Fermentation
lock
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
The fermentation lock or airlock
is a device used in beer brewing and wine making
that allows carbon dioxide released by the beer to escape the fermenter, while not
allowing air to enter the fermenter, thus avoiding oxidation.
There are two main designs for the
fermentation lock, or airlock. These designs work when half filled with water.
When the pressure of the gas inside the fermentation vessel exceeds the
prevailing atmospheric pressure the gas will push its way through the water as
individual bubbles into the outside air. A sanitizing solution or vodka is sometimes placed in the
fermentation lock to prevent contamination of the beer in case the water is
inadvertently drawn into the fermenter.
This device may take the form of a
tube connected to the headspace of the fermenting vessel into a tub of
sanitized liquid or a simpler device mounted directly on top of the fermentation
vessel.
Currently, a popular fermentation
lock that mounts on top of the fermentation vessel is the three-piece
fermentation lock. Other models contain three bulbous chambers allowing for a
broader range of pressure equalization. These bulbous fermentation locks were
generally made of hand blown glass and are nowadays often made of clear
plastic.
The use of perforated rubber
balloons offers an easy and inexpensive alternative to conventional airlocks:
as used primarily in homebrewing, the balloon is stretched over the orifice of
the fermentation vessel and, if necessary, tightened with rubber bands. The
balloon is then perforated with a needle. These punctures, while not completely
airtight, sufficiently protect the vessel's contents from contamination and
allow the gases produced by fermentation to evacuate from the vessel as the
pressure rises and the balloon inflates.
See
also
The
entire wiki link on the subject can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation_lock
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