Stopper keeps coming out of Carboy

[Bassman]

This sounds stupid but it is driving me crazy. I have used carboys when I brewed back when, but since then I got rid of equipment and now I'm building up my equipment again. Friday night I brewed and put my wort into a brand new 6 1/2 gal. glass carboy, one of those "Made in Italy" carboys. The LHBS sold me a #7 Fermentech stopper to hold the airlock. I put it in but it kept popping out. I had cleaned the carboy with PBW, rinsed, and then sanitized with Star San. So I did a little exploration on the internet and read that the 6 1/2 gal. carboy needs a # 6.5 stopper. So I went to the LHBS and got a # 6.5 stopper. The same thing is happening. I push it in and it slips out. I have used Star San. I never had this problem before. For now I covered it with Saran Wrap.

Any ideas? This is tilting me.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Take a piece of paper towel and dry off the stopper and inside the neck of the carboy. Problem solved.

Take the Saran Wrap off too. NEVER tape it into place either...especially with duct tape.

If you get enough kreusen built up to where it clogs the airlock the pressure could blow out the sides of the carboy.

 

[Bassman]

Thanks!

Should I use Star San after I dry it out?

The Saran Wrap is not taped on, just placed on.

 

[DBbrewing]

This sounds stupid but it is driving me crazy. I have used carboys when I brewed back when, but since then I got rid of equipment and now I'm building up my equipment again. Friday night I brewed and put my wort into a brand new 6 1/2 gal. glass carboy, one of those "Made in Italy" carboys. The LHBS sold me a #7 Fermentech stopper to hold the airlock. I put it in but it kept popping out. I had cleaned the carboy with PBW, rinsed, and then sanitized with Star San. So I did a little exploration on the internet and read that the 6 1/2 gal. carboy needs a # 6.5 stopper. So I went to the LHBS and got a # 6.5 stopper. The same thing is happening. I push it in and it slips out. I have used Star San. I never had this problem before. For now I covered it with Saran Wrap.

Any ideas? This is tilting me.

This is the reason I started using carboy caps.

 

[Hardtack]

You should starsan at the beginning of the brew and let the stopper air dry,Starsan is very slippery when wet.

 

[fartingdog]

Thanks!

Should I use Star San after I dry it out?

No. The star-san makes the stopper all 'slickery'. There's a couple easy ways to handle this- take a paper towel and dry off the stopper and the inside of the neck, or use some cheap vodka to sanitize the stopper instead of star san. I've had success with both methods, but it became a moot point (for the most part) when I switched to universal stoppers.

 

[Bassman]

I dried off the stopper and neck and used cheap vodka.

I was a homebrewer about 10 years ago and I do not remember having this problem. But my guess is that I was wiping the neck with vodka and lighting it to sanitize it before I added my yeast from the starter, so it was dried out.

 

[robertvrabel]

I used to have this problem too, drove me crazy! I thought it was the C02 pushing it out... but then I figured maybe its just too lubricated. So just trying it off with paper towel (instead the carboy + the stopper) works well =)

 

[bmckee56]

I usually place my bung into a carboy neck after filling and even with the neck a bit wet and the bung, wet, I usually have no porblem getting the bung to hold in place. Push it into place then give it a twist or two and it should hold. I have never had a bung come out of the neck once seated this way.

Salute!

 

[ezzieyguywuf]

I have the same problem, and I too think its because the bung is wet. But won't wiping it and the carboy neck off with a paper towel ( which I've had to do ) de-sanitize it? I mean, the paper towel roll just sits out, exposed to the elements.