I’m using a Grainfather conical fermenter. When I dumped some spent yeast today I think the vacuum that created sucked a little water through the airlock into the fermenter. Since it was just tap water I’m a little concerned about contamination. For this reason is it best to use sanitized water in the airlock? A friend of mine used to put some vodka in his airlock…
No problem. I use plain tap water 99% of the time. By the time you dump trub, fermentation has been taking place. Between the low pH and alcohol created by that you’re fine.
Theoretically, you should use a media in which neither bacteria nor fungi can grow.
Water was sanitized when you put it but, again, bacteria and fungi can grow in it.
Practically, I would agree that it’s very unlikely that such minor contamination, if any, can take hold in fermented beer.
My bet is you’ll be ok.
I used standard tap water in my airlocks all the time without any worries about anything growing in them. Yeah, it’s obviously best not have it sucked back in but for the most part if the airlock as been covered there’s not much, if anything, going on in the airlock water.
Since I just brewed, I always have a batch of iodophor/water solution just sitting there so I use it in the blowoff jar (airlock).
Thanks one and all for your helpful replies and for easing my concern about the unsanitized airlock water that may have made its way into my fermenter. Much appreciated. This Forum is great!
Over the last few years, I have gone to a cornie keg with sanitizer as my blow off arrangement, because I ferment with more than enough head space in my fermenter. The CO2 of fermentation blows the sanitizer our of the keg and into a collection bucket that doubles as my airlock and the CO2 in the keg puts a little CO2 pressure on the keg and fermenter (make sure your fermenter can handle the pressure, if you switch to a spunding valve prior to final gravity). I have never had any suck back into the fermenter or cornie keg in the course of cooling the fermenter, using a long dispense line from the keg into the bucket (when not spunding). I can’t remember who mentioned the idea, but it was someone on here!
I’ve always used cheap bottom shelf vodka for my airlocks.
Did that for a while. Once the bottle ran out I switched to water…no difference
I put cheap Vodka in the air lock, probably don’t have to, but what the hell. If I didn’t, I’d have to drink that crap and I certainly don’t want to be accused of alcohol abuse.
I also use a cheap vodka in airlocks. What got me in the habit of using vodka was from storing mead in carboys for months at a time. On more than one occasion I had mold start to develop in the airlock. No issues like that when using vodka. So I just use it for all airlocks now.
I use “canned water” in my airlocks. Every now and then I boil up a pot of water, then put it into small sanitized canning jars and seal them up. When I need some sanitized water for an airlock or for rehydrating dry yeast I just open one of the jars and pour it out. If I had vodka around I would use that in my airlocks, but I usually don’t.
That’s WAY too organized! :) Great idea.
But can’t the water become “contaminated” while in the airlock? Maybe I am missing something…
I’ll give another vote for vodka. I’ve never had an issue with water in the airlock, but I keep a handle of the cheapest vodka available in my brewery for airlocks. Beyond having to explain why I have a handle of Wolfschmidt, there is no downside. I think it was like $12 or $15 for the handle and it lasts along time.
I guess if you were fermenting a mead for months that could happen, but for an ale fermenting for a couple of weeks there is no problem.
OK, but then why worry about boiling the water? Not trying to nitpick, but just wondering.
Well, some people don’t bother boiling and seem to do fine. I like to have water that is pre-boiled and cooled to room temperature ready at hand for rehydrating dry yeast. Since I have it on hand I use it for my airlock, too.
The only real issue is suckback, and it’s likely a remote one if your tap water is decent enough. I used star san before i switched to blow off tubes because it would be effective for a longer time than Iodophor. Bacteria doesn’t fly, even in an empty tube. See: swan neck flask.