Must have been a vigorous fermentation

G-E-R-M-A-N · 04-10-2009, 09:44 PM

Ok so after working out my issues and getting my Herms system in order, I wound up brewing a Düsseldorf alt beer.

It appeared to be a dark amber when going into the boiling pot, but was much darker after getting into fermentor. I wound up getting 1.051 final gravity before pitching yeast. I had made a starter previously, and I am guessing it payed off, because the airlock was bubbling very fast yesterday.

Today after work I come to take a peak , and noticed that the wort had bubbled out of the airlock, and found the inner piece of the airlock on the floor of the fridge. I have brewed a heff with an blow off hose , but was not expecting this.

Opinions on color and fermentation would be good.

**david_42** · 04-11-2009, 01:28 AM

It doesn't count as a vigorous fermentation if you don't have to mop the ceiling.

Any idea how hot it got?

WBC · 04-11-2009, 03:58 AM

Depending on the yeast you can keep the temperature as low as the yeast will work at. For Nottingham I ferment at 60F to 62F (not air temperature) and then none of the krausen comes out. I do use a blow off tube though as it could overflow with a higher gravity brew.

G-E-R-M-A-N · 04-11-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

It doesn't count as a vigorous fermentation if you don't have to mop the ceiling.

Any idea how hot it got?

Not sure on how hot things got. I am controlling fridge temp via johnson controller probe taped on the front of fermentor. I have my temp set at 65-66. I am using wyeast 1007 I believe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WBC

Depending on the yeast you can keep the temperature as low as the yeast will work at. For Nottingham I ferment at 60F to 62F (not air temperature) and then none of the krausen comes out. I do use a blow off tube though as it could overflow with a higher gravity brew.

I had considered using a blowoff but can never get them clean after brewing. The krausen part is a real bitch to clean when it is dried on to anything. (even with pbw.)

**david_42** · 04-11-2009, 04:09 PM

Should be ok then.

**bendavanza** · 04-11-2009, 10:43 PM

Soak blowoff tubes in hot oxyclean or (better) beer line cleaner, the crud comes right off.
I hated them until I found BLC.

MacBruver · 04-12-2009, 03:56 AM

Yep, oxyclean works wonders. I had some serious crud on the blowoff tube from my belgian pale ale, and it all came off within a couple minutes with oxyclean.

WBC · 04-12-2009, 06:12 AM

G-e-r-m-a-n,

The yeast is able to go as low as 55F. Why 65F?

The lower the temperature the better the beer and the less violent the fermentation.

SPECS:
Origin: Wyeast 1007
Flocculation: low
Attenuation: 73-77%
Temperature Range: 55-68° F (13-20° C)

Donthoseme · 04-12-2009, 12:03 PM

Yes i was under the impression for an Alt that it's fermented much cooler than normal ales to get that "altish" character.

G-E-R-M-A-N · 04-12-2009, 03:37 PM

Well damn I will lower it down then slowly. I did not know that it would affect it like that. Man I feel like I missed the boat here! I just went by what beersmith said to keep temp at.