feffer

Recipes 

Making a Welch's Niagara wine based on Yooper's recipe and using K1-V1116 yeast. I filled the carboy to the shoulder based on previous experience with another yeast. However, the K1-1116 is foaming a lot and it's only the first day. I've got about 3" before it gets to the neck. Once it gets to the neck, an overflow is probably inevitable.

Right now the foam is about an inch thick. Should I just leave it alone or should I transfer some to a gallon jug to ferment separately? If the later, what's the best way to transfer it?

Honda88

Recipes 

use a blowoff valve....im curious though...why are you doing a primary fermentation in a carboy????

feffer

Recipes 

As I said, this is based on Yooper's recipe. It's all done in a carboy. During heavy fermentation, the mouth is covered with a paper towel and rubber band so the must gets air. Then when the ferm slows down, an air-lock is fitted. So can't use a blow-off valve at this stage. For now I'm just watching it. The foam head seems maxed out at about an inch and a half, so it may be OK as is. I was just wondering if anyone else here has had experience with this yeast?

DoctorCAD

Recipes 

Apparently, "heavy fermentation" has NOT stopped, so a blow-off would be fine in this case.

I'm guessing that Yooper just thinks that we all ferment in a bucket and then move to a carboy as standard practice, but that is only a guess...

feffer

Recipes 

The initial heavy foaming subsided. Only very active surface fizzing now. This is my first time using K1-V1116 yeast, so I didn't know what to expect.

And yes, I have a blow-off cap and was prepared to use it if things got worse. I can't speak for Yooper, but that thread indicates starting with a carboy is a simple way of handling pure juice (no sediment) like Welch's. I've done her recipe both ways: using a separate bucket primary and also doing it all in a carboy. The later way IS easier and very efficient. I think the main advantage of a primary bucket is when you have heavy gross lees, fruit pulp or use Bentonite in the must (like some kits). Lacking any of these, there's no need for a quick initial racking.