Should I change the liquid in my airlock?

[linusstick]

I had a cream ale that was chugging away nicely for about a week. Yesterday the airlock activity had all but stopped. I woke up today and it's back to heavy activity and the beer seems to have pushed up and I to the airlock. The liquid in the airlock is now a hazy light brown. Ive never had activity start up that hard again so I'm curious if I should take the airlock out and replace the liquid with more vodka or just let it go

 

[Pkrd]

If you're getting krausen in your airlock you should rig up a blowoff tube.

 

[linusstick]

If you're getting krausen in your airlock you should rig up a blowoff tube.

That's what I was considering but I've been watching the airlock and it's actually quiet for about a minute, then it has a short burst for a second then it's quiet again. Don't know if it's worth doing all that at this point (yes I'm being lazy too). So blow off tube aside, change liquid in the airlock?

 

[dstockwell]

I have always changed it, do you have, I don't know. I checked one this morning same thing.

 

[IslandLizard]

I would clean and put fresh Starsan in it. But before removing the dirty airlock, first clean and sanitize well around the airlock hole/grommet, so none flows back into your beer.

The bursts of bubbles you see is because of pressure build-up in the headspace, under the lid.

You really should cut or grind off that star-shaped restrictor on the bottom of your airlock stem, to help prevent it from plugging up with (sticky) krausen.

 

[linusstick]

If you're getting krausen in your airlock you should rig up a blowoff tube.

That's what I was considering but I've been watching the airlock and it's actually quiet for about a minute, then it has a short burst for a second then it's quiet again. Don't know if it's worth doing all that at this point (yes I'm being lazy too). So blow off tube aside, change liquid in the airlock?

 

[linusstick]

Oops. Sorry for the double post.

 

[Pkrd]

Usually a blowoff will happen in the first few days too, so I don't know whats up with your beer if it's starting after a week. I'd pop the lid and have a look. Have you had good temperature control?

 

[linusstick]

Usually a blowoff will happen in the first few days too, so I don't know whats up with your beer if it's starting after a week. I'd pop the lid and have a look. Have you had good temperature control?

It's been in my gameroom with a constant temp of 72 degrees. It's very odd that it slowed down to the point that I thought it was done then just took off again with a vengeance.