Pressuring Yeast
Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:05 pm
Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this question. Has anyone here ever experimented with different types of airlocks on their fermenters? After doing a lot of trial runs I noticed that if I close the fermenter completely and let pressure build, then release it, it seems to give more effect in regards to releasing the CO2 bubbles. A bit like taking the lid off a shaken up coke bottle. Of course it could just be the fact you see a lot more and there is not much actual difference. Why would this matter? Well the CO2 increases the acidity of the wash slowing the ethanol production by some percentage. It also increases the amount of time needed for settling. Having a stir plate in your fermenter would be the most productive way to do this but I am looking for a cheaper/macgyver type solution to it.
I'd like to have some sort of airlock which lets pressure build up to a certain amount, and then releases it back to atmospheric pressure. My first thought is having a fatter/longer airlock tube, if the CO2 has to push more water out of the way the pressure should be higher. But I think this won't release it back to atmospheric pressure and therefore not get the result I want. It would probably have a bigger pressure differential than the standard tiny airlocks though so it may be better than nothing. Is there some device which can do this? Has anyone experimented with airlocks and noticed any difference?
I'd like to have some sort of airlock which lets pressure build up to a certain amount, and then releases it back to atmospheric pressure. My first thought is having a fatter/longer airlock tube, if the CO2 has to push more water out of the way the pressure should be higher. But I think this won't release it back to atmospheric pressure and therefore not get the result I want. It would probably have a bigger pressure differential than the standard tiny airlocks though so it may be better than nothing. Is there some device which can do this? Has anyone experimented with airlocks and noticed any difference?