Brewing Master

Question:

Hi all!  I’m getting ready to try my first extract batch (as opposed to a kit) and was wondering about the use of blowoff tubes as described in Papazian’s book.  Should I rack right into a carboy and use the blowoff tube to eliminate the fusel oils and crap from the foam scum, or let the first couple of days ferment in a plastic bucket and then rack to the carboy for the rest of the primary?  I want to keep that scum that gathers in a ring around the bucket from getting in the beer.  That is a good policy, right? Thanks for any advice! Cheers, Jeff

Response:

I’m a totally new newbie, as in just planning my first brew, and I’ve got 2 questions about blow-off tubes.   1) How much of a difference is there between beer fermented in a container large enough not to experience blow-off, versus a similar container small enough to undergo blowoff?  (No, this is not a plastic bucket vs. 5 gal glass carboy question–more like 5 gal vs 6.5 gal carboy.)

That was the subject of a religious discussion a few month ago. 2) If you use a blow-off tube, should the end of it be immersed in liquid (i.e., like a big airlock), or should it be suspended above the capture container?  Does the fermentation EVER create a vacuum effect, that would suck blow-off back up the tube (if the end of the tube was down in the liquid)?

Yes, set up your blowoff tube like a big airlock. — Phil

Response:

I’m a totally new newbie, as in just planning my first brew, and I’ve got 2 questions about blow-off tubes.   1) How much of a difference is there between beer fermented in a container large enough not to experience blow-off, versus a similar container small enough to undergo blowoff?  (No, this is not a plastic bucket vs. 5 gal glass carboy question–more like 5 gal vs 6.5 gal carboy.) That was the subject of a religious discussion a few month ago.

Phil, That answer dosen’t help much I also am a newbie and just started reading the 3 "beer/brewing" groups about 1.5 weeks ago and have read all headers/lots of articles. Anything over a few weeks is usually "purged" off the system so if it was a few months ago there would be no way for myself or Rodney to access it.   After accessing/reading all the FAQ’s i could find I asked a similar question last week and have gotten little response. 2) If you use a blow-off tube, should the end of it be immersed in liquid (i.e., like a big airlock), or should it be suspended above the capture container?  Does the fermentation EVER create a vacuum effect, that would suck blow-off back up the tube (if the end of the tube was down in the liquid)? Yes, set up your blowoff tube like a big airlock. — Phil

– — Eric Adriaansen, MIS — Courier Corporation — 165 Jackson St. — Lowell, MA 01852 — (508) 458-6351 x2263 7AM-4PM EST —

Response:

I’m also EXTREMELY leery about recommending corny kegs as fermenters because the valves are just too damn small and prone to clogging. I’d sure hate to see what happens when one of those suckers blows!

Max. working pressure on a corny keg is 130 psi. I would imagine that yeast would be killed way before this pressure is reached. Any microbiologists know the pressure tolerance for yeast and other beer beasts (lacto, pedio)?

Response:

: I’m : also EXTREMELY leery about recommending corny kegs as fermenters : because the valves are just too damn small and prone to clogging. I’d : sure hate to see what happens when one of those suckers blows! : Max. working pressure on a corny keg is 130 psi. I would imagine that : yeast would be killed way before this pressure is reached. Any : microbiologists know the pressure tolerance for yeast and other beer : beasts (lacto, pedio)? Why would the yeast be killed? Even people can stand that much pressure if you build it up slowly.

Response:

: : Phil, That answer dosen’t help much : I also am a newbie and just started reading the 3 "beer/brewing" : groups about 1.5 weeks ago and have read all headers/lots of articles. : Anything over a few weeks is usually "purged" off the system so if it : was a few months ago there would be no way for myself or Rodney to : access it.   : After accessing/reading all the FAQ’s i could find I asked a similar : question last week and have gotten little response. : What I was saying is that there was no consensus on the subject.  Some : people argued that blowoff removes undesirable bitter compounds from : the beer.  Others argued that either it doesn’t or that if it does happen : the results are largely inconsequential. : I generally brew 5-5.5 gal batches and use a 6.5 gal carboy.  I do get : some blowoff but not a lot.  I use the 6.5 gal carboy to minimize the : amount that I loose in blowoff.  I have no opinion on how this affects : the flavor of the beer. One point I’d like to throw out for the wolves to attack is the idea of safety. I personally believe that using a very large blowoff tube on a carboy is one of the safer fermentation strategies. We’ve all heard the horror stories of 3/8" tubes attached to those plastic carboy caps blowing off in the middle night, and there’ve been some cases of clogged airlocks or blowoff tubes shattering the carboy if the cap doesn’t blow (which seems to me the most likely weak point). I’m also EXTREMELY leery about recommending corny kegs as fermenters because the valves are just too damn small and prone to clogging. I’d sure hate to see what happens when one of those suckers blows! Yeah, I know some people who do it, but I really think this is a BadIdea(tm) for a primary (I wouldn’t worry about it for a secondary). If you’re going with glass, I’d either use an airlock in a big carboy with a LOT of headspace, or I’d use a big blowoff tube (like 2" stuffed into the neck) for a carboy without headspace. This, of course, just reflects my own opinions and biases and I encourage others to prove me a jughead… Cheers! —Mark Stevens   Brewery info server for homebrewers: <URL:http://alpha.rollanet.org/

Response:

: Ferment it in glass, and slap that blow off on there right away. : I’m a totally new newbie, as in just planning my first brew, and : I’ve got 2 questions about blow-off tubes.   : 1) How much of a difference is there between beer fermented in a : container large enough not to experience blow-off, versus a similar : container small enough to undergo blowoff?  (No, this is not a plastic : bucket vs. 5 gal glass carboy question–more like 5 gal vs 6.5 gal : carboy.) A big krausen that is blowing a lot of foam can fill a quart jam or two out of a 6 gallon carboy if you fill it near the top and use a blow-off tube. Do a five gallon batch and ferment it in a 6-gallon carboy and the krausen will expand and blow-off but you will not lose much beer.  I’ve found that after the yeast flocculates, the beer is below the level of of the heavy yeast and hop residue left on the inside of the carboy. This is the difference between doing a blow-off step or not, either your beer is cleared or these heavier oils and alcohols or they stay in.  My first twelve batches or so were done without using a blow-off, with many a foamed, sticky airlock :<= But I been slappen’ them on the carboy every since and thirteen batches later the beers are tasting fine. : 2) If you use a blow-off tube, should the end of it be immersed in : liquid (i.e., like a big airlock), or should it be suspended above the : capture container?  Does the fermentation EVER create a vacuum effect, : that would suck blow-off back up the tube (if the end of the tube was : down in the liquid)? Yes, this is key, fill a small bucket or quart jar about 1/3 of the way with sterilized water/bleach/whatever and be sure the end of the blow-off tube is below the water level so it bubbles as the beer ferments. You may need to check your jar and change it the first few days since it might spew alot of foam but don’t worry about it sucking back into the carboy, I’ve never heard of that. Take the blow-off tube off after the ferment has slowed down and the krausen has receeded, slap on an airlock, or rack to a secondary or keg or bottle whatever from there. : I recently toured the Triumph Brewing Co. in Princeton, NJ, and they : use large buckets as their airlocks, which is making me curious. : Thanks for you help,

Response:

Ferment it in glass, and slap that blow off on there right away.

I’m a totally new newbie, as in just planning my first brew, and I’ve got 2 questions about blow-off tubes.   1) How much of a difference is there between beer fermented in a container large enough not to experience blow-off, versus a similar container small enough to undergo blowoff?  (No, this is not a plastic bucket vs. 5 gal glass carboy question–more like 5 gal vs 6.5 gal carboy.) 2) If you use a blow-off tube, should the end of it be immersed in liquid (i.e., like a big airlock), or should it be suspended above the capture container?  Does the fermentation EVER create a vacuum effect, that would suck blow-off back up the tube (if the end of the tube was down in the liquid)? I recently toured the Triumph Brewing Co. in Princeton, NJ, and they use large buckets as their airlocks, which is making me curious. Thanks for you help,

Response:

: Hi all!  I’m getting ready to try my first extract batch (as opposed to a Snip : couple of days ferment in a plastic bucket and then rack to the carboy for : Thanks for any advice! : Cheers, : Jeff Ferment it in glass, and slap that blow off on there right away. Don’t fill the carboy all the way to the top to give the krausen some room to expand and blow-out and you’ll avoid most of that heavy residue that can accumilate. Depending on your yeast and how strong your beer is, it might blow-off a lot of foam and beer with it, or I also had it gurgle for a day or two and then that’s it.  Once the ferment has slowed down you can put the airlock on there instead, but a couple of times I’ve pulled the blow-off tube a tad prematurely and It’s foamed up the airlock into a sticky mess. Give it a try. Dan

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