blowoff tube instead of air lock?

[domdom]

i was curious if anyone else ONLY uses a blow off tube system for their fermenters (tube from fermenter that goes into bottle of water) instead of an air lock. think i used an airlock 2-3 times my whole beer career.

 

[Boomer]

Not for the entire time. But, I always start with a blowoff for a week and then switch to an airlock after 7 days...

 

[BoomGoestheTNT]

Every time. Too many messes.

 

[teesherv]

I always start with blow off tube. If I remember or feel like it, I'll switch to airlock after a week.

 

[Jwood]

Always a blow off tube, i dont think i have a single fermentation with 001 that wouldn't blow an airlock off

 

[FatDragon]

I'm doing this more often myself. It's just a big improvised airlock anyway. When space is an issue or there's a chance of significant suckback (such as cold crashing) I switch to an airlock under the theory that there's not much liquid to suck into the beer, and by switching I ensure that the sanitizer is fresh and not contaminated by anything that might have found its way into a messy blowoff tube.

 

[PADave]

I always start with a blowoff. Sometimes I'll switch to an airlock, sometimes I don't.

 

[jpakstis]

Yeah I’ve gone totally to blowoff tubes.

 

[muledogus]

Strictly blowoff for me.

 

[MrBJones]

I only use a blowoff... an inch-ish tube jammed into the carboy. As has been mentioned, it's essentially an airlock. Not sure that there's any benefit to switching to a "real" airlock mid-way through a fermentation. So why bother?

 

[PADave]

I only use a blowoff... an inch-ish tube jammed into the carboy. As has been mentioned, it's essentially an airlock. Not sure that there's any benefit to switching to a "real" airlock mid-way through a fermentation. So why bother?

About the only practical benefit I gain is when moving the fermenter out of my fermentation chamber. With an airlock, I can move it myself. With a blowoff setup, I need help from the wife to pick up the jar that the end up the tube in in.

 

[seatazzz]

I too start with the blowoff but switch to the airlock after 2 or 3 days, or when there's no risk of yeast explosions. For the simple selfish reason that I find great pleasure in watching that bloop, bloop, bloop in an airlock, and sniffing the top. Still a noob at heart.

 

[buckinin]

I usually start with a blow off tube then switch to an S type airlock just before cold crashing. I’m afraid of blow off container starsan getting sucked into the fermenter when I cold crash.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Blow-off always . After appx 2 weeks I switch to a solid bung and start the cold crash. I also only use carboys no buckets fwiw

 

[FatDragon]

Blow-off always . After appx 2 weeks I switch to a solid bung and start the cold crash. I also only use carboys no buckets fwiw

Air contracts as it cools. If there's too much headspace I'd be worried that the cold crash would suck the bung into the carboy or even crack the glass if the bung won't budge. I know nothing about calculating thermal expansion, but I wonder how much headspace and temperature drop would be necessary to enter the danger zone. If you've got experience doing it I guess it must work out fine, but I certainly wouldn't try this myself.

 

[Blazinlow86]

To clarify when I said solid I meant not vented. They are still the soft rubber Hollow centre types. If the pressure became too much it would just suck it into the carboy. I use 6 gallon carboys filled to the top so no real headroom and do not do a secondary. I've done at least 50 batches this way. Cheers

 

[day_trippr]

I always run 1" ID blow-offs through the vigorous period - regardless of recipe - switch to S-locks after ~4 days, then eventually cold-crash under .5 psi CO2 top-pressure...

Cheers!

 

[Griffin495]

That's a very good question. I was thinking the same thing on a brewday awhile back and was even going to ask it. I've always started with a blowoff. Usually, I've switched to an airlock, but there have been times I've either gotten lazy or life has gotten too busy and I never switched. I wondered if there was any negative aspects to not switch, but figured its going into sanitizer, so what harm could there be. Now the only time I switch to an airlock is if I'm trying to cram another fermenter in my lil dorm fridge fermentation chamber. I do a variety of size batches with 1G, 1.5G, 2G and 3G airlocks, so if there is room, I'll try and fill it and a mason jar filled with sanitizer could easily be occupying the space a 1G glass carboy could fit in.

 

[pvpeacock]

95% of the time, I only use an S airlock. I've only had problems a hand full of times and had to switch to a blowoff tube. If I put 5 to 5 1/2 gallons of wort into my conical fermenter, I rarely have to worry because their is enough head space. If I put 6 gallons of wort into it, then I think twice about using an airlock. It also depends on the yeast.

 

[ESBrewer]

In primary I use blow off tube, just to be sure. In secondary, airlock will do.