Fighting The Airlock ><

[razE]

Hey guys,

This question probably comes from my own paranoia but everytime i want to take a hydrometer sample its a good 15 minute exercise because i do not like to remove the airlock especially on my secondary when fermentation has ceased/almost ceased because of the introduction of air but it is such a pain in the ass trying to avoid sucking the water from the airlock into the brew. Do you guys just take your time and slowly fill up your hydrometer test tube or do you pull your airlock out and take a sample?

Cheers <_<

 

[BoilerBoy]

Hey guys,

This question probably comes from my own paranoia but everytime i want to take a hydrometer sample its a good 15 minute exercise because i do not like to remove the airlock especially on my secondary when fermentation has ceased/almost ceased because of the introduction of air but it is such a pain in the ass trying to avoid sucking the water from the airlock into the brew. Do you guys just take your time and slowly fill up your hydrometer test tube or do you pull your airlock out and take a sample?

Cheers <_<

Whats an airlock? :unsure:

Nah seriously just remove the airlock, take a reading and put it back in after, sanitise it again if it makes you happy

Personally I'm a liberated airlock brewer and have taken to using a Hi tech plastic bottle cap.

Cheers,
BB

 

[Steve]

Pull it out, take a sample n stick it back in. Easy
Cheers
Steve

 

[NeilArge]

Whats an airlock? :unsure:

Nah seriously just remove the airlock, take a reading and put it back in after, sanitise it again if it makes you happy

Personally I'm a liberated airlock brewer and have taken to using a Hi tech plastic bottle cap.

Cheers,
BB

I just run the wort/beer into the testing tube from the spigot and don't worry about what the airlock is doing. Never have. Wasn't aware that it might be an issue. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong :huh: .

Cheers
TOG

 

[BoilerBoy]

I just run the wort/beer into the testing tube from the spigot and don't worry about what the airlock is doing. Never have. Wasn't aware that it might be an issue. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong :huh: .

Cheers
TOG

What often happens if the fermenter is sealed well is that when the tap is opened the airlock fluid is drawn down and drops into the fermenting beer.

The same thing can happen if you pick a fermenter up with the airlock still attatched.

Cheers,
BB

 

[microbe]

Definitely just take it out while drawing the sample and replace it after. There's caution, and then there's being too careful

Cheers,

microbe

 

[schooey]

If it worries you that much, dude, buy one of the two piece airlocks and just lift the top half off for a few seconds. Cover it in glad wrap if you're a bit OCD...

 

[samhighley]

Two-piece airlock sounds like the go.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Hey guys,

This question probably comes from my own paranoia but everytime i want to take a hydrometer sample its a good 15 minute exercise because i do not like to remove the airlock especially on my secondary when fermentation has ceased/almost ceased because of the introduction of air but it is such a pain in the ass trying to avoid sucking the water from the airlock into the brew. Do you guys just take your time and slowly fill up your hydrometer test tube or do you pull your airlock out and take a sample?

Cheers <_<

So what do you do to take 15 minutes for a hydrometer reading ?

 

[TidalPete]

Glad that this topic has come up as I am gradually getting rid of my fermenters with taps below & changing over to the bucket-style fermenters (Cheaper) with the snaplock lid which are much better IMHO.
Had a bit of a think on how I would get my wort samples out for FG testing without lifting the lid & sprung onto the idea of taking off the top part of my two-piece airlocks, inserting an old sryinge, (Lengthened with a bit of plastic tubing) & taking the sample.
With all the Co2 lingering in the headspace there will be no hassles whatsoever.
Read "sanitised" where needed.

Shortly For Sale --- Lots of "Beneficial" fermenter taps.


TP :beer:

 

[tcraig20]

I just put sanitiser in my airlock instead of water. If it sucks back through, it's just sucking clean sanitiser. At least that's the theory.

No worries so far.

 

[Goose]

I take the sample slowly... while watching the airlock, making sure the reverse bubbles are not so violent that the airlock fluid is sucked back. My airlock fluid is also sanitiser, iodophor solution, even if that fell back in I'd hope it wouldn't affect the brew.

 

[Mantis]

Also use no rinse sanitiser in the airlock, and dont bother to take it out for sample or picking up the fermenter.
The no rinse I use in just dilute phosphoric acid
40 brews since March last year and only one infected, but that was nothing to do with the airlock

 

[afromaiko]

I used to just pull the airlock out and stand it upright in a clean glass while I took the sample and then put it back in again after. But now I've changed to the two piece airlock, it's great you can just pull off the top section and leave the body still in the grommet. I don't worry about putting anything over the hole, you'd have to be pretty unlucky for anything to fall in there. And I usually don't take a reading until I suspect it's all fermented anyway.

 

[Pollux]

I always loosen the lid before either moving a fermenter or taking a reading.....

The idea of potentially sucking in a dead bug that drowned in the airlock and I don't see versus a little bit of air creeping in.....

 

[Mantis]

Only goes to show that the same result can be got in many different ways eh

 

[staggalee]

Glad that this topic has come up as I am gradually getting rid of my fermenters with taps below & changing over to the bucket-style fermenters (Cheaper) with the snaplock lid which are much better IMHO.
Had a bit of a think on how I would get my wort samples out for FG testing without lifting the lid & sprung onto the idea of taking off the top part of my two-piece airlocks, inserting an old sryinge, (Lengthened with a bit of plastic tubing) & taking the sample.
With all the Co2 lingering in the headspace there will be no hassles whatsoever.
Read "sanitised" where needed.

Shortly For Sale --- Lots of "Beneficial" fermenter taps.


TP :beer:

I don`t get it?
If you`re changing over to pail fermenters, that are drilled and bunged for a tap, why gin around with syringes and tubing?
Or do you mean you are just changing over to a cheap bucket and lid, compared to a real pail and snaplock lid fermenter?

stagga.

edit..if it`s just the bucket and lid answer, why is it better?

 

[TidalPete]

I don`t get it?
If you`re changing over to pail fermenters, that are drilled and bunged for a tap, why gin around with syringes and tubing?
Or do you mean you are just changing over to a cheap bucket and lid, compared to a real pail and snaplock lid fermenter?

stagga.

Staggerlee,

I'm sure you can recall my posts trying to source 30 litre food-grade snap-top lid buckets with a threaded bung hole a short while ago? All your good advice was in vain as all I found were buckets under the 30 litre mark which are no good to me..
Gave up after an almost 18 months search & am now satisified to use the BrewCraft food-grade buckets (Snap-top lid, no threaded bunghole) which are cheaper anyway.
I already have the sryinges & the tubing so there is actually nil more effort involved in taking samples as per above as when I go through the tap with my remaining 30 litre threaded bung hole fermenters.
Using a Easy-Syphon may be a little slower when kegging but I can live with that.

TP :beer:

 

[Ross]

Do away with your airlocks...nothing but trouble & your yeast will thank you for it .
While you are at it, get rid of the fermenter o ring as well.
Just tighten up your lid without the O ring & you'll keep the bugs out while letting the CO2 out.
If you have a pre drilled hole, cover with a bottle cap or use to drop a thermowell into your beer for running your temperature controller probe into.

cheers ross

 

[quantocks]

try Vodka in the airlock, I guarantee better results than water