Makeshift blow off tube inquiry

[Kornssj]

Just brewed 5 gallons of pale ale with no blow of tube. Learned my lesson as there was a mess even on day 3. I really don't want to have to keep cleaning the airlock or just removing it in general.

Are there any issues with this makeshift blow off tube? Anything touching the blow off cap was sprayed with Star San so I think I should be okay since I had plenty of positive pressure.

I just wrapped a heating element around the carboy and expect the situation to stay volatile for a little bit longer. Should I eventually put my airlock back on?

Let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

 

[VikeMan]

Any there any issues with this makeshift blow off tube?

The blowoff is fine. But that duct tape around the carboy cap and the neck of the carboy is a small risk. If the blowoff were to clog and the pressure were to build too high, you want the cap to pop off, not a glass explosion.

 

[Kornssj]

The blowoff is fine. But that duct tape around the carboy cap and the neck of the carboy is a small risk. If the blowoff were to clog and the pressure were to build too high, you want the cap to pop off, not a glass explosion.

Thank you!

Can I keep it like this? or should I put the airlock back on in a few days?

I did loosen the blow off tube. It's barely on, so I'm hoping no issues there.

 

[hotbeer]

You might take the blow off tube straight up for 4 to 6 inches from the bottle before turning down to the bubbler jar. That way if any foam and gunk does get up to the tube it'll hopefully have a chance to drain back down to the FV. The wider the ID of your tube, the better the chance this will happen. I used 7/8" ID tube for my 1 gallon FV's. But 1/2" to 3/4" ID is likely fine. 7/8th's was all they had in stock the day I went. That's really stiff vinyl tube. But I was able to soften them up in boiling water and then shape them into the desired curve. I had to tie it into place on a rack while it cooled.

You might consider the possibility of suck back, and do you want that stuff in the bubbler jar in your beer. Some don't care if water, star-san, vodka or whatever else they put in them gets in their beer. I've never warmed up to that thought. So I don't stick the tube far enough down to allow it to suck the liquid all the way back into the FV. I place it at a level that will start sucking air before that happens.

I'd rather have the little bit of air introduced into the FV than even Vodka or Star-san.

I don't know that airlocks are any better over a blow off tube and bubbler jar. They do the same thing. Airlocks perhaps make the FV easier to move around and have a tidier look.

 

[dmbrew48]

FWIW - I use 2 methods for a blow off tube - in a 5 batch with similar FV (plastic though) - one is the orange cap, the other is a normal universal #10 stopper opened up for a large silicone tube. However, when I use the orange cap, it's on the large "vertical outlet" - for volume output.
Duct tape & clamps not needed, once CO2 starts, as long as there is a path to escape, fermentation is good.
After day 3 or 4 when the action cuts back, I go back to standard uni stopper and bubbler.
YMMV

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Thank you!

Can I keep it like this? or should I put the airlock back on in a few days?

I did loosen the blow off tube. It's barely on, so I'm hoping no issues there.

Keep what you have going on there but keep a close eye on it. You can make fixes to your system on your next batch

A blow off tube or an air lock does the same purpose, lets CO2 out and prevents oxygen from getting in. A restriction in either could result in a very dangerous situation as VikeMan mentioned. You have some good advice to improve on what you are using now so take that to heart and start planning for your next batch.