airlock

Gidday!

I have just started my first brew and my question pertains to the airlock. After about 12hrs it started bubbling which to my knowledge is normal. But how often should the bubbling occur? It bubbles probably every 20 seconds atleast, and I have found that it spills over slightly so that I need to top it up. After a topup it seems to sit still for a while. Is any of this normal? I am using an s-bend airlock with the cap. The temp for the last two days (in fact the first two days) is 26 C. Thanks for any advice! Amanda.

NZ

All sounds totally normal. Don't worry. Relax. Have a homebrew.

-- Dave "Just a drink, a little drink, and I'll be feeling GOOooOOooOOooD!" -- Genesis, 1973-ish

There's no "normal" for how often it should bubble...to many factors. If it's spilling over, it's too full. It doesn't take much water to make it effective.

---------->Denny

it does this because the pressure in the carboy must get higher to push out the extra weight of the water you have in the airock

Is any of this

Gidday 'Manda

I'm a newbie at this too (since Nov 2003). I am now making my 7th brew and have found the rate of bubbling depends on how full your barrel is; a half full fermentator (11.5 litres - a single can of Macs) will bubble very slowly, while a full barrel (2 cans of Macs) will make the water in the airlock look like it's 'boiling.'

Currently I have a Stout down - no sugar at two thirds the recommended volume ... my intention is to make a Guinness type Stout to be ready for March 17 ... ;) The airlock is scaresly bubbling, but when I take the lid off it's clearly fermenting and going well. I think I need to invest in a new rubber ring for my lid!

If you stick a small circular sponge in the top of the airlock you will stop it spilling over and wont need to top it up -- also helps quieten the thing!

And if you ever need a hand sampling ....

Cheers Mate T

NZ

Gidday T

Yea thanks for that. I got the water level to a place where it wasnt spilling out anymore and kept a good bubble going. So I have that sorted. Today was 'bottling day'. I used carbonation drops by Brewcraft which (4hrs after bottling) still seemed to be sitting in the bottom of the four plastic

1.25 ltr bottles I used (I only had 24 Tui bottles!) but the Tui bottles look fine. So Im a little buggered with that one. Ah well, the proof will be in a couple of weeks, maybe more if I can leave it alone that long.

Btw, do you know of anywhere in NZ where you can get a keg system (other than the brewers world one).

Thanks again for the advice. Cheers Amanda.

Hi Mate

If you're in Auckland there's Hauraki Home Brew Services in Takapuna. Email them with the obvious mistakes corrected: hauraki.homebrew(at)xtra(dot)co(dot)nz Their current price list includes a Rotokeg - $135 and a Beer Sphere - $150. I've never tried carbonation drops, but Tiffany at Hauraki Home Brew will be able to give you the right advice. The wisest I can be is to say patience .... (and put one of your first bottles aside)

Cheers T

: Gidday T : : Yea thanks for that. I got the water level to a place where it wasnt : spilling out anymore and kept a good bubble going. So I have that sorted. : Today was 'bottling day'. I used carbonation drops by Brewcraft which (4hrs : after bottling) still seemed to be sitting in the bottom of the four plastic : 1.25 ltr bottles I used (I only had 24 Tui bottles!) but the Tui bottles : look fine. So Im a little buggered with that one. Ah well, the proof will be : in a couple of weeks, maybe more if I can leave it alone that long. : : Btw, do you know of anywhere in NZ where you can get a keg system (other : than the brewers world one). : : Thanks again for the advice. : Cheers : Amanda. : : >

: :

Gidday