The Great Airlock Poll

[mikelinz]

I use the airlocks with a lid, hate the s trap flycatcher ones, just acquired a filter used on a ventilator that is rated to keep out viruses so should keep out everything and trying it for the first time.

 

[Trough Lolly]

I use an airlock...

I don't need to see into the fermenter - I knew what yeast did in the starter flask and I know what it'll do in the fermenter... B)

 

[monkeybusiness]

I'm another one for the sound of bloop bloop bloop...

Helps me go sleep at night. Is that wrong? h34r:

(and no it is not in bed with me I can hear it from the garage.)

 

[sluggerdog]

I got rid of mine, in place I put a downtube where I feed my thermostat for the fridge. Leave the lid a little loose.

 

[Trough Lolly]

I got rid of mine, in place I put a downtube where I feed my thermostat for the fridge. Leave the lid a little loose.

Good idea. Pardon my technical ignorance (and the thread hijack!) but is the downtube also known as a thermowell or are they different things - I'd like to put my thermostat probe into the fermenter but not have it get wet....

Cheers,
TL

 

[Linz]

Im with the 'bloop, bloop' brigade

Use 2 piece airlocks too(AKA Senior airlock..I think)



BTW theres also the CDs of Train sounds too, not that Ive got one, hear em all day!!

Jus thinking, one of these CD would scare the Bee Gee's out of a blind person!!

 

[PhilS]

I use the "S" airlock as well except for a wash, but that's another story

 

[65bellett]

" just acquired a filter used on a ventilator that is rated to keep out viruses "​

That sounds like a really good idea but what does it do to the Bloop Bloop sound

 

[RobB]

I'm another fan of the bloop.

In fact, my wife has caught me poised over the fermenter waiting for the next bubble so I can inhale it. That's not wierd is it?

To the gladwrappers - does the glad wrap stretch, do you attach it with enough slack to expand, or does it allow some air to esape from an imperfect seal? I just have images in my mind of a huge plastic bubble which eventually bursts.

 

[sah]

To the gladwrappers - does the glad wrap stretch, do you attach it with enough slack to expand, or does it allow some air to esape from an imperfect seal? I just have images in my mind of a huge plastic bubble which eventually bursts.

It stretches a little bit. The CO2 finds its way out under the elastic band / o-ring.

Scott

 

[Fourstar]

I'm another fan of the bloop.

In fact, my wife has caught me poised over the fermenter waiting for the next bubble so I can inhale it. That's not wierd is it?

haha!

I was the same last week for the Weizen im brewing. Waiting for the bloop to catch the smell of bananas!

Hehehe!

 

[sluggerdog]

Good idea. Pardon my technical ignorance (and the thread hijack!) but is the downtube also known as a thermowell or are they different things - I'd like to put my thermostat probe into the fermenter but not have it get wet....

Cheers,
TL

I'd only be guessing but I'd say so. that is what mine does.

I ended up using a bottling tube with food grade silicone on the end. E-A-S-Y

 

[Stuster]

I'm an airlock user. Just seems easier to know what's going on, when things have started/slowing down etc. I can see nothing wrong with open fermenting when there's strong fermentation, but what do you no airlockers do when fermentation starts to slow down? :huh:

 

[Trough Lolly]

...I ended up using a bottling tube with food grade silicone on the end. E-A-S-Y

...and brilliantly simple! :super:

 

[chris.taylor.98]

I don't use a traditional airlock.

The reason for not doing so is to minimise the pressure in the fermenter, as there is some evidence that the yeast performs better at lower pressure.

I heard of a side by side comparison on a podcast where they brewed in 4 vessels, plastic, glass, open ferment glass and conical. The beer was sent off to 4 different certified BJCP judges and all of them scored the open ferment at 3-4 points higher then any of the other beers.

Another factor is that you can still have a sanitary system without providing any sort or airlock.

The bacteria needs to drop down out of the air and into something. If you have an uphill section in the system, the bacteria can not get up over it as it drops out into the low point.

I just have a blow tube arrangement with a single coil in it and the end placed into an empty juice container ( to illuminate the possibility of a draft blowing back up into the tube ).

I'm on my second brew now using this method without any problems to date.

Might even do this as a side by side some time to see if I can tell any difference.

 

[Doogiechap]

Either a 2 piece airlock or a blowoff depending on how big the anticipated krausen is. I was told there are some nasty floaties in WA that will easily destry a brew (my old ferment fridge has it's own microbe cosmos) so like to keep things sealed.

Bloop

 

[KGB]

NO issue for me.... i've only changed over to the bottle cap in the last few months.
as my 30 litre ferm doesnt fit in the bar/fermenting fridge with an airlock.
(actually, the cap has to go on before i put it in its that tight)

I can see that problem - mine fits with an airlock but only because I removed the "floor" of the freezer section.

 

[braufrau]

OK. I know this is a rotten picky but I had to share what I woke upto this morning.

 

[boingk]

Yep, airlock'n all the way here. My fermenters seem to get a pretty good seal on them, and the airlocks do the job well in my opinion. If I'm at uni and brewing in my bedroom however, I'll just use an upturned cap most of the time.

Cheers all -boingk

 

[freekq]

used to use an airlock, now just using glad wrap to see easier.