Blow-Off Tube

[Marshach]

Newbie question here. I am wondering how many of you use a blow-off tube and how many of you don't. In reading the posts on this forum, some people refer to using a blow-off tube on their primary and some people talk about just going straight to their airlock after pitching.

I have a Northern Brewer starter kit, which has a 6 gallon primary carboy. If I am brewing a 5 gallon batch, do I need to use a blow-off tube during the first few days of fermentation, or would I probably be ok just skipping this step and just putting my airlock on?

As always, thank you in advance for your help.

 

[mkory]

What was your OG? I usually use a blow off tube just to be safe. It can't hurt, so why not?

 

[Marshach]

Thanks mkory. I actually haven't started brewing yet, it was just a general question. However, no matter what beer I brew, I think you have answered my question. Maybe you need it and maybe you don't . . . but why not do it anyway just to be safe. Sound reasoning that makes sense.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[MMW]

Blowoff tube on carboy, airlock on the bucket. Pretty much just for clearance issues on the ferm chamber I built too short (by like an inch )

By the time you figure out weather or not you needed a blow off tube, it's already too late

OG higher than 1.050? Use the tube-- better safe than sorry.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I would rather keep my beer in the fermenter than having it go to waste - so I use Fermcap-S to prevent blow-offs. It hasn't let me down yet.

 

[Cerpintine]

Ever since my first batch had a blowoff, yeah I use one. But that was a (cherry) wheat which is apparently notorious for it...My chest freezer also now keeps temps at optimal levels which helps.

 

[Grinder12000]

I use a blow off tube perhaps 10 to 15% of the time. You can tell when you will need one and all you are NORMALLY losing is a little foam. No real beer.

I use a 6.5 gallon carboy so there is room to for the krausen to roam.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I'd rather have the insurance of using a blow-off setup for the first few days rather than have to mop the ceiling, it is cheap, easy, and effective.

Even if my beer is "small" I'll use a blow-off hose for the added piece of mind. I place the airlock on the fermenter after the first week. No dookie on my ceiling...ever!

 

[weirdboy]

No blow-off tube here. I just cover with aluminum foil.

 

[FishinDave07]

If its a high-gravity beer, if i make a monster of a starter, or if its a wheat beer i use a blow-off.

 

[boredatwork]

No blow-off tube here. I just cover with aluminum foil.

That can still make a big mess - just not a high pressure one.

 

[TheInfinitySaga]

If its a high-gravity beer, if i make a monster of a starter, or if its a wheat beer i use a blow-off.

Not to hijack, but does making a large starter really help eliminate the need for a blowoff tube? I ask because recently I brewed a strong Scotch Ale with an OG of 1.072 and had concerns, however I pitched a large starter and haven't had any issues. *cheers* I guess it could be dumb luck, but I was leaning towards always using a blow off until I read the above comment.

The wife would have killed me if my beer exploded.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I've never used one. I never had anything that needed it in my Ale Pail and now that I'm using a Better Bottle I just drop in some FermCap.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

Beware of belgian yeast strains...you've been warned.

 

[jhundt]

can anyone direct me to a definition/description/discussion of "blow-off"? I am just starting out, using a beginner kit with a big plastic bucket and an air-lock. I am an American living in Holland, just recently found a local home-brew shop, but I am struggling with translating the specialized vocabulary, and I can't quite figure out what a blow-off is in English, not to mention in Dutch!

 

[mkory]

Blow off just describes the tube. I put a section of old siphon tube into the grommet where the airlock goes, and ran it into a beer bottle with water in it. It's just a homemade airlock, but it deals with foam A LOT better than your standard airlock might.

How's the home brew store in Holland?

 

[Cerpintine]

can anyone direct me to a definition/description/discussion of "blow-off"? I am just starting out, using a beginner kit with a big plastic bucket and an air-lock. I am an American living in Holland, just recently found a local home-brew shop, but I am struggling with translating the specialized vocabulary, and I can't quite figure out what a blow-off is in English, not to mention in Dutch!

What mkory said.

Here's a pic for reference:

Just run one of the tubes that came with your kit (or buy a new one) to a bottle w/ sanitized water. (the foil is there b/c they attracted some fruit flies)

Not to hijack, but does making a large starter really help eliminate the need for a blowoff tube? I ask because recently I brewed a strong Scotch Ale with an OG of 1.072 and had concerns, however I pitched a large starter and haven't had any issues. *cheers* I guess it could be dumb luck, but I was leaning towards always using a blow off until I read the above comment.

I think he was saying one instance he would use a blowoff is if he made a monster of a starter. I would think a larger starter would increase the needs of a blowoff since in turn you would get a more vigorous fermentation.

 

[EvilGnome6]

can anyone direct me to a definition/description/discussion of "blow-off"? I am just starting out, using a beginner kit with a big plastic bucket and an air-lock. I am an American living in Holland, just recently found a local home-brew shop, but I am struggling with translating the specialized vocabulary, and I can't quite figure out what a blow-off is in English, not to mention in Dutch!

I used to speak fluent Dutch when I was young but I'm far out of practice. I did some poking around and found this page:

Vertaling Engelse brouwerstermen naar het Nederlands

It's a page that has translations of English brewing terms into Dutch. Here's their entry for Blow-off:

Blow-off. Een alternatief systeem voor een groot waterslot bestaande uit een aan de hals van een gistingsfles bevestigde lange slang waarvan het uiteinde in een bak met water wordt gelegd. Het systeem wordt vooral door Amerikaanse amateur-brouwers gebruikt tijdens de hoofdgisting.

Roughly translated: An alternative means for handling large amounts of liquid from the neck of a fermentation vessel where then end of a long hose is put in a container with water. The system is primarily used by American homebrewers during primary fermentation.

It doesn't look like they have a term for and it doesn't seem to be common practice there. Anyway, if you bring this description with you they should be able to help out. The list of translated terms seems pretty extensive so hopefully the list will be a useful reference in the future.

 

[Snafu]

I typically use a blow off for the first few days, 3 days at least. Then switch over to an airlock.

 

[KYB]

I typically use a blow off for the first few days, 3 days at least. Then switch over to an airlock.

Why not just leave the blow-off on the whole time? That's what I do.

 

[weirdboy]

That can still make a big mess - just not a high pressure one.

Never meant to claim otherwise. I always put my fermenter inside another container that catches any of the blow-off, if there is any. In my case, that is the cooler I use to control fermentation temps.

 

[jrkettle]

I don't bother with a blow off or airlock. I cover the carboy with tinfoil and put a towel in the bottom of the freezer. If it blows off I just wash the towel. I used to use a 1in ID hose from HD with one end in the carboy and the other in a bucket of sanitizer and water, but I got sick of cleaning the inside of the hose. The towel is easier to wash.

 

[dantodd]

Here's a pic for reference:

This is a REALLY REALLY bad idea. Having the blow off tubes lead to a bottle above the fermentation buckets puts you at risk of siphoning the liquid in the bottles back into your beer. Not a good idea.

 

[Snafu]

well, basicly because the cat is way to drawn to the tube than the airlock.lol

 

[Cerpintine]

They were actually taken right before bottling

 

[Marius]

I just used it twice whith big beers (OG higher than 1080 for me), and cause I didn't leave enough headspace in my bucket. Just used the first 3 days.

99% of the times I just use the airlock.

Never had a mess.

 

[jhundt]

thanks for the explanations, and the link to the Dutch-English dictionary.

It appears that the blow-off is an alternate to the air-lock that I am currently using, and may be more suitable if I expect a lot of foam and action above the beer in my bucket. The first two batches haven't had that much suds going on, and the bucket is large enough to contain it all. But I will keep this in mind for my future brews.

 

[mkory]

Definitely keep an eye on that airlock. If you notice some foam in it, replace it with a hose quick or KABLOOEY!

 

[dantodd]

They were actually taken right before bottling

no worries, just making sure no one less experienced sees the picture and doesn't realize the danger of the configuration during an active fermentation.