Brownalemikie
Well-Known Member
I am new on the home brew scene but have heard some guys notice some spitting early during the fermenting process. Any opinions?
Blow off tube or air lock.....
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SleepyCreekBrews
Well-Known Member
It certainly happens . If the Krausen gets to high, it can start pushing up through the airlock and possibly clog it ....worst case scenario, it builds up enough pressure and blows the stopper out , covering everything in an 8-foot circle with wort.
It's a good idea to use a blow off for the first few days.
It's a good idea to use a blow off for the first few days.
OP
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Brownalemikie
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys. Do you put the other end of the blow off tube in a container filled with water to act as air lock? tia
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Brownalemikie
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Will ad sanitizer.
I´m kind of glad I´m not the only one to have this...
I have noticed that if I keep temperatures cool during the early phase of fermentation, it is very unlikely to happen....
I only use swamp cooler....
Into a cup with about 3/4 inch of sanitizer, just enough to keep the end of the tube submerged. Put that cup in a bigger vessel in case it overflows. That way if you get a reverse siphon you do not suck a gallon of sanitizer back into the fermenter.
Unless you have a very big headspace in your fermenter start with a blow off tube EVERY time. BTW, no reason to change back to an airlock.
Unless you have a very big headspace in your fermenter start with a blow off tube EVERY time. BTW, no reason to change back to an airlock.
This has not been my experience. If kept cool, it is less likely to blow off, but it still can. I control temperatures in a chamber and still about 1/4 of my brews have some blow off. I do use 6 gallon Better Bottles for a 5 gallon batch so there is not a huge amount of headspace. It would be different with a 7 gallon bucket.
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Brownalemikie
Well-Known Member
I plan on fermenting in our laundry room (dark, cool space) and use the laundry sink/tub as the larger vessel
Thanks!
For me the only batches that ever have blow off problems are hefe. I do use a blow off tube on those. I wouldn't say it's a quarter of what I brew but it sounds like, in general, everyone (including me once in a while) could use a larger fermentation vessel. I use 13 gallon buckets. 10.5 gal in there won't do much more than just barely touch the lid with krausen on everything I do, except hefes of course.
It certainly happens . If the Krausen gets to high, it can start pushing up through the airlock and possibly clog it ....worst case scenario, it builds up enough pressure and blows the stopper out , covering everything in an 8-foot circle with wort.
It's a good idea to use a blow off for the first few days.
actually... the worst case scenario is you're using a glass carboy and it explodes. Happened to me. I now always use a proper blow off tube and a secondary container.
You should add this to the "don't do that" thread.:rockin: with pictures. How did you make that happen? I know,
sorry.Even at 62F, my currently fermenting Hefe with WLP300 from a starter seems to be an "over achiever" in terms of krausen and foaming. I used a 7.8G pail for the 5G batch with a blowoff in a pint of star san. Point being that I look for 30% headspace in my FV if possible to allow for active foaming and krausen formation.
I like to use the center post of a 3 way airlock with a 1/2" tube for my blowoff. Sometimes I'll remove the tube and put the cap back on the airlock, other times I won't bother as this is a big airlock anyway. I have never had any drawback of sanitizer into the FV since I keep my temps consistent. Cooling the FV rapidly with the hose in place could potentially cause a drawback.
I like to use the center post of a 3 way airlock with a 1/2" tube for my blowoff. Sometimes I'll remove the tube and put the cap back on the airlock, other times I won't bother as this is a big airlock anyway. I have never had any drawback of sanitizer into the FV since I keep my temps consistent. Cooling the FV rapidly with the hose in place could potentially cause a drawback.
You should add this to the "don't do that" thread.:rockin: with pictures. How did you make that happen? I know,
I just pushed the bung down snug enough and the airlock clogged. It shattered from the bottom and with 5 gallons of beer on top it would only take probably 5-10 PSI to brake that glass since it's not rated for pressure. I talked to the guy at one of the LHBS in the area and he said it's not as uncommon as you might think. He told me several stories of "carboy grenades" as he called them. I've also had some buckets hold a good bit of pressure i them when the airlock clogged. removed the airlock and got a nice hiss of c02 exiting through the little hole.
I've definitely been there...this was spraying everywhere. I had to take the lid off. A blowoff tube wasn't enough. This was more than a hiss of Co2 though
Double_D you had that yeast excited! Great picture!!I've definitely been there...this was spraying everywhere. I had to take the lid off. A blowoff tube wasn't enough. This was more than a hiss of Co2 though
Yeast loves Christmas beer..now only if I could get them as excited about Halloween...
I transfer all the wort from the kettle into the fermenter, hops and all. Once I was using a carboy with a blow-off tube (small tube - probably 3/8" from memory). The hops plugged the blow-off tube and it still blew the bung off - made a huge mess. After that I got a larger tube that fit directly into the mouth of the carboy without a bung and it didn't happen any more.
Now I use a 7.9 gallon bucket for 5 gallons - no blow-off tube. Still no problems.
Now I use a 7.9 gallon bucket for 5 gallons - no blow-off tube. Still no problems.
Erik_Mog
Well-Known Member
I have a Hefe working right now (in secondary with blood orange) and didn't get a large amount of kreausen, maybe 1.5". I fermented in a 6.5 gallon carboy with an airlock. Maybe the yeast I used, WB-06, isn't as agressive as others. I am switching to a 6.5 gal bucket for primary, and a 5 gal bucket for anything I need secondary for after getting very lucky with a broken carboy yesterday. With the 5 gal bucket, I will have to use a blowoff as there will only be about 1.25" clearance between the beer and the lid.
The only hefe yeast I've used that didn't seem like a true overnacheiver was 3638. Great flavor profile though. Has some fruit besides banana in there.
It's off topic but the general consensus is a secondary isn't really necessary for stuff other than long bulk ageing. I'd probably skip the bucket secondary. Just cold crash in primary and package from there. Unless you're bottling, then go to a bottling bucket with a careful transfer.
It's off topic but the general consensus is a secondary isn't really necessary for stuff other than long bulk ageing. I'd probably skip the bucket secondary. Just cold crash in primary and package from there. Unless you're bottling, then go to a bottling bucket with a careful transfer.
tracyk
BrazoriaBrew
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I have never had one completely blow up on me like Double D's. Those were some really happy yeasts. I have come close a few times. I know the first time it happen to me I was fermenting a hefe and when I looked into the fermenter I could see the lid on my bucket had a convex shape. I quickly pulled out the bung and airlock and inserted a tube in the nick of time before total disaster!
That was really under pitched.. 10 gal around .095 with 1 pack of Irish ale yeast. Back when I used to say I get good fermentation with one pack, why make a starter...
SleepyCreekBrews
Well-Known Member
Lol.... I stand corrected
I cant see why anyone wouldn't use a blow off tube, at least for the first few days. I use one on every brew, except the ones that go into my Spiedel because there is plenty of head space and the airlock is two piece and huge.
