It is best to use a sanitizer in the airlock. Starsan solution or vodka are the most common. Iodophor would not be be good if there is a chance of the sanitizer going into the beer.
Are you refilling the airlock during very active fermentation? If so the CO2 production may be evaporating the water. Let it go below the fill line. Just keep an eye on it to have enough sanitizer in the airlock to form a seal from the outside air.
Actually there is NO fermentation yet. My fears of screwing up my first 6 gallon batch of beer seems like it might be a reality. I was so careful to sanitize EVERYTHING. I think I added the yeast when the wort was still too warm. So I just added another packet of yeast. I sanitized an Airlock my friend let me use and replaced mine, and put sanitizer in it. Mine had holes in the cap, this one doesn’t. Now I just have to wait and see if fermentation starts. If it doesn’t, I’ll be pissed. I can’t afford to be paying for bad batches.
The cap is supposed to have holes in it. You don’t need a cap anyways? How do you know it’s not fermenting? Sounds like you blowing out the liquid from fermentation. If your sure it’s not fermenting you have a leaky airlock. If you determine its leaking just spray some starsan on a piece of foil and lay if over the hole. Your not going to mess up your beer because of a faulty air lock.
I thought maybe the gases escaped from the edges on his somehow. I filled the Airlock with sanitizer I started out with and sat it upright after replacing it with the other one. Not leaking down at all now. :? There was no activity on top when I pitched the second sachet of yeast (24 hrs. after the first). That’s why I thought there was no fermentation going on.
Hi Josh its the fermenting temp. That’s been staying at 64 degrees and thanks!cheers:
