Krausen in the blowoff tube

[PhelanKA7]

I just put my second brew (wheat) away yesterday in an Ale Pail with a blowoff tube attached to an airlock stuck in the top of the bucket. I realize that most blowoffs utilize the carboy with a hose stuck in the neck, but my carboy is currently being used as a secondary for my first beer so it wasn't an option.

So anyway, this morning I get up and check out the situation and the fermentation is going absolutely nuts, bubbling away in the water jug that I filled with a Star San solution. The problem I am seeing is that there appears to be a lot of gunk and krausen creeping up from the airlock and into the blowoff hose. Is this bad? Should I clean at some interval? Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Rentachik]

I would say not to worry about it. The only issue I see is if you used a small diameter hose and the hose clogs. Probably not going to be an issue though.

 

[PhelanKA7]

I would say not to worry about it. The only issue I see is if you used a small diameter hose and the hose clogs. Probably not going to be an issue though.

Yeah, I don't think it's an issue yet, but I was thinking about that as well. It's the only thing I found mentioned about things to look out for in "How to Brew". I didn't know if there was a potential for bacterial infection in the hose. I did sanitize the whole getup yesterday while brewing, but I'm fairly inexperienced and I don't want to take anything for granted.

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[CiscoKid]

However... if you are curious as to what it looks like when you use a small diameter hose and it clogs...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/blowoff-tube-fail-102342/

 

[goose1873]

that happens to me every time and i never use sanitizer in the blow off bottle...i've never had a problem...I switch to a regular sterile airlock once the fermentation slows down...(I wouldn't leave a dirty hose on there for three weeks)...although i'm sure people do with no problem.

 

[kryolla]

did you cut out the x in the bottom of the air lock?

 

[DMace]

I brewed my first batch in two years on Thursday and ended up in a similar predicament over the weekend. I've never had this happen, so I didn't even bother with a blowoff tube. I noticed krausen coming up through the airlock Saturday morning, but it seemed to still be serving its purpose. When I went downstairs to check the second time, the airlock had blown off and krausen was snaking up through the carboy. I cleaned and sanitized the airlock and replaced it checking it periodically. All seemed well until I woke up Sunday morning and found the cap of my airlock on the other side of the room. The base was still in the cork, and the middle piece was nowhere to be found. I slowly began finding pieces of it. Seems the pressure shattered it in to five sections. My supply shop is closed Sunday and Monday, so I'm just gonna leave it this way until tomorrow. I hope everything works out. I just put the two remaining pieces of the airlock back to keep the primary covered.

 

[BierMuncher]

That's the whole point of a blowoff tube.

 

[DMace]

Oh believe me, I spent half of my weekend looking at the pics and reading advice on here. I will have to get a blow off tube for future brews. Like I said, I wasn't prepared. I just hope the loss of the middle piece of my airlock doesn't provide an atmosphere where my brew will get contaminated.

 

[calbrew]

that happens to me every time and i never use sanitizer in the blow off bottle...i've never had a problem...I switch to a regular sterile airlock once the fermentation slows down...(I wouldn't leave a dirty hose on there for three weeks)...although i'm sure people do with no problem.

Agree, although I started to fill the airlock with star san. After it settles down throw on the airlock and you are good to go. Only problem is not having more carboys for the next batch.

 

[PhelanKA7]

did you cut out the x in the bottom of the air lock?

No I didn't. I haven't heard about doing that.

 

[goose1873]

It will help stop a clog from building pressure and blowing the airlock. Typically I would recommend a orange carboy cap (if using a carboy). this way if the pressure becomes too much (never happened to me)...It will just blow the pressure release cap and the mess will be minimized. Although the huge hose "direct-drive" into the carboy approach works too

 

[PhelanKA7]

I feel like such a noob being worried about all these details. Relax is the mantra right?

4 days later and the hose has pretty much cleared itself up, and it's still fartin up a storm. I'm going to assume that's a good sign

 

[goose1873]

There's nothing wrong with being worried...the more you worry, the more you read, the more you learn. As long as you're having fun