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charlesmartin · 05-31-2011, 05:45 AM

This is a post of firsts for me...
1-this is my first post.
2-i'm trying my first clone--bells 2 hearted ale (DME)
3-decided i'd make my first starter: wyeast 1056
4-and booyah--my first airlock explosion!
5-and now my first blowoff tube

I went to visit family for dinner tonight, but I felt there might be a problem before I left, so I checked the krausen and saw that it was one inch from the airlock...just 14 hours after the pitch. Well, I put towels on the floor, a box around, and a few shirts over the carboy...just in case. That was the best idea I have had in a long time. While at dinner, it blew and made a decent mess.

When I got home, I cleaned the mess and replaced the airlock stopper with a blowoff tube. The starsan in my blowoff growler is foaming like crazy. This is the most co2 action i have ever seen.

Moral to my story here...make a starter=make a blowoff tube. I thought there was enough headroom. I guess that is what I get for thinking. ha.

Here are some pics after I attached my first blowoff tube (the rubber bands were there in case something like this happened):

nefarious_1_ · 05-31-2011, 02:03 PM

I remember my first blow-off...

MazdaMatt · 05-31-2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nefarious_1_

I remember my first blow-off...

I found this funnier than I probably should have. Well done.

tmeier45 · 05-31-2011, 07:38 PM

Same thing just happened to me yesterday and this morning......my first and second blow offs ever. I got greedy and didn't leave enough headroom on either batch.
The one batch that didn't blow off.....had plenty of head room.

Hopefully this doesn't ruin the brews at all since the blowoffs occurred in the middle of the night.

tonyolympia · 05-31-2011, 11:02 PM

I'm about to pitch a starter to a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy. I figured with 2 gallons head space, a regular airlock would do. Am I wrong?

blkandrust · 05-31-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyolympia

I'm about to pitch a starter to a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy. I figured with 2 gallons head space, a regular airlock would do. Am I wrong?

What is your OG? I have had to use a blowoff tube with only 3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy.That was for a Barleywine though.I would say that as long as you have a moderate OG you will be fine.

tonyolympia · 05-31-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blkandrust

What is your OG? I have had to use a blowoff tube with only 3 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy.That was for a Barleywine though.I would say that as long as you have a moderate OG you will be fine.

It's 1.050, a pale ale fermented with Wyeast 1272.

blkandrust · 06-01-2011, 12:31 AM

With a 1.050 you will be fine with an airlock.

jborho · 06-01-2011, 12:43 AM

I pretty much do a blow off on all primaries now, and after the initial Krausen I will convert to air locks. As for the beer getting ruined with an open top, I would not worry about it.... there is more then enough co2 escaping to keep it clean. Read up on open fermentation, might ease your worries a little bit there.