Airlocks are another one of those necessary pieces of equipment for every homebrewer. If you ferment in a carboy or bucket this 3 piece airlock is a must! It’s a popular alternative to the triple ripple type of airlock because it can be taken apart and cleaned, and is easy to fill.
While a simple device not all airlocks are the same. Some other designs have only a couple holes in the plastic lid and this can cause the airlock to pop out during an active fermentation. Our design features multiple holes that allow CO2 to escape easily. Additionally some other airlocks have a cross hatch design on the bottom. We have found this more easily leads to Krausen clogs and the airlock being pushed out of the fermenter. Ours is open, allowing Krausen foam to enter the airlock if necessary. Better to clean your airlock out than to find it laying on the floor next to your fermenter 3 days later.
Another cool feature of this 3-piece airlock is that 1/2" ID Silicone tubing will fit onto the center post for use as a blowoff. In the cases where you are using a yeast known to produce lots of Krausen (wlp002 from White Labs or 1968 from Wyeast for example) remove the top cover, remove the plastic 'hat', and install the silicone tubing. Run the silicone tubing into a jar or bucket of water. When fermentation dies back down remove the tubing and replace the hat and cover.