Is it bad I don't need a blowoff?

[detz]

Does it mean my yeast'ies are not working at full efficiency? I see a lot of people using these instead of just normal airlocks..

 

[metal850]

Nope you should be good, just means the yeasties are not as vigorous. I usually only need blowoffs for my wheat beers.

 

[BrewerinBR]

I have only airlocks.. and only had trouble twice... both were high gravity brews...

 

[jsweet]

I started using a blowoff hose on every beer, after a bad experience with several beers in a row spewing out the airlock. Ever since I started using blowoff hoses without exception, I haven't needed one. D'oh...

In any case, it's no problem. Every fermentation is different.

 

[ChshreCat]

If you have good temp control and are brewing in a decent sized fermenter then you might not ever need a blowoff. I never have.

Although, if you feel left out, put a 5 gallon batch into a 5.5 gallon fermenter and start fermenting in the mid 70's. With a wheat beer. You'll soon have more fun than you cna handle.

 

[lextasy23]

I started using a blowoff hose on every beer, after a bad experience with several beers in a row spewing out the airlock. Ever since I started using blowoff hoses without exception, I haven't needed one. D'oh...

In any case, it's no problem. Every fermentation is different.

+1

I still don't have a fancy setup for keeping my carboys temperature controlled. I found that with the temp in the 60's, it was controlled and an airlock was sufficient. Into the 70's, fermentation was nuts and I needed a blowoff hose.

Now they all get the hose.

 

[stratslinger]

Just another voice to agree; every yeast is different, some will blow-off, others will not. Further, every _beer_ is different.

I recently brewed up a batch of ChshreCat's BBD Brown Biscuit (thanks again for the recipe!), with US-04. I used a blow-off tube, simply because I'm paranoid. If I recall, I had no blow-off.

However, I then brewed two other beers - each using about a pint of the US04 yeast-cake from that brown ale. One had an OG of only 1.043, so I placed it in my 6.5gal fermenter with an airlock (I only have one blow-off tube - a gap I will soon rectify!) and had absolutely no problem - hell, the krausen dropped less than three days after I pitched! The other beer was about 1.060 - in a 6gal fermenter with a blow-off tube (see admission of paranoia above). That one actually did blow-off for about 2 full days before it finally settled down. And yes, it does still appear to have some krausen that hasn't dropped - and it was brewed 9 days ago.

Same yeast, different beers, different behaviors. Kinda cool to see the variations though.

 

[jsweet]

Yeah, when I switched my fermentation room to the basement (ambient ~59-62F) I only had one or two blowoffs after that. I also had been overfilling the carboys a bit.

 

[Homercidal]

Different ingredients, different fermenters, different results.

I've brewed a few of the same beers over the years and some are just more foamy than others.

Keeping the temps in the lower end of the yeasts' optimum range can help reduce the need for a blow off.

And this thread reminds me that I should check my stout in the basement. Last time I brewed it it blew off for days!

 

[unionrdr]

I noticed that when I make small starters for the cooper's 7g ale yeast sachet,I need a blow of 1 or 2 days. And these are pretty average to mid-gravity ales. And at temps from 67F-73F. I had to laugh last time at the sound the blow off makes with the 1/2G vodka jug. It sounded like a beer-soaked bbq fart in a bathtub. :cross:

 

[Revvy]

I've had only 3 blowoffs in my entire brewing career. It's neither good nor bad to have blowoffs, or not have them. It means nothing.