think i have a problem

[dellis288]

Hey this is my first post on here but i have been stalking the forums for a few weeks now. i just finished up my first homebrew yesterday. i bought a 5 gallon kit from northern brewer, it came with the block party amber ale recipe.

it has been about 20hours since i put the brew into the fermentation bucket it just keeps pushing all the water out of the airlock about every 15mins what should i do?

 

[Moose_MI]

Hmm....not sure I follow....is it the "S" style air lock or the 3 piece?

If the wort/beer was above ambient temp then your solution may actually be getting sucked into the fermenter as it cools. Was the wort 70F or less when you closed up the fermenter?

 

[CajunChuck]

Keep refilling it. What is the temperature where you are fermenting?

 

[dellis288]

It is the S style airlock it's not getting sucked in.it was less than 70f when I closed it up

I just filled it up with water now it seems fine before it was a mix of water and sani was bubble all out hopefully this will work

 

[dellis288]

Temp is also around 67

 

[Moose_MI]

Yep...Sani mix will create bubbles...usually not a problem but if you have that much going on after 20 hours then give yourself a pat on the back...

.....and keep an eye out for a possible clogged air lock and the need for a blow off......sounds like you have a quality fermentation going

 

[dellis288]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1451834244.125824.jpg

 

[Zepth]

First, welcome to the forums!
Second, don't panic. Learn the acronym RDWHAHB. Relax, don't worry, have a home brew.
First batch? Ok that isn't an option quite yet.

It'll be fine. If you want to be paranoid, you can keep topping it up like clockwork. Or you can wait a little while for fermentation to slow then fill the airlock. It going dry for a few days with fermentation at peak activity won't cause any harm. If that idea is still terrifying, sanitize a chunk of aluminum foil and make a hat for the airlock.

Edit: I really should stop opening 8 tabs, then replying to them. Or at least refresh before typing.

 

[Moose_MI]

I would keep using Sani mix...make sure your not putting to much of the Sani in because it will make the bubbles worse...the other option is a little vodka. Plain water is probably not the best answer but it will still make beer

 

[podz]

You can do without the airlock until it calms down. Just take it off and don't worry about it at all.

 

[dellis288]

Ok thanks. I knew bubbles were good but I just thought this has to be way to much and was afraid of not being there when no water was in the air lock

 

[podz]

Ok thanks. I knew bubbles were good but I just thought this has to be way to much and was afraid of not being there when no water was in the air lock

The purpose of the air lock filled with water is to allow excess carbon dioxide to escape while keeping contaminants out.

Oddly enough, though, the airlock performs no function at all until carbon dioxide production has halted. At that point, it forces the headspace to remain filled with carbon dioxide instead of oxygen, as well as keeping bugs and bacteria out.

As long as your fermentation is visibly active, it is blowing a fast stream of carbon dioxide out through that tiny little hole. A bug couldn't manage to fly against that jetstream even if he tried, and he wouldn't go there anyway because of the high level of carbon dioxide.

So, really, you can just leave the airlock off until day 3 or 4 and it won't hurt a thing.

 

[Zepth]

Well actually... Small insects could walk their way through the airlock if it were completely dry and they could get a footing. The flow of CO2 escaping isn't stronger than some winds when they bugs manage to hold on to something and not get blown off. That said every airlock I've seen has a cap of some sort to keep such things out anyways.

 

[dellis288]

Thanks again everyone I'll let y'all know how the beer turns out