So I started my first home brew last night. Everything went well. This morning when I woke up the krausen was rising and I was extremely happy. So about an hour ago krausen got into the airlock and I immediately got on here to see what I should do, mainly because my wife would kill me if I made a mess in her pantry. I set up what I think was a descent blow off tube, but being this is my first time at both I'm a little nervous. My blow off tube is made out of the airlock that and tubing that came with my kit, a Prego Speghetti sauce jar and bleach water. The tube is submerged in the bleach water without a lid. The CO2 seems to be flowing really well (lots of bubbles). Also, when should I put the airlock back on.
First brew and set up a blow off tube
- Thread starter brooks56
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dadshomebrewing
Well-Known Member
that will work, other approaches for the long haul.
option 1... 3/8 tubing with one end stuck into the cork, instead of the airlock, and the other end stuck into a jar with sanitizer (exactly the way you have your bleach jar set up).
option 2... 1 1/4 inner diameter hose stuck into the top of the carboy, with the other end in the jar.
like the one in this photo, on the right
and put the airlock back in in 3, or 4, days... whenever the foam falls back into the beer
option 1... 3/8 tubing with one end stuck into the cork, instead of the airlock, and the other end stuck into a jar with sanitizer (exactly the way you have your bleach jar set up).
option 2... 1 1/4 inner diameter hose stuck into the top of the carboy, with the other end in the jar.
like the one in this photo, on the right
and put the airlock back in in 3, or 4, days... whenever the foam falls back into the beer
You can leave the blowoff tub through the primary or go back to conventional airlock after a few days. I usually leave the blowoff tube on until I transfer to secondary so I minimize the chance of getting anything into the primary.
I wouldn't use bleach water,just in case you get some suck back. Don't want chlorine in your beer. I use water with a splash of starsan in the blow off jug. Much safer that way & no nasties in the water.
Id say the chances of suck back thru a wide diameter blow off tube are pretty slim, certainly much less than thru a narrow airlock. Having said that, I personally would not use the bleach water. I would rather use just plain tap water in my blow off bucket or airlock than risk any bleach coming in contact with my beer.
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Well,what happens is usually when initial fermentation is over & the fermenting wort cools down a bit. This creates a bit of a vacuum in the head space that sucks the liquid in the blow off jug up the blow off tube & eventually into the fermenter. It's not so bad for me,since my fermenter stand is to my right while I'm on the comp.
Good move. :rockin:
I use cheap vodka in my airlocks for the same reason. Any nasties that get into it die of alcohol poisoning.
Yeah,def. I forgot to mention that I use cheap grocery store vodka for this purpose. My bad man. 
dadshomebrewing
Well-Known Member
how about everclear 190?
would that work?
would that work?
Yeah,it's white lightnin. Def would work.
dadshomebrewing
Well-Known Member
it's sold in the liquor stores in the suburbs of Chicago.
use it all the time for making kahlua, and "cold medicine".
yeah,it's legalized white lightnin. I cut my teeth(literally!) on my granmaw's stuff. Her keg charred was me & pop's favorite. It's more than good enough for using in airlocks. Nasties just go to nervana that much quicker. So much the better for your brew.
dadshomebrewing
Well-Known Member
yeah... works wonders for the brewer, with a little honey added, too
I was given shots of it straight up,no chaser. It'll def put hair on your nads. They had me swish it around my mouth before swallowing. And,most importantly with white lightnin,or sour mash in general of that strenght,take a deep breath first. Otherwise,you may be gaspiny for breath. Strong stuff to be sure.
I know I was feeling no pain after a shot of that at a couple years old. I barely remember my grandmaw suggesting it.
I know I was feeling no pain after a shot of that at a couple years old. I barely remember my grandmaw suggesting it.
