When brewing, it’s critical to keep air out of your batch. This helps to brew beer more successfully. An airlock comes in handy when homebrewing beer to make your batches taste better and ferment more consistently.
The role of an airlock in homebrewing is to keep hostile air from entering the atmosphere of your fermentation bucket or carboy. The airlock is crucial to ensure that fermentation runs without any hiccups and doesn’t get contaminated.
Now, how does an airlock work? It employs encapsulated water that the carbon-monoxide from the fermentation process can utilize to bubble without creating pressure that could blast open the fermentation bucket or carboy. Thanks to the gravity in the airlock, the water stays down and seals in the airspace. At the end of the day, it all comes down to enabling carbon dioxide to escape your fermentation bucket/carboy; however, keeping oxygen from entering, which can potentially ruin the entire batch. Have a look at the detailed product reviews below for more information about the best airlocks for homebrewing.
Best Airlocks For Homebrewing
Product Image | Product Name | D&B Rating | Price Range | Shop Now |
---|---|---|---|---|
Top | Twin Bubble Airlock By FastRack | 4.5 / 5 | $ | Check Price |
Twin Bubble Airlock By Vintage Shop | 4.5 / 5 | $$ | Check Price | |
Masontops Pickle Pipes Waterless Airlock | 4.5 / 5 | $$$ | Check Price | |
3 Piece Airlock By Craft A Brew | 4.5 / 5 | $ | Check Price | |
SocalHomeBrew Plastic 3 Piece Airlock | 4.5 / 5 | $$ | Check Price | |
Box Brew Kits Three-Piece Airlock | 4.3 / 5 | $$$ | Click Here |
Detailed Product Reviews
If you are a home brewer, you need an airlock to get the most out of your recipes. However, with lots of airlocks available for homebrewing beer, it becomes difficult to select the best one that will meet your requirements. Here’s a list of the best airlocks that are available in the market.
- PROS: You can precisely monitor the pressure buildup followed by bubbles, and the brew never gets into the airlocks hence makes cleaning very easy. CONS: A little hard to clean compared to the 3 piece airlocks, and these are a little fragile as they are made of brittle plastic.
- PROS: This airlock never leaks and is easy to set up, made of thick durable plastic that will last for a long time. CONS: There are no holes at the top for the gases to escape, they are small to fit a standard rubber grommet with a 3/8 diameter.
- PROS: Its simple to use and maintain, made of durable and flexible material, and provides a good consistency. CONS: The airlock is a little on the expensive side, and doesn't fit small mouth jars as they are too big.
- PROS: The airlocks are made of high-quality materials, excellent value for money given the pricing, a simple wash is all that is required to clean the airlock. CONS: Sometimes the rubber corks may push back out from the bottle.
- PROS: The design is very attractive, even with an overflow situation it performs well, these are simple to fill and refill. CONS: The plastic is brittle and can break if twisted tightly.
- PROS: Easy to set up and work with, the cap is light and easily expels gases. CONS: The rubber stoppers sometimes does not fit perfectly in the carboy, and these are a little fragile.