Non-bubbling Airlock

Post by baloonon
Did I read someone here wondering about a lack of activity in their
airlock? Even if I'm imagining it, I thought I'd report that my last IPA
seems to have gone all the way from 70 to 14 without any airlock activity
as far as I can tell.
I suspect there's a crack in the fermenter lid and/or a quirky gasket
around the airlock, but I won't investigate in any depth until the
fermenter is cleaned. The hydro sample tastes great, so something good
must have happened....

If you have it fill one of these S-type air locks, then put it on (not
the other way around). The water level in both chambers should be
different. If that gradually levels out without any fermentation going
on then you have a leak somewhere.

I had to let my Belgian Tripel ferment sans airlock because the BE-256
yeast went nuclear. AFAICT no bad effects, when I took a sip while
transferring to secondary it tasted good.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

baloonon

2017-01-23 02:18:12 UTC

Post by baloonon
Did I read someone here wondering about a lack of activity in their
airlock? Even if I'm imagining it, I thought I'd report that my last
IPA seems to have gone all the way from 70 to 14 without any airlock
activity as far as I can tell.
I suspect there's a crack in the fermenter lid and/or a quirky gasket
around the airlock, but I won't investigate in any depth until the
fermenter is cleaned. The hydro sample tastes great, so something
good must have happened....

It's the other kind, the 3 piece one with the bobbing piece of plastic.

I've got a spare somewhere, but if it's something wrong with the lid
I'll probably just let it ride. It's kind of reassuring to see them in
action, but they're not really that necessary.

Post by Joerg
I had to let my Belgian Tripel ferment sans airlock because the BE-256
yeast went nuclear. AFAICT no bad effects, when I took a sip while
transferring to secondary it tasted good.

I've had one or two with top cropping English yeast blow the airlock
off, pushed open the lid and sent foam on the floor. Nothing ever went
wrong with the beer, and I wouldn't be surprised if the super thick
yeast/foam layer was basically like a bunch of expanding Great Stuff
foam spray I've used to seal around window frames.

Joerg

2017-01-23 15:49:12 UTC

Post by baloonon
Did I read someone here wondering about a lack of activity in their
airlock? Even if I'm imagining it, I thought I'd report that my last
IPA seems to have gone all the way from 70 to 14 without any airlock
activity as far as I can tell.
I suspect there's a crack in the fermenter lid and/or a quirky gasket
around the airlock, but I won't investigate in any depth until the
fermenter is cleaned. The hydro sample tastes great, so something
good must have happened....

It's the other kind, the 3 piece one with the bobbing piece of plastic.
I've got a spare somewhere, but if it's something wrong with the lid
I'll probably just let it ride. It's kind of reassuring to see them in
action, but they're not really that necessary.

Considering that many older breweries had (some still have) completely
open fermenters where the only contaminant barrier is the kraeusen layer
it is probably ok. When I harvest the trub I never use an air lock. I
just slop it into sanitized pickling jars and leave the lids a bit loose
for 10-20h, then tighten them but only gently. Never had it go bad and I
did that for the last 15 beers. Aside from using it to start another
batch we make bread from it.

Post by Joerg
I had to let my Belgian Tripel ferment sans airlock because the BE-256
yeast went nuclear. AFAICT no bad effects, when I took a sip while
transferring to secondary it tasted good.

Next time I'll hook my siphon hose to the fermenter and hang that in a
milk jug with StarSan. Hoping that 3/8" hose will be enough and most of
all not plug up. Once no more kraeusen pushes through I'll change it to
an air lock. Alternatively I could reduce the volume to four gallons.
That would mean less beer though ... nah, not going to do that.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Dan Logcher

2017-01-23 18:19:53 UTC

Post by baloonon
Did I read someone here wondering about a lack of activity in their
airlock? Even if I'm imagining it, I thought I'd report that my last
IPA seems to have gone all the way from 70 to 14 without any airlock
activity as far as I can tell.
I suspect there's a crack in the fermenter lid and/or a quirky gasket
around the airlock, but I won't investigate in any depth until the
fermenter is cleaned. The hydro sample tastes great, so something
good must have happened....

It's the other kind, the 3 piece one with the bobbing piece of plastic.
I've got a spare somewhere, but if it's something wrong with the lid
I'll probably just let it ride. It's kind of reassuring to see them in
action, but they're not really that necessary.

Considering that many older breweries had (some still have) completely open fermenters where the
only contaminant barrier is the kraeusen layer it is probably ok. When I harvest the trub I never
use an air lock. I just slop it into sanitized pickling jars and leave the lids a bit loose for
10-20h, then tighten them but only gently. Never had it go bad and I did that for the last 15 beers.
Aside from using it to start another batch we make bread from it.

Before I started using the FastFerment I would spool yeast cake into a Ball jar and
store in the fridge for re-use. Now the yeast collection ball can go right in the fridge,
unless I need to make another batch.

--
Dan

Joerg

2017-01-23 20:31:08 UTC

Post by Dan Logcher

Post by baloonon
Did I read someone here wondering about a lack of activity in their
airlock? Even if I'm imagining it, I thought I'd report that my last
IPA seems to have gone all the way from 70 to 14 without any airlock
activity as far as I can tell.
I suspect there's a crack in the fermenter lid and/or a quirky gasket
around the airlock, but I won't investigate in any depth until the
fermenter is cleaned. The hydro sample tastes great, so something
good must have happened....

It's the other kind, the 3 piece one with the bobbing piece of plastic.
I've got a spare somewhere, but if it's something wrong with the lid
I'll probably just let it ride. It's kind of reassuring to see them in
action, but they're not really that necessary.

Considering that many older breweries had (some still have) completely
open fermenters where the
only contaminant barrier is the kraeusen layer it is probably ok. When
I harvest the trub I never
use an air lock. I just slop it into sanitized pickling jars and leave
the lids a bit loose for
10-20h, then tighten them but only gently. Never had it go bad and I
did that for the last 15 beers.
Aside from using it to start another batch we make bread from it.

My trub almost fills two 7oz pickling jars after diluting it with 4-5oz
of purified water in order to convince it to leave the fermenter. It's
almost ideal. I use the top of one jar (water/beer, white yeast layer
and some trub) to start a new batch of beer and the rest plus the other
jar is for bread. In about two weeks I'll have to start two beers with
the same trub because I can't really use the other trub from the heavy
Cascadian Ale for Cream Ale and Amber Ale. So we'll add the remaining
almost yeast-less Koelsch trub (Which is already 2nd generation) as an
add-on to the Cascadian trub for a slightly larger loaf of bread. Should
have an interesting hoppy taste.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Dan Logcher

2017-01-23 14:49:30 UTC

I had this happen once using a bucket since I didn't have it completely secured.
You should be fine.. Airlocks aren't a sure fire proof that fermentation is
active or done. Best to take gravity readings and taste.

--
Dan

baloonon

2017-01-23 17:10:52 UTC