Have had our hef in a Carboys for about 3 and a half days. It is really active and foaming up and through the airlock. Is that okay? I know that the airlock prevents anything from entering the Carboy. But is it okay that the airlock is filled with the beer? And that foam is coming out of it and onto the carboy?
Hefeweizen fermentation question
- Thread starter Lind13
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hinke
Well-Known Member
Perfectly fine. Just make sure it does not get clogged, if that happens you'll have to clean up a mess.
I never use airlocks in the beginning. I just use sanitized foil for the first few days, after that I put an airlock on.
I never use airlocks in the beginning. I just use sanitized foil for the first few days, after that I put an airlock on.
Yeah, it should be fine. But that is the reason I usually start with a blow-off tube if its a new beer / yeast and I am unsure if I can get by with just an airlock. You never know how vigorous it will be and I think its better to be safe than sorry.
If you are using a glass carboy you can get tubing that fits the top of the carboy (1" ID) and run that into a bucket with sanitizer. I use Better Bottles so I have a drilled stopper that I put tubing in that runs into a container with sanitizer.
I usually clean out the container a few times and put fresh water / sanitizer in it. Then, once the vigorous fermentation subsides, you can take the blow-off tube off and put a regular airlock on there for the remainder of the fermentation.
I usually clean out the container a few times and put fresh water / sanitizer in it. Then, once the vigorous fermentation subsides, you can take the blow-off tube off and put a regular airlock on there for the remainder of the fermentation.
I've only used a blow off tube once and it was just like Lmuggs shows here. - although I didn't change my container water as frequently - an duse some sanitizer instead to prevent nasties from growning in it.. they can't really get to the beer, but why encourage more in your brew space?
If it is a new beer and especially 'big' then the larger diameter hoses are good because it makes it harder for clogs to occur... Clogs = build up of bottle pressure= preasure explosion=mess... (= SHMO getting really pissed at you. and/or = you getting extra work cleaning etc etc
If it is a new beer and especially 'big' then the larger diameter hoses are good because it makes it harder for clogs to occur... Clogs = build up of bottle pressure= preasure explosion=mess... (= SHMO getting really pissed at you. and/or = you getting extra work cleaning etc etc
chicagobrew
Well-Known Member
When fermentation is really active there isn't much that's going to get in your fermenter. On occasion I've just put an upside down glass over the airlock hole on my bucket until things settled down and I could get an airlock in. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Pay attention to what was said about clogged airlocks. They're for real. Do a search around here and you'll find some pretty funny threads talking about it. I had 3068 blow the lid off a fermenter last summer. Thank God it was in the bathtub because it made a hell of a mess. SWMBO just rolled her eyes and handed me a scouring pad. I must have spent 30mins or more in the shower scrubbing that crap off. It's a good thing she likes the beer or she probably wouldn't put up with me.
Pay attention to what was said about clogged airlocks. They're for real. Do a search around here and you'll find some pretty funny threads talking about it. I had 3068 blow the lid off a fermenter last summer. Thank God it was in the bathtub because it made a hell of a mess. SWMBO just rolled her eyes and handed me a scouring pad. I must have spent 30mins or more in the shower scrubbing that crap off. It's a good thing she likes the beer or she probably wouldn't put up with me.
Lind13
Well-Known Member
So we are going to be brewing an oatmeal stout in the next few days, will be my first stout. Is it going to be a very active fermentation as well? My question is if I should make sure that I have a hose connected for the first few days as to keep the airlock from clogging
Which yeast are you planning on using? Most hefeweizen yeasts are known to be very aggressive. I've never done an outmeal stout so I'm not as familiar with those yeasts, but whoever can answer will probably want to know which yeast you'll be using.
Rev.
Rev.
If you have never brewed a particular style before or used a particular yeast, then I would opt for using a blow-off tube. If you find out later that you didn't need it, at most you only have a few more items to sanitize. If you did, then you saved yourself a messy cleanup.
I keep detailed notes about the style, type of yeast and how active the fermentation was (among other data points). There are definitely some beers that I know I can use an airlock from the beginning.
Good luck!
I keep detailed notes about the style, type of yeast and how active the fermentation was (among other data points). There are definitely some beers that I know I can use an airlock from the beginning.
Good luck!
