[gmac]

Can someone post a picture of how they made a blow-by tube for a glass carboy?  I tried to make a one but fitting I put into the rubber bung was too large and it seemed to expand the rubber too much and it wouldn't stay in the carboy mouth.  I can probably drill out the rubber to make the fitting I have work but is there a better way?
Thanks

[BrewArk]

I just took a three piece air lock apart & attached the tubing to the inside of the air lock.  Easier than posting a pic!

[gmac]

Thanks.  I had a picture in my mind that it needed to be larger diameter (not sure why that would be since things come out the airlock just fine already).  I was working with a bit larger ID tubing that I had.  Does tubing ID matter at all?  Would bigger allow too much krausen to escape?  Am I over thinking this (yes)?

[denny]

You can use (IIRC) 1 1/8" tubing and just put it in the neck of the carboy without using a stopper.

[theDarkSide]

Mine is a Better Bottle but would work with glass as well.  The vinyl tubing is 1/2" ID.

[jeffy]

Thanks.  I had a picture in my mind that it needed to be larger diameter (not sure why that would be since things come out the airlock just fine already).  I was working with a bit larger ID tubing that I had.  Does tubing ID matter at all?  Would bigger allow too much krausen to escape?  Am I over thinking this (yes)?

I found some clear plastic tubing at home depot that fit snugly into the top of a carboy, but lately I've been adding a few drops of anti-foam stuff to prevent overactive blow-off.

[oscarvan]

I found some clear plastic tubing at home depot that fit snugly into the top of a carboy, but lately I've been adding a few drops of anti-foam stuff to prevent overactive blow-off.

Is there ANY other side effect of the anti foam?

[jeffy]

I found some clear plastic tubing at home depot that fit snugly into the top of a carboy, but lately I've been adding a few drops of anti-foam stuff to prevent overactive blow-off.

Is there ANY other side effect of the anti foam?

I haven't found any negatives in about a year of use in the boil and sometimes in the fermenter.

[oscarvan]

Yes, I was talking about the fermenter...... Does one add it in there? Or in the boil and it carries over?

[Kaiser]

I just checked, and I use 1 1/4 inch OD vinyl tubing. It's easily cleaned with a bottle brush.

I'm a very strong proponent of letting the Krausen blow off to prevent the brown Kraeusen from falling back into the beer. It didn't happen on one of my recent beers and I notice this as a harsh bitterness in the finish.

Kai

[tom]

Kai, have you done any tests or trials of that?
When I started brewing 20 years ago Charlie Papazian recommended it. Now it seems no-one else does.

[Kaiser]

Kai, have you done any tests or trials of that?
When I started brewing 20 years ago Charlie Papazian recommended it. Now it seems no-one else does.

There is a write-up here: Should the Kraeusen fall back into the beer?

Of all the side-by-sides, that I did to evaluate brewing procedure changes, this was one that showed the the most pronounced difference to me. I suggest that brewers give this a try to see if improves their beer.

We also discussed this topic here: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=486.0 which includes a link to an old Zymurgy article.

Kai

[gmac]

Thanks, I'll go look for some 1 1/4 OD tubing (or what will fit the hole in my carboy).  I was thinking it would have to be more secure than this to avoid any air and potential bacteria but it appears not.

I used to use a blow-by like the one first mentioned although I cut off the bottom of an airlock and fitted a hose to it.  Worked fine until it got full of hops and blew beer everywhere when the cork let go.  That's why I was wondering what others did and the diameter.

[Kaiser]

Don't worry about contamination too much. I oftentimes don't even have the other end submerged in water for the first few days. As long as it points downward bacteria won't get in.

Kai

[Slowbrew]

I had a broken plastic racking cane lying around, so I cut a short piece of it off and stuck that in a standard bung.  Then I put a short piece of racking tubing on the top end of the cane piece.  Works like a champ and when the major fireworks are done I just remove the cane and insert a 3 piece fermentation lock.

I used to just put a piece of racking tubing on the inner pipe of the airlock but it still plugged up once in a while.  The bootom of the airlocks I've got have a 4 branch screen type thing on them that would get gunked up.

Paul