Airlock luck....ugh

[drhusker18]

Well I have my second batch in (slobber from NB). Did full boil and finally got Beersmith to help me after some tinkering.


Anyway...after my first batch (bav hefe from NB) last weekend, I needed a blow off tube on Monday. Got my tubing sanitized and attached- heard a crack. The airlock split hairline fracture from top to bottom. Got my backup on fine and is working. So for this batch today things went great, learning as I go on techniques and organization. Finished the batch this afternoon and got things ready for fermenter and loaded, attached the airlock and filled with sanitizer (we out of vodka/rum and it's Sunday so no alcohol sales) and took it down in the basement but noticed the airlock looked funny and the volume wasn't right. I just left it and checked an hour later and it looked even funnier with the liquid. I looked closer with a flashlight and saw it was cracked too. So at this point I was like WTF. That was the last airlock. I bought 3. They are the clear 3-piece ones. Went and got some 3/8 OD tubing, sanitized and put in cup of sanitizer.

I am 1 for 3 with airlocks. Is this normal? I am being gentle and not pushing all the way in rubber oring on bucket kid. The plastic is so thin and that brittle stuff - cannot imagine how many I will go through. Will order more supply (6-8) to keep on hand.

 

[FatDragon]

Bad luck - I'm not at all gentle with my three-piece airlocks and I haven't broken one in two and a half years of brewing. You did the right thing going to the blowoff - you might even consider skipping the airlocks and just going with a blowoff tube for every batch.

 

[CJ-3]

Sounds like your supplier has a bad batch. When you get new ones, get them from a dufferent supplier to see if it makes a difference.

 

[drhusker18]

Thanks for the ideas.

I have read a few folks skipping the traditional airlock and just pure blowoff. Finding each part of my home brewery takes s different size tube. Wish there was a universal system.

I have found I was raped on citra hop price per ounce from one online store so I will need to order more for a ale asylum bedlam clone and I will order some new airlocks too.

 

[FatDragon]

Thanks for the ideas.

I have read a few folks skipping the traditional airlock and just pure blowoff. Finding each part of my home brewery takes s different size tube. Wish there was a universal system.

I have found I was raped on citra hop price per ounce from one online store so I will need to order more for a ale asylum bedlam clone and I will order some new airlocks too.

Per ounce hops are way more expensive than larger packages, and Citra's one of the most expensive hops out there, behind only Nelson Sauvin in my experience. Even buying in a 4 oz package should beat the pants off of per ounce pricing, and being primarily an IPA hop, Citra often calls for four or more ounces in a batch.

 

[drhusker18]

Per ounce hops are way more expensive than larger packages, and Citra's one of the most expensive hops out there, behind only Nelson Sauvin in my experience. Even buying in a 4 oz package should beat the pants off of per ounce pricing, and being primarily an IPA hop, Citra often calls for four or more ounces in a batch.

Saw prices of 2.50 to 2.99 and the online place I used was 3.99. That makes a difference when, like you say, running a lot of hops across an ipa!

 

[jrgtr42]

As far as the hops go, I put in an order for 3 brews I have coming up, so I shopped all the big places - I'm starting to feel my LHBS is way overpriced on a lot of stuff.
I found that when you pay less per ounce, it gets made up for in higher shipping costs, and vice versa. A bit higher price may mean lower or no shipping cost. I finally ended up ordering from Yakima Valley Hops - good prices, reasonable shipping and they had everything I needed in stock.
For the airlock thing, I'm guessing mostly bad luck. I have 4 or 5 of them, the oldest goes back to when I started brewing. One of them has a crack down the outside of the body. it doesn't leak much if any, but I still don't use it anymore except in an emergency. I should get around to chucking it...
I'm just wondering what you meant by, "Got my tubing sanitized and attached- heard a crack. The airlock split hairline fracture from top to bottom" did you attach your blow off tube to the airlock? In the words of Mythbusters, now There's your problem... when you use a blow off, you should be taking out the airlock... I found that a 3/8th tube fits nicely in the grommeted hole in my ale pail lid. If you use carboys with rubber stopper bungs, you may need to play around a bit with it.

 

[drhusker18]

As far as the hops go, I put in an order for 3 brews I have coming up, so I shopped all the big places - I'm starting to feel my LHBS is way overpriced on a lot of stuff.
I found that when you pay less per ounce, it gets made up for in higher shipping costs, and vice versa. A bit higher price may mean lower or no shipping cost. I finally ended up ordering from Yakima Valley Hops - good prices, reasonable shipping and they had everything I needed in stock.
For the airlock thing, I'm guessing mostly bad luck. I have 4 or 5 of them, the oldest goes back to when I started brewing. One of them has a crack down the outside of the body. it doesn't leak much if any, but I still don't use it anymore except in an emergency. I should get around to chucking it...
I'm just wondering what you meant by, "Got my tubing sanitized and attached- heard a crack. The airlock split hairline fracture from top to bottom" did you attach your blow off tube to the airlock? In the words of Mythbusters, now There's your problem... when you use a blow off, you should be taking out the airlock... I found that a 3/8th tube fits nicely in the grommeted hole in my ale pail lid. If you use carboys with rubber stopper bungs, you may need to play around a bit with it.

The center piece of the airlock is perfect size for 1/2"ID tubing. You can attach the hose there instead of removing airlock and sticking tube in the o-ring of my NB bucket lid. The reason I tried to do this was because I saw and read a few having experience with this method. I will now be doing the 3/8" into the o-ring and into a cup of sanitizer.

Thanks for the tips will check that site out. I have noticed that with pricing/shipping. Do you want to save 8$ on supplies and spend 7.99 on shipping or vice versa at another site. Many times the bigger online stores have 5-10% off coupon codes i use to help. My LHBS is a mixed bag with prices.

 

[kristiismean]

at least you are catching it. i use the one piece s type, and prefer them for the sound they make. I can be watching tv, or in my office on the computer, and can always stop and listen for the "blump" sound.

the 3 piece don't make a loud enough sound for me.

And the only time I needed a blowoff tube was an emergency, (good fermentation) so tube into bucket and other ined into a beer bottle filled with star-san. worked, but controlling my fermentation temperatures better now. (70 first week, dropping it to 60 for the next 2 weeks) which may or may not correct, but turning out good beer.

 

[FatDragon]

(70 first week, dropping it to 60 for the next 2 weeks) which may or may not correct, but turning out good beer.

You're doing it backwards. Off flavors come during the growth phase of fermentation, which is the first few days, so that's when your temp control needs to be on point. Most ale yeasts will throw some off flavors at 70 degrees, so a wort temp of 60-65 during the first few days (64 is usually the go-to number) will make a much cleaner beer. Ramping up the temperature a bit later in fermentation can ensure that the yeast finish doing their work, though it's hardly necessary. Either way, whether your beer is at 60 or 70 for weeks two and three shouldn't make a difference.

Next brew, try starting your fermentation in the low sixties and then do whatever you want with the temps after the fourth or fifth day. If you don't like the results, you'll know you prefer a beer fermented a bit warm, but whenever I let a beer ferment at 70 or above with most ale yeasts I get off flavors. Usually I don't taste them when drinking the beer, but they come up with the little post-sip burps from the carbonation. Lower fermentation temps create a cleaner beer without that problem.

 

[kristiismean]

You're doing it backwards. Off flavors come during the growth phase of fermentation, which is the first few days, so that's when your temp control needs to be on point. Most ale yeasts will throw some off flavors at 70 degrees, so a wort temp of 60-65 during the first few days (64 is usually the go-to number) will make a much cleaner beer.

I will try that. I pretty much have to controlled areas of my house. one is more stable at 59.5 60.1 degrees, the other is 68.5-70 degrees. at least for the next month, then the 60 will slowly get up to 65.

using safale 05, wyeast1056 and 1968 would 60 be to cold?

 

[FatDragon]

I will try that. I pretty much have to controlled areas of my house. one is more stable at 59.5 60.1 degrees, the other is 68.5-70 degrees. at least for the next month, then the 60 will slowly get up to 65.

using safale 05, wyeast1056 and 1968 would 60 be to cold?

I only have experience with US-05 out of those, but I like to run it around 60 for a crisp, clean fermentation. Also, it sounds like those are ambient temperatures, meaning at peak fermentation your brew should be around 65 degrees while it's bubbling in the 60 degree room.

Try fermenting in the cooler area for the first few days and then moving to the warmer area, or simply leaving the brew in the cooler area through its fermentation. It's possible that the esters or "off-flavors" you may be getting with your current fermentation schedule actually make your brew taste better to you (certainly some yeasts will produce a better or more characterful beer at warmer temperatures), but it's worth trying once or twice if you haven't done it before.

Also, note that unless you're pitching an active starter, you're likely to get longer lag times when you pitch at 60 versus 70. I only mention it because some brewers freak out when they experience a longer than usual lag time, but there's no reason to worry unless there's no activity for three days or more.

 

[kristiismean]

Thank you FatDragon! I will be trying that out shortly!