Do you think I should use a blow off?

You'll be fine as long as the temp is stable

 

Jesse, there are absolutely no negatives to conducting a blow off. I would recommend that you affix a blow off tube since this will bring you peace of mind.

I hope that your Porter turns out well. Please report back how close you came to cloning Edmund Fitzgerald Porter.

Cheers!

Jack

P.S. For future reference there is a product called Fermcap where you squirt a few drops into the fermenter. Fermcap keeps the krausen down and mitigates/eliminates the aspect of blow off. I use Fermcap when I brew high gravity beers (OG > 1.070). You might want to consider buying some Fermcap if you have a preference for not hooking up a blow off tube for future batches.

 

As long as the temp is stable in the mid to lower 60s and you have ample headspace you will more than likely be fine.

 

Since you'll be away, I'd probably use a blowoff for a 1.064 beer. Unless you have a really large fermenter. If you weren't going away, I'd ask how big.

 

7 Gallons? I'd be tempted to tempt fate. But if it makes you feel better, a blowoff can't hurt.

 

I always use a blowoff for the first week. An easy step for all the assurance it provides.

 

I would always use a blowoff, cleaning beer off of the ceiling is no fun.

 

ZERO reason NOT to use a blow off... I've not used a regular air lock except in extended lagering in YEARS

 

Curious what people think of foil during active fermentation. On high gravity beers I generally start with sanitized foil taped on two sides over the airlock hole an switch to an airlock with about 1 day to go in the fermentation (also when I increase temp).

 

I've done it ChrisMyhre, I liked the blow off better.. not sure why exactly

 

A blow-off is cheap insurance.

FWIW, I always use one...for everything.

 

Aluminum foil is OK as long as there are no flying insects around. Fruit flies (which are covered with bacteria) absolutely love the smell of fermenting beer and will ‘dive in’ if the only barrier is aluminum foil. A blow off tube or airlock is a more secure barrier since they will ‘block’ flying insects.

Cheers!

 

One more vote for a blowoff tube. Easy insurance. Don't miss the Pats game on your weekend adventure

 

In case of 7 Gallon bucket, you can leave the lead on loss, top the lead with heavy object and you good to go.

 

Finally! We've been waiting for like forever on this.

 

And take a brick to the face when the lid flies off anyway.

 

Or tack a brake, while your beer ferments. buy the time you are back your beer might bee finished and the brick factory went bank rapt or bank crap.
Or in hebrow "אני רואה זאת ממש בחומרה רבה"