no airlock what can i do?

[Gordzilla]

Im new to home brewing and recently unemployed so ive been brewing all the kits that i bought before getting let go of my job. So heres my situation since i have alot of free time right now ive been brewing alot. I curently have 25gal (5-5gal batches) fermenting right now. I would like to brew a fat tire clone tonight but i dont have any airlocks available, is there a make shift solution or should i just wait until monday/tuesday when i can get to the home brew store?

 

[krazydave]

What are you fermenting in? Carboys? Buckets?
You might be able to make a makeshift blowoff tube...

 

[jonmohno]

If you have a drilled rubber stopper or/and a hose that fits snug you have a blow off tube,with the end sitting in a jar of sanitized water.Or you could just put some sanitized foil over it.

 

[Golddiggie]

Blow-off tube setup would work fine... If you don't have any 'spare' tubing, just use the tubing from your racking cane... Next time you get to the LHBS, pick up a spare 10-15' of the stuff... That way, you can replace the tubing as needed, without having to run out (or think ahead)...

I've used blow-off tubes, for beers, for over a week before changing over to an airlock. Changing over was only so that I could use the 2 gallon bucket (my designated "blow-off bucket") for another brew (hard lemonade)... Having spare tubing like that around is really helpful too. Not to mention it's dirt cheap.

 

[jollytim]

Well, you have options, but I wouldn't try to make a ghetto air lock, as that usually introduces too many places for nasties to hide.

You could use a section of hose, and run that from the hole your airlock fits, to a jar of sanitizer (or vodka, or just plain water). Otherwise called a blow-off tube.

You could also set a lid on top of the bucket (I'm assuming you are using a bucket) and don't worry about it. A lot of beer was made before we started using airlocks.

If it's a carboy, some aluminum foil loosely fitted to the top, to allow gas to escape will work.

--EDIT

Holy crap! There were no replies when I started typing... so some of my post basically reiterates what was already mentioned.

 

[krazydave]

--EDIT

Holy crap! There were no replies when I started typing... so some of my post basically reiterates what was already mentioned.

You type slow. LOL

 

[Gordzilla]

I didnt even think of the blow off tube idea...I have one of my batches utilizing an airlock with tubing attached to it as a blowoff right now its blowing into a 5gal bucket from homedepot if i brew a batch could i use that same bucket have two fermenting batches blowing off into the same bucket?

All of my fermenters are 6.5gal buckets i do have a 6gal carboy acting as a secondary right now

 

[jollytim]

Yes, you could have ALL your batches blowing into the same bucket....

 

[krazydave]

Yeah, I hardly ever use airlocks anymore.... just a 1/2 gallon orange juice jug and as many blowoff tubes as I can fit into it.

Makes a nice bubble blower sometimes! lol

 

[jollytim]

Oooh... a brew jacuzzi!

 

[Gordzilla]

lol, thanks guys i might even brew two batches tonight and just buy a new racking tube tomorrow cutting the current one in half...gotta get my pipeline started some how right!!! Who wants to donate bottles now that im gonna be really short handed.

 

[Golddiggie]

I didnt even think of the blow off tube idea...I have one of my batches utilizing an airlock with tubing attached to it as a blowoff right now its blowing into a 5gal bucket from homedepot if i brew a batch could i use that same bucket have two fermenting batches blowing off into the same bucket?

All of my fermenters are 6.5gal buckets i do have a 6gal carboy acting as a secondary right now

Ummmm, yes... I never connect the blow-off tube to the inside of an airlock... I just put it into the hole the airlock goes into... Sure, it can be a snug fit, but I like it that way... Just means you need to WORK it in a bit...

 

[Gordzilla]

Yeah, i never expected to have 25+ gallons fermenting at the same time but this is one addictive hobby and not working right now gives me alot of time to read posts and do research online for homebrewing....wish i had the cash flow i would be kegging all my beer i would like to have a keg system with 5-6 taps at some point soon

 

[Golddiggie]

Yeah, i never expected to have 25+ gallons fermenting at the same time but this is one addictive hobby and not working right now gives me alot of time to read posts and do research online for homebrewing....wish i had the cash flow i would be kegging all my beer i would like to have a keg system with 5-6 taps at some point soon

I'm in a somewhat similar position... Not working, have empty primaries, but my LL has turned into a giant ****** so I can't start any more brews here. Already working on brewing some at another person's place, at least for the short term...

I do have several things still going... Like 4 batches of mead, 3 brews (one is ready to be bottled, but I need to do it earlier in the day, so I've run out of time today) and one 3 gallon batch of hard lemonade... The hard lemonade is using the blow-off tube right now (needs it since when I aerate it, I get TONS of foam )...

Next brew to be made is an EESB...

I'm hoping the job situation turns around soon... It could, since I have one interview coming up Friday morning, and have another job that I'm talking with a recruiter about... Either one would be good, since they're both for decent/good money... Like the sound of the second one better since it wouldn't be IN Boston...

 

[Gordzilla]

i have an interview tomorrow, if i get the job i plan on buying enough stuff to make at least 20more gallons of brew...10gal of my current stuff will sit in fermentors/condition for at least 7months so i would like to get some beer ready to drink this summer. You mentioned hard lemonaid, how do you make that? Sounds like a great thing for the summer

 

[krazydave]

Hmm... hard lemonade does sound good!

 

[krazydave]

By the way, this is turning into the unemployment thread.
I too am in the same boat

 

[Gordzilla]

do i dare make the connection between home brewers and unemployment?

 

[krazydave]

besides the fact that we don't have to wake up early?

 

[Golddiggie]

Based, somewhat, on this recipe: http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13015&highlight=hard+lemonade

I modified it to be:

3 gallon batch
4# store brand honey (going for sugar content, with some flavor, not high quality honey)
6 12oz cans pink lemonade
DAP (1-1/2 tsp)
Pot. Bicarb to offset low PH of must
Water to make 3 gallons total.
Yeast: Lalvin 71B-1122

NO heating/cooking of anything. Mix the honey, lemonade concentrate in water to make 3 gallons. Aerate the must, mix in the DAP (it's enough for the entire batch's needs, according to what I've read). Rehydrate the yeast, and pitch when it's ready. If mixed fully, take an OG reading. Install blow-off tube in bung, you'll need it soon enough.

Expect a few days of lag... I had no activity for the first 3-4 days. Aerate the must, take PH readings and try to get it closer to 3.4 (not lower) if you can. The yeast will be happier above 3.2 or 3.3...

Once it starts to take off, when you agitate/aerate it at least once a day, it will foam up like a mad dog... Let it spew into the blow-off bucket (2 gallon bucket here)... Let it ferment until complete. If you want carbonated, prime and bottle. If not, you can add more honey/sugar to get it to finish sweeter, or less dry.

My recipe, as it stands, should get me 12-13% ABV HARD lemonade (it's so HAAAARD )... If you decide to use the mead calculator on the got mead site, each can of lemonade has 26g of sugar per serving, with 8 servings per can. Comes out to 44oz of sugar for 6 cans. Add that in as another sugar, on top of the honey, or if you use regular sugar. Should help you to figure out how much to add to get your target OG to get your target FG/ABV%... If you want to finish sweet, without carbonating, use a lower ABV yeast.

Personally, I want this to kick the SNOT out of someone when they drink it. I'm thinking of adding another pound of honey in another week, or so, and then prime when bottling it up. So I could hit damned close to 14% ABV here... Or a hair over depending on how much I prime it... Although I'd rather not create bottle bombs of this, so I'll probably be modest when I prime it up. Probably in the 2.4-2.8 CO2 volume range.

 

[Golddiggie]

besides the fact that we don't have to wake up early?

Except when we have a 10am interview that's a 90 minute drive from where we live...

 

[Gordzilla]

gonna have to make some haaaaaard lemonaid then soon, what kind of yeast do you recomend? the idea of not having to cook anything is awesome also what is DAP?

 

[Golddiggie]

gonna have to make some haaaaaard lemonaid then soon, what kind of yeast do you recomend? the idea of not having to cook anything is awesome also what is DAP?

As per my recipe, Lalvin 71B or you could use D47 too... Both are top notch yeast... If you're thinking of going over 14% ABV, then I'd go with EC-1118 yeast... That goes up to 18% ...

DAP is nutrient... Available at most LHBS and most, if not all, the online vendors... Good stuff for making mead, wine, or variants...

 

[Golddiggie]

My next odd brew is going to be Rumbullion... Probably 18-21% ABV there... Might make a 1 gallon batch to test out the recipe, or just say "F it" and mix up a 3 gallon batch... Probably need to let that age for a year, or longer, before drinking it...

 

[Gordzilla]

i have a tube of white labs yest nutrient would that be a good substitue for DAP? i cant wait to try to lemonaid stuff out...to get it straight once it starts fementing shake it once a day until you stop getting foam from shaking? do i have to let this bottle condition and how long does it last we always have beach parties and i think this hard lemonaid might take these parties to the next level

 

[Golddiggie]

Get the actual DAP... Beer yeast nutrient doesn't have enough of what you'll need in it... You'll use at least twice as much as DAP... DAP is CHEAP too... Like $2 for a 2oz bottle of it... Which is more than you'll need for this batch. Basically, you need the free amino nitrogen content of DAP, and wine yeast nutrient here. Even though the Lalvin yeast is low nutrient requirement yeast, you need to give it something to munch on other than sugar. Fermaid would be another option for nutrient...

I would keep getting foam out of it until you hit the 1/3 break (where the SG indicates that 1/3 of the sugars have been converted to alcohol)... At that point, you could give it a little more nutrient (not needed if you give it the full dose at the start), one last aeration, then let it ride until finished. :rockin:

Basically, we're making lemonade mead here... So the methods follow that pretty close. :rockin:

 

[Gordzilla]

Got ya, ive been doing mostly extract kits so meads are new to me...but when i go down to the lhbs ill have to get some DAP and more airlocks since ive decided to stay on homebrewtalk.com all night im pushing brewing back until tomorrow, and when i bottle my brew out of the carboy sunday or monday ill use that for the haaaaard lemonaid

 

[schia]

here is what i did

 

[Golddiggie]

Bet you never knew that brewing would lead you to making HAAAAAARD lemonade and potentially lead to even haaaaaaaarder mead...

I got to taste some really good mead after I started my first batch of beer (as I was getting my second kit)... I knew, right then, that I was going to make some. So, I bought 40# of honey and made my first three batches the day before Thanksgiving... The blackberry melomel is just aging now. The two traditional batches are still slowly reaching FG... I also started batch #4 a day or two later. That's been sitting on a vanilla bean since 2/18...

I do have three packages of dried cherries that I'm thinking about adding to the lemonade... Or I might pull of ~1 gallon and add a package to it... Might call it something like "Cherry Popper"... Yeah, I'm a bit twisted, sick, [insert dark descriptor here]... The lowest ABV of the three is the melomel... Sitting at about 14%. The 1 gallon batch is about 16.5%, and the two traditional should be just about 18% (maybe a hair over) when they finish. So the lemonade will be the lowest ABV of the lot... :rockin:

When you have another primary free, that you can keep occupied for 3-6 months, get some good honey and make some mead... I would go with 3-4# of honey per gallon of must... I did for my 3 and 5 gallon batches (used 32# between them, 4#/gallon of must)... I used the remaining 8# of honey in the 3 gallon blackberry melomel... With the fruit, it got a bit more sugar into it... Plenty of great people on the got mead site to help you with your first batch... You can search for my posts there about what I'm making and such... Same handle as here...

BTW, since I started making mead, I make sure that I always have at least one, or two, packets of Lalvin EC-1118 yeast in the fridge... Never know WHEN you'll get something that you want to ferment. :rockin:

 

[Joos]

AIR LOCKS A NOT A SIGN OF FERMENTATION!!!......wait what?



use some sanatized foil and you'll be fine man. Cheers and happy brewing

 

[Golddiggie]

AIR LOCKS A NOT A SIGN OF FERMENTATION!!!......wait what?



use some sanatized foil and you'll be fine man. Cheers and happy brewing

Hoss, we passed that about three hours ago... lol Besides, it wasn't talking about it not moving, just what can be installed in place of a regular airlock...

We've since moved on to making haaaaaaaaard lemonade man... Give it to your SWMBO, get her to knock back a few and then it's your day... :rockin: Unless she can drink sailors under the table that is...

 

[Gordzilla]

man, i think i just took my addiction to a new level first beer, now hard lemonaid and meads and i still wanna make a hard cider in the near future

 

[Gordzilla]

"pot. Bicarb to offset low PH of must"

looking over the receipe im gonna assume the must is like a wort for beer? what is pot. bicarb?


-edit potassium bicarbonate got ya...cannot wait until tomorrow i kinda wish the local grocery store sold yeast cause i would make some tonight

 

[Golddiggie]

What's stopping you?? Other than no empty primaries...

I see brewing beer as the 'gateway drug' of fermenting... Once you get that down, and you start looking at what else you can do, or you hear about what someone else is doing, or just finished, it's all over. You're then going out for more primaries, supplies, ingredients, and fermenting all sorts of things. The only thing keeping a lot of people back, from distilling, is the whole legality of it. Personally, I'd rather just ferment things to get what I can out of them and keep it all on the up and up. NOT worth the pain to go to the other side... Especially since you can get yeast that goes up to 21% ABV... :rockin:

I almost have the formula worked out for Rumbullion... At least, to get to the ABV level I want it to be... :rockin:

 

[Golddiggie]

"pot. Bicarb to offset low PH of must"

looking over the receipe im gonna assume the must is like a wort for beer? what is pot. bicarb?


-edit potassium bicarbonate got ya...cannot wait until tomorrow i kinda wish the local grocery store sold yeast cause i would make some tonight

Damn, was about to post that up... lol.. They have it at the LHBS... The label will tell you how much to use per gallon... Might be called "potassium carbonate (or bicarbonate)" at the LHBS... Ask the person behind the counter, he/she should be able to point you right to it.

Mead and wine is must, beer is wort...

 

[Gordzilla]

already searching craigslists for carboy's in the 3-5gallon range so i can make my hard lemonaids and ciders...do you bottle/prime your lemonaids just like you would a beer with priming sugar?

 

[Golddiggie]

This is my first batch... I figured I'd just prime it like I would a high ABV beer...

Check your local grocery stores to see if they offer water in any carboy like jugs... There's a place up here that does. I plan to get to them soon, as well as look around to find others, and pick up some 4 gallon jugs... Will leave plenty of head space for 3 gallon batches. :rockin:

 

[Gordzilla]

thats brillant get 4gal water jugs with purified water use the water in your batch use the bottle to ferment it

 

[Golddiggie]

Exactly... OR, get two, brew up an all grain batch, save the bottles and put mead, cider, hard lemonade, etc. in them later... Pretty sure they have the same size opening as the Better Bottle carboy's do too. They do have a light tint to them, so you won't be able to tell what the exact color of the fermenting goodness is, but that's usually secondary.

 

[Gordzilla]

how long do you usually allow them to bottle condition, im not into all grain yet but i plan on getting there sooner than later but for now im sticking to whats comfortable