how long does sanitizer keep in an airlock?

[Husher]

I made an interesting discovery today. I had brewed three batches of beer and plan to let them sit on the yeast cake for a few months before bottling and aging for another month or two.

Two of the three I had put vodka in the air lock, but the third I had sanitizer (one step aka hydrogen peroxide). I planned on swapping it out but hadn't really gotten to it. The batch that caught my attention was 6 weeks old.

Anyways, I use 3 piece airlocks and I saw a tiny clump of what looked like mold (based on you'se guy's photos) on the outside of the small dome that floats inside the airlock. It was about 2-3 millimeters in diameter and kinda 'bumpy', or rather...just not flat. It was a grey clump.

It was above the water line, but there. I removed the airlock and swapped it with one filled with vodka. The beer itself (IPA) looked just fine. So I'm thinking I'm OK, but here's my long winded question: How long will sanitizer protect my brew in the airlock? I've heard of people using boiled water, but I switched to sanitizer after a drawback. I used vodka on my apple wine when sitting for 6 months, and only started using on beer now that I've changed my process to bulk age before bottling.

Have you ever had an airlock go bad?

 

[Pratzie]

hmmm thats a good question, im curious now as well. Im inclined to say that it should be good as long as their is posiitive pressure pushing out of the carboy into the airlock just because if the sanitizer ever loses its ability to kill micro organisms, the only way they would eventually make their way into the brew is if that positive pressure every stops, allowing the air to come back up the opposite end of the S tube airlock or up into the dome and down into the base of the kind that ur talking about. Luckily i think those medians will stay harzardous to bacteria and bad germies long past the recommended time of keeping the wort on the yeast cake. At that point ur wort is more inclined to take on nasty flavors from that yeast cake then go bad from something getting thru the airlock.

 

[ChessRockwell]

How long will sanitizer last? I guess it depends on what sanitizer we're talking about. I use Starsan which, as an acid based sanitizer, I believe will last as long as it's there, ie; not evaporated.
Other sanitizers I don't have experience with...
Vodka should work great, once again, as long as it's still there! My problem with high ethanol airlock filler is it evaporates quicker than other stuff, especially with air blasting through it pushing it off into the atmosphere. Long as you keep an eye on the level you should be ok though.

 

[menerdari]

I know I have left easy clean ( same thing as one step) in a bucket with my gear overnight. Next day something in the mix crystallized and left hard lumps on everything. It came off with hot water.
That may be what happened in your airlock? I moved to using vodka in all my airlocks

 

[kylevester]

I know I have left easy clean ( same thing as one step) in a bucket with my gear overnight. Next day something in the mix crystallized and left hard lumps on everything. It came off with hot water.
That may be what happened in your airlock? I moved to using vodka in all my airlocks

I went to my favorite liquor store and got 5 or 6 bombers of good stuff. Then grabbed a handle of Kamchatka for my airlocks. The clerk noted the comparative difference and I had to explain.

Now, in my youth, I partook in Kamchatka, but you couldn't pay me to drink it now.

 

[Pratzie]

I went to my favorite liquor store and got 5 or 6 bombers of good stuff. Then grabbed a handle of Kamchatka for my airlocks. The clerk noted the comparative difference and I had to explain.

Now, in my youth, I partook in Kamchatka, but you couldn't pay me to drink it now.

The cheap stuff is just as good as the expensive stuff... In jello shots that is...

 

[kylevester]

The cheap stuff is just as good as the expensive stuff... In jello shots that is...

Indeed! Dilute it enough and it's all good. I'm not a vodka drinker, but even I can tell the difference between straight cheap **** and stuff that's been filtered at least a little.

One of my former college roommates would get a handle of either McCormick's or Kamchatka to keep on hand for those nights he worked late or had a trying time with the girlfriend and use it to get to sleep. I don't think he realized that while it may allow him to fall asleep quicker, he wasn't gonna get as good of rest.

 

[freisste]

Not sure where I heard this, but someone said vodka was no good for air locks unless it is >100proof because it can actually harbor/feed bacteria. Anybody else heard this?

P.S. My college buddies and I all refer to Kamchatka as "Comin' At Ya". So many not-memories...

 

[oakbarn]

Everyone knows that vodka kills worms, so it is a great thing for airlocks, but one must be careful in the selection for an airlock. One of my brew partners likes KetelOne, but I prefer tequilla myself. Depending on who is filling the airlock is the one that we use. An important part of the process is to sanitize your breath prior to filling the carboy, and that is hard to do with Star San!

 

[Matt3989]

Not sure where I heard this, but someone said vodka was no good for air locks unless it is >100proof because it can actually harbor/feed bacteria. Anybody else heard this?

P.S. My college buddies and I all refer to Kamchatka as "Comin' At Ya". So many not-memories...

I've read it has to be higher than 81 proof... It's in "the joy of home brewing" for one source. I've never checked into the accuracy of it though.

 

[Husher]

At that point ur wort is more inclined to take on nasty flavors from that yeast cake then go bad from something getting thru the airlock.

So, how long would that take? To pick up nasty flavours from the yeast cake? More than 3 months I imagine. I've heard of some bugs bulk aging for 6-9 months.

 

[Husher]

I know I have left easy clean ( same thing as one step) in a bucket with my gear overnight. Next day something in the mix crystallized and left hard lumps on everything. It came off with hot water.
That may be what happened in your airlock? I moved to using vodka in all my airlocks

Naw, that's different. I had crystallized stuff on the inside of a glass carboy, But I assumed it was just mineral deposits. Harmless stuff, but I don't like the look of it. Plus a quick vinegar rinse dissolved it almost immediately, when soaking in more sanitizer and scrubbing failed.

 

[SoonerDoc]

I use and have always used plain water in my airlocks. After a month I haven't noticed any growth in the airlock so I wouldn't think Star San nor One Step would do any worse.

 

[Husher]

I've read it has to be higher than 81 proof... It's in "the joy of home brewing" for one source. I've never checked into the accuracy of it though.

Well Vodka is 80 Proof so I guess it's the minimum level for sterilization.

 

[mredge73]

One step is not a sanitizer, it works very similar to oxyclean just without as much soda ash.
Mixes with water to create hydrogen peroxide and O2 that disparate from solution within a few hours.

So after X amount of time (about 6 hours) all you have is water and soda ash (baking soda) at a high PH.
After the PH drops nasties can grow in it.
Iophor is not much better since Iodine breaks down when exposed to light.

Starsan works much better since it is just an acid, nasties will not grow in it as long as the PH stays close to 2.
It will not evaporate a quickly as vodka which will work fine as long as it is there.

 

[woody34]

Is it possible to put a few drops of olive oil (or something similar) on top of the vodka or sanitizer in the airlock. That would prevent the liquid from evaporating? Just asking, never tried it.

 

[freisste]

Not sure. Never tried it (or even thought of it).

I would be wary of using olive oil though because it may turn rancid.

I think I will stick with using my no rinse because I know it works and I know it doesn't hurt my beer.

 

[Pratzie]

So, how long would that take? To pick up nasty flavours from the yeast cake? More than 3 months I imagine. I've heard of some bugs bulk aging for 6-9 months.

I've heard mixed things. I myself haven't kept one on the cake more then a month and a half. Some say it depends on the yeast strain, others say the amount of surface area (conical fermenters are much better for keeping wort contact with the trube lower). All in all though I haven't really seen or heard of anyone recommending leaving on the cake much longer then 4-6 months however like everything on here and in brewing in general, opinions vary..