I never had serious problems or explosions, but the first time I saw my airlock getting filled with gunk, I turned to google and learned of the blow off tube. I simply ran a 3/8" tube from the grommet on my bucket lid to a quart Mason jar half filled with water. Easy peasy. After doing this, I couldn't find a reason to use the airlock again, so now I just use the blow off tube every time.
As an amateur wine-maker who just watched the first minute and a half of your episode, I am willing to bet money that the cause of those explosions was ignorance of that fact that primary fermentation is far too vigorous to be reasonably contained inside a narrow-necked carboy. A straight-walled bucket, with higher walls to accommodate all the bubbling foam, capped only by a vented lid is all that's necessary. Once the fermentation has slowed, which usually takes about a week, only then does it makes sense to rack the contents into a carboy with an airlock.
If you cracked the lid open, in some cases, the high krausen would come out of the bucket lid all over your floor inside of your fermentation chamber, etc. Most of the time it isn't only the pressure of fermentation, it is because the air lock is clogged with krausen and yeast when there isn't enough head space. I have had vigorous fermentations that fills a 2 and 1/2 gallon void in the fermenter depending on the yeast used. The point of the blow-off tube is to allow krausen the actually escape through the tube into sanitizer.
@@CityscapeBrewing Thanks for your friendly response. I'll yield to your experience because the fact is, I've never brewed beer myself. The reason I responded the way I did is because I clearly remember my father brewing beer using a straight-walled bucket for the primary fermentation way back in the '90s when I was a kid. I'm willing to allow, considering the lower sugar concentration of barley wort as compared to grape must, that primary fermentation could be controlled even in a narrow-necked carboy. 🙏🍻
How long can a leave the blow off tube set up? If I have a three month fermentation for an imperial stout, can I leave the blow off tube set up for the entire fermentation time?
Yes, and it might be better because you can put more sanitizer on the other end in a jar to make sure it doesn't dry out. Sometimes with air locks, you have to go back and check those periodically to make sure they haven't dried out.
I never had serious problems or explosions, but the first time I saw my airlock getting filled with gunk, I turned to google and learned of the blow off tube. I simply ran a 3/8" tube from the grommet on my bucket lid to a quart Mason jar half filled with water. Easy peasy. After doing this, I couldn't find a reason to use the airlock again, so now I just use the blow off tube every time.
I built one of these for a Kveik brew and it worked perfectly. Thank you my friend
You're welcome! 💯🍻
I use a blow off tube straight from the bung into a mason jar. I’m new to this only brewing a few beers. I started this right off the bat. LOL
🤘 definitely needed before you know! They can get crazy
Use a open fermentation chamber like the good old days
The wall and ceiling shot though ! We have all been there.
😂💯 unfortunately, yes!
I wish I could go back and give myself this advice when I brewed a Hefeweizen with a quart of headspace on my second batch lol
As an amateur wine-maker who just watched the first minute and a half of your episode, I am willing to bet money that the cause of those explosions was ignorance of that fact that primary fermentation is far too vigorous to be reasonably contained inside a narrow-necked carboy. A straight-walled bucket, with higher walls to accommodate all the bubbling foam, capped only by a vented lid is all that's necessary. Once the fermentation has slowed, which usually takes about a week, only then does it makes sense to rack the contents into a carboy with an airlock.
If you cracked the lid open, in some cases, the high krausen would come out of the bucket lid all over your floor inside of your fermentation chamber, etc. Most of the time it isn't only the pressure of fermentation, it is because the air lock is clogged with krausen and yeast when there isn't enough head space. I have had vigorous fermentations that fills a 2 and 1/2 gallon void in the fermenter depending on the yeast used. The point of the blow-off tube is to allow krausen the actually escape through the tube into sanitizer.
@@CityscapeBrewing Thanks for your friendly response. I'll yield to your experience because the fact is, I've never brewed beer myself. The reason I responded the way I did is because I clearly remember my father brewing beer using a straight-walled bucket for the primary fermentation way back in the '90s when I was a kid. I'm willing to allow, considering the lower sugar concentration of barley wort as compared to grape must, that primary fermentation could be controlled even in a narrow-necked carboy. 🙏🍻
How long can a leave the blow off tube set up? If I have a three month fermentation for an imperial stout, can I leave the blow off tube set up for the entire fermentation time?
Yes, and it might be better because you can put more sanitizer on the other end in a jar to make sure it doesn't dry out. Sometimes with air locks, you have to go back and check those periodically to make sure they haven't dried out.
@@CityscapeBrewing thank you
Getting that off a ceiling is not fun. If you don't have a chamber brew in the bath tub.