When you are fermenting , you run the risk of “blowing off” the top of the fermenter. To avoid this, use a blower tube to give the fermentation more room to move! Using a blowpipe has many advantages over a simple airlock. First, avoid the fermenter being covered with viscous yeast liquid. Second, it’s a surefire way to keep air out of your beer. Third, the pipes are easy to clean.
How do you know you need a snorkel until you need one? Here are a few criteria I considered when deciding to use a blowpipe instead of an adjustable airlock:
headspace
If for some reason it exceeds my intended volume, I could end up with 5.5 or 6 gallons of wort in a 6.5 gallon bucket. When this happens, I don’t even use the airlock and use the exhaust.
original gravity
Fermentation of the high-gravity wort is so rapid that Clausen’s head grows faster than an airlock can relieve the rising pressure. I start with a blowpipe for any beer with an original gravity higher than 1.060. There is nothing magical about this number. This is exactly what worked for me.
yeast strain
Certain strains of yeast are more aggressive than others. I’ve never had to equip my beer with a tailpipe, and very rarely with regular British beer. But regardless of the starting gravity, I always use a German Hefeweizen yeast and most Belgian strains.
temperature
Fermentation can get out of control if it starts at too high a temperature or is not in a controlled environment. Fermentation generates heat, which promotes yeast activity, which in turn raises the temperature, and so on. A snorkel is good insurance if the temperature is not well controlled, especially in summer.
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If you plan to open or expand the brewery, you can contact Micet Craft directly. Our engineers will design and manufacture brewery equipment according to your brewing process. Of course, we will also provide you with a complete turnkey solution. Also, if you plan to expand the brewery, we will provide you with customized solutions.