cut the little "cross" out of the end of the airlock where it fits into the stopper.

Okay, awesome... I've got it set up with the tube going directly into the hole in the lid, is there any benefit to setting it up using the airlock method you described, or is that just another way of doing it?

 

[sweed]

I didn't need a blow off tube for my RIS, but I just stuck my bottling tube (3/8"?) In the top of the lid where the airlock goes. No problems. Sounds like a nice stout!

 

[RmikeVT]

I don't know your tarp set up, but I'm guessing it won't even come close to containing the mess that a bucket blow off can create. The solution is cheap and easy compared to the potential disaster.

Buy a piece of 4' vinyl tubing that fits around the plastic co2 out tube on the airlock and put it in a pint glass or two liter soda bottle filled halfway with sanitizer. I think the whole rig will cost you about $2, $2.50 if you buy an airlock for that specific purpose. And as previous ppster said cut the plastic cross off the bottom. Im not sure why to do this, I guess it clogs??

 

[KISS Brew]

Yeah the room its in sits between 70-72 generally

Just FYI - fermenting generates heat, so your beer will probably be fermenting around 75-77. You'll be picking up some off flavors at that temperature.

The beer will probably still be drinkable, especially if you're using a fairly clean yeast (I don't know about 1084?). Just keep in mind that future brews would benefit from fermenting cooler.

Edit: Wyeast's page on 1084 indicates: "Fruit and complex esters will increase when fermentation temperatures are above 64°F"

 

[crazyworld]

That little cross on the bottom of some airlocks can and will clog up. This happened to me last week when I had a buddy over to brew his first batch (a milk stout) and told him he could leave it at my place until we bottled. It was bubbling at night and not at all in the morning and I could also see there was quite a bulge in the lid. If I didn't notice both of those things, I wouldn't have known it was clogged because the sanitizer in the airlock was crystal clear. Just a heads up for you guys who may be buying them new and have the option to stay away.

Sweed, generally racking canes come with 3/8" tubing but did you have to take out the grommet on the lid for it to fit?

 

[sweed]

That little cross on the bottom of some airlocks can and will clog up. This happened to me last week when I had a buddy over to brew his first batch (a milk stout) and told him he could leave it at my place until we bottled. It was bubbling at night and not at all in the morning and I could also see there was quite a bulge in the lid. If I didn't notice both of those things, I wouldn't have known it was clogged because the sanitizer in the airlock was crystal clear. Just a heads up for you guys who may be buying them new and have the option to stay away.

Sweed, generally racking canes come with 3/8" tubing but did you have to take out the grommet on the lid for it to fit?

No I didn't. I left it there for a tight seal.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Get a Rubbermaid shelf tote and some ice packs. Put the Carboy in the tote, fill halfway up the Carboy with water. Rotate ice packs, or frozen water bottles, and keep the Carboy wrapped in a wet towel. You now have a swamp cooler. This will help you tremendously on controlling and keeping your fermentation temperature down. Keeping your temp down is important to making good clean tasting beers. It's 86 plus humidity where I'm at right now, and my swamp cooler has my Carboy at a cool 66. More than worth it for the $20 investment. Best of luck, brew on!!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Deleted....double post

 

[DoubleTrack]

Wow, thank you so much to everyone for all the advice.

Sweed, that is exactly what I ended up doing, I used the tubing from my racking cane, and didn't need to remove the grommet either.

And all the info about the temps, and swamp cooler is incredibly helpful too, think I might run out today and get that set up.

 

[VBrewing]

Helps keep it cool and avoids the blow off.

 

[DrummerBoySeth]

Okay, awesome... I've got it set up with the tube going directly into the hole in the lid, is there any benefit to setting it up using the airlock method you described, or is that just another way of doing it?

My way is just another method. Any way that you can get a tube properly sealed to the fermenter lid will work. It really comes down to what size tubing, stoppers, and airlocks you have on hand to fashion a blowoff system with. Some people put the tubes directly into the drilled stopper. Some people use a larger tube that fits the opening in the fermenter lid with no stopper at all. Some people use the method I described. What is important is that you provide the fermentation pressure an adequate escape route so that your lid does not blow off and splatter your precious beer all over the ceiling. This is frustrating because it causes a MASSIVE mess, and also a large loss of beer (since it is now staining the ceiling and walls!)