Beer Forum

My 10+ stout has calmed down after the initial fermentation madness and I want to put my new thermowell to use. It's supposed to be near 85 to day where I live in San Diego so I certainly can use the benefits it provides as well.

I went out this morning with the plans to remove the blow off tube and replace it with the thermowell/carboy cap and shove an airlock in the other opening of the carboy cap.

I tried for about 30 minutes to get the air lock into the carboy cap, I broke one air lock and at the end was completely unsuccessful.

I then tried to put some of the tubing I use for my racking cane/bottling wand on the carboy cap and that's not fitting either.

So what's the deal. I read on B3 that 1/2" tubing should fit on there. is the tubing I use for my racking cane 1/2"?

I guess I could put the tubing on some hot water for a while to soften it up a bit and then try and mash it over the spout on the carboy cap, or I could put the carboy cap in the hot water for a while and then try and jam the air lock into it, but none of that went very well this morning when it was in the 50's and everything was cold and stiff.

Help me out here.

I had to make the hole bigger with a razor blade to get an airlock and racking cane to fit.

I put a barbed MFL fitting(http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_i ... s_id=10250) in the blowoff side and attached a hose with an FFL barb(http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_i ... ts_id=1272) to it. That way, you can use a co2 hose with an FFL(and VERY low PSI) to push the beer out of the carboy.

ok, I'll break out the razor blade when I get home to get the air lock to fit.

I also ordered a couple of the stainless fittings from Austin Homebrew as well as the pin lock connectors I need for when I finally keg.

Thanks for the help