A newbie question 2. Blowoff tubes.

[Asahikun]

Sorry if this is a really stupied question but.......
Should I just run the tube into an empty jar or should I put some water in it?
If the jar is empty, bacteria could get in before fermentation starts, right? If the tube goes into water, it will soon turn into gunk which should be emptied and replaced with clean water, right?
Which should I do?

[mmmBeer...]

Definitely put water in it, you don’t want anything travelling up the tube into the wort.

Replace the water whenever your container gets close to overflowing. I use an old “juice jug” (about 2 litre in size) and need to empty the foam out about 3 or 4 times before I put the fermentation lock in place. The bigger the jug the better so you don’t get any messes from spill over.

[quantum24]

remember to use water with sanatizer in it

[Asahikun]

Thanks for the replies. Is it OK to just put a bit of bleach in the water? Should I also be doing that to the water in the airlock? I haven't up to now.

[Tom C]

I personally wouldn't use bleach in the blow off. May add to aroma or taste. That would really kill a beer. Try Iodophor sanitizer, but use sparingly. It isa contact sanitizer and attributes no taste to your beer.

Tom C

[Asahikun]

Thanks. In the absence of anything other than bleach, which would be better; just water or water with a tiny bit of bleach?

[mmmBeer...]

I have always used just plain tap water in both the blow off container and the fermentation lock and have never had a batch contaminated. I have read that some people use vodka in their fermentation locks. I figure as long as there is positive pressure from the fermentor, the chances of anything getting into the beer is pretty slim. The lag time in my beers is usually about 5 hours, so I figure if I sanitize the blow off tube and jug it is not likely that anything would get into the beer.

[Asahikun]

Thanks a lot for all the replies.

Cheers, or as they say in Japan, Kanpai.