At what stage in fermentation do blow-offs typically occur? Any sure signs that one may occur?
When fermentation is at is peak. Time wise, it will depend on how long the yeast take to get going. I could be with in 12hrs or 3 days.
Here is a couple ideas for a blow off tube.
http://s1.zetaboards.com/merrycuss_home ... 4141981/1/ http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/bbbot.htmlThanks, i have the blow-off tube that came with the kit from NB. I’m keeping an eye on it as it is heading into the night and the krausen (think i spelled it write) keeps rising. This is my first beer so i don’t know what to expect but it is heading up into the narrower part of the carboy now.
If I’m ever worried I put on the tube to be safe. Blowoffs are a bitch to clean up.
I put the blowoff tubing on from the start seeing the blowoff in the first 24-48 hours.
Put the free end in starsan solution or something similar. I’d rather sleep then worry about it.
A blow off tube is a big air lock. So it would never hurt to put it on from the start.
That is nice the NB is including some tubing for blow offs. The the super big ones I linked to, you should never have an issue with clogging.
I actually installed one just so i wouldn’t have to worry. Would be nice if the tube were a bit more flexible. It is bubbling away nicely and I am worry free now.
How is everyone handeling blowoff in buckets?
I have a one gallon bucket that I fill about 1/2 to 2/3 full of Star San treated water.
As someone else said, a blowoff tube is just a big, more reliable airlock, so that is all I use on my fermenters. As I ferment in kegs, I just connect a gas disconnect with some 1/4" beverage tubing and place the tube into a stainless 1/2 gallon bucket with some water. If you don’t have a mechanical connection, use larger blowoff tubing as a clog can push out the tubing.
As my fermentations go unwatched for days inside a controlled upright freezer in stainless containers, I’d never use a little plastic airlock device. With the blowoff tube there is little to no chance of any failure. In most cases there is never any blowoff anyway, but it’s nice to know that I can be away from the house and the most that happens is I have to empty the bucket 
Is there any risk of bacteria getting into the wort, because the tube is just shoved into the carboy? I’d feel better if there was some type of gasket connection.
Either the tube itself makes a seal to the carboy, or you use a stopper with the proper sized hole. A hose shoved in that doesn’t seal is pointless and is not a blowoff tube.
Dean, that’s kinda my point. I don’t see how the 1 1/4 blow-off hoses they provide do a good enough job of sealing with the carboy.
I like the assembly Nighthawk provided in his post, but once again the design uses the same connection to the carboy.
Am I being overly nervous about this?
i think a little. the hose fits tightly into all of my carboys. if you are a little on the paranoid side try using one of these with a hose coming off of one of the ends…
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/3-5- ... range.htmlSaw the question posted earlier, but I didn’t see a response:
How is everyone handling blowoff in plastic fermentation buckets?
Or since those are larger than a 5-gal carboy is not as big of a concern?
Also, is blow-off a concern during secondary fermentation, as well?
thx…
[quote=“pointyskull”]Saw the question posted earlier, but I didn’t see a response:
How is everyone handling blowoff in plastic fermentation buckets?
Or since those are larger than a 5-gal carboy is not as big of a concern?
Also, is blow-off a concern during secondary fermentation, as well?
thx…[/quote]
buckets are usually large enough, but there are numerous ways to rig a hose to an airlock, or the rubber gasket, or making a new hole for a blow off.
You wont have blowoff in secondary unless you are adding fruit back or something to restart a ferment
almost never have a blow off in a 6.5 gallon bucket ( plenty of space, I cool wort down to mid 60’s for ales, and my basement stays in high 50’s to mid 60’s). On ocassions where I do - I have a broken racking cane - I sawed off a 2-3 inch section that I put in the gromet in the lid and connect a hose to it.
I always use a blow-off hose in the primary…not so much because I’m afraid of a blow-off, but because I can never get a airlock to stay in my 6 gallon caroby.
+1 to the slippery bung
