Rubber Stoppers for Airlocks

[GusWatab]

So I have a glass carboy that came with one of these rubber stoppers that the airlock slides into. My issue is this, after I get the carboy all sanitized and the beer racked over, I have the hardest time getting the stopper to hold in the carboy. Especially if i've dry hopped and I get some of the hop oils on the neck of the carboy. But even without dry hopping, the thing pops out continuously. I dry it off good with a sanitized paper towel and jam that thing in there as good as I can. It may look like it is going to hold and within about 15 min it pops out again.

I got home from work yesterday and went and checked on the batch and the airlock had popped out and was laying on the bar countertop. I am guessing it was off for a day or more and hope I didn't ruin a batch of beer. Has anyone else had this happen? I would be so pissed if that batch goes bad from not having an airlock on it for a while.

Thoughts???

 

[wedge421]

Thats really weird. Have you tried not pushing the stopper in so far? I usually star san down the stopper set it in the top and a few hours later it has dried and is in there securely.

 

[Seven]

I have had issues with rubber stoppers like you've described here. I can usually get them to stay by drying the stopper with a clean paper towel. (not sure if this is perfectly sanitary but so far I haven't had any issues.)

One time I put the stopper in, put the airlock in, then set a 4-pound scuba diving weight bag like this on top of the airlock:

Soft lead weights

The weight bag is porous enough to let the airlock do its job without creating any blockage. Not saying this is the best solution... just something I did once out of frustration and it worked.

 

[GusWatab]

Yeah i'm not sure what the deal is. I put a lowball cocktail glass over the top to help hold it down and that too fell. Luckily it didn't break.

Any thoughts as to if my beer will be fine? This is the batch the SWMBO wanted me to make so I would hate to ruin this batch. I guess i'll just have to let it keep fermenting and hope for the best.

I have seen a little different style stopper and I may try one of those out. Thanks guys

 

[Golddiggie]

Let the batch finish and see how it turns out...

IF I have a bung that doesn't want to stay in the hole, or I'm afraid it will get pushed out, I secure it with some gaffer's tape. A few pieces across the top (not over the hole) typically hold it down really well. I've not had it come lose yet on any carboy's it's been used on.

 

[Jawbox0]

The easiest way to deal with it is to just get a carboy cap. Any hit of moisture and the rubber stoppers won't stay.

 

[GusWatab]

Sounds good. Thanks everyone. I dryhopped a batch and when pulling the racking hose out a bit of hops got on the neck and I just knew that wasn't going to hold so a sanitized papertowel and some tape held it in nice. Just didn't think it should be that big of a pain. gotta get a carboy cap or something.