By Chris Jennings
For the Oregon Beer Growler
The process of fermentation can be quite violent. And dealing with the off-gassing during this product can be a difficult task. Choosing the proper fermentation vessel can make a huge difference. Additionally, there are times when a standard airlock won’t always cut it. First, we’ll explore the containers available for fermentation and describe how and why you’d use a blow-off tube.
The Vessels
Your local homebrew shop should offer a wide variety of containers to choose from. Deciding which to go with is, for the most part, a matter of personal preference. The most common is a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with a hole in the lid for a stopper and airlock. This type of vessel is a good option because it offers extra headroom and surface area for the yeast cake to expand. However, there’s one con to consider: plastic scratches easily. These unintended grooves can harbor bacteria, so taking good care of your bucket is important.
Another common vessel is the carboy. They come in a variety of sizes and can be plastic or glass. The plastic carboys can be difficult to clean, but they’re lighter and won’t shatter. Glass carboys are heavy and very fragile. Unlike plastic buckets, the carboys don’t have a lot of extra headspace. The airlock can clog, which causes pressure to build — eventually causing an explosion of beer, and sometimes glass.
Blow-Off Tubes
To avoid this mess, you can turn to the blow-off tube instead of just an airlock for primary fermentation. There are two ways to rig a blow-off tube. First, jam a piece of tubing into the stopper that’s 3/8 inches in diameter. It should be long enough to go from the top of the fermenter into a bucket of sanitizer on the floor. The end of the tube needs to be fully submerged so that bugs and oxygen don’t get into the beer. A second method is to insert a piece of 1-inch tubing into the hole of the fermenter. That diameter can be more expensive, but it’s easier to clean and there’s no risk of it clogging.
With whatever method you decide in the end, you will reduce the risk of having a large explosion of yeast and beer to clean up later. Choosing the proper fermentation vessel and how you manage the fermentation can be as important as choosing your ingredients when brewing.
Homebrew Recipes
Belgasaurous Rex [AG]
Belgasaurous Rex [Extract]
For the Oregon Beer Growler
The process of fermentation can be quite violent. And dealing with the off-gassing during this product can be a difficult task. Choosing the proper fermentation vessel can make a huge difference. Additionally, there are times when a standard airlock won’t always cut it. First, we’ll explore the containers available for fermentation and describe how and why you’d use a blow-off tube.
The Vessels
Your local homebrew shop should offer a wide variety of containers to choose from. Deciding which to go with is, for the most part, a matter of personal preference. The most common is a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket with a hole in the lid for a stopper and airlock. This type of vessel is a good option because it offers extra headroom and surface area for the yeast cake to expand. However, there’s one con to consider: plastic scratches easily. These unintended grooves can harbor bacteria, so taking good care of your bucket is important.
Another common vessel is the carboy. They come in a variety of sizes and can be plastic or glass. The plastic carboys can be difficult to clean, but they’re lighter and won’t shatter. Glass carboys are heavy and very fragile. Unlike plastic buckets, the carboys don’t have a lot of extra headspace. The airlock can clog, which causes pressure to build — eventually causing an explosion of beer, and sometimes glass.
Blow-Off Tubes
To avoid this mess, you can turn to the blow-off tube instead of just an airlock for primary fermentation. There are two ways to rig a blow-off tube. First, jam a piece of tubing into the stopper that’s 3/8 inches in diameter. It should be long enough to go from the top of the fermenter into a bucket of sanitizer on the floor. The end of the tube needs to be fully submerged so that bugs and oxygen don’t get into the beer. A second method is to insert a piece of 1-inch tubing into the hole of the fermenter. That diameter can be more expensive, but it’s easier to clean and there’s no risk of it clogging.
With whatever method you decide in the end, you will reduce the risk of having a large explosion of yeast and beer to clean up later. Choosing the proper fermentation vessel and how you manage the fermentation can be as important as choosing your ingredients when brewing.
Homebrew Recipes
Belgasaurous Rex [AG]
Belgasaurous Rex [Extract]
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