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Idea For A New Type of Airlock

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AZCoolerBrewer

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So I was thinking of an airlock that wouldn't use liquid:

It would be a right angle plastic tube with a stem on one side to plug into the drilled stopper and a flat piece of latex on the other side like the exit valve of a whoopie cushion.

Disadvantages:

1. Mechanical device could possible fail, allowing exposure to oxygen and contaminants.

2. Not suitable for long term fermentation as bacteria could eventually make its way back to the wort.

Advantages:

1. Decreased airlock height.

2. May hilarity ensue.
 
I have been giggling to myself about this airlock since I thought of it last night. I use two carboys for my fermenters for one batch. Another advantage beyond the silicone plugs would be an audible indicator of fermentation activity. If you made the emitter different sizes then you would know just by listening which fermenter was more or less active. You could have four or five different "notes" for those brewers who may run that many fermenters at a time.
 
I don't bother with air locks anymore..........My ice tea jugs don't seal all that tightly, so I put a huge rubber band around them.....2" wide 15" long (30 actually).... and it closes them up pretty tightly, but doesn't achieve a 100% seal. I simply trickle some starsan along the edge of the rubber band...... I've never had an infection yet, and I'm currently brewing #105, so it must work. Another trick that seems to work fine on a brew bucket if you are using one.... I don't, is to put a paper towel soaked in starsan over the vent... moisten it occasionally.
 
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