IvanTheTerrible

Recipes 

You guys have seen the pics...the little space in my 5 gallon carboy in not completely filled with foam.

Should I attach a hose and set up a blow off or should I just leave it alone?

There isn't anything in the airlock yet but its not looking good. Now I'm seeing little chunks of yeast swimming around.

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Bottled:
Pale Ale (First Brew Ever) - not drinkable.

On Deck:
Northern Brewer American Amber Ale

In My Fridge:
Harpoon IPA, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Becks

ohiobrewtus

Recipes 

It's not going to hurt anything to hook up a blowoff tube.

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IvanTheTerrible

Recipes 

There was definitely some gack in my airlock this morning, but didnt have time to sanitize the blow-off hose and set that up, so I placed a baking pan under the carboy to catch any foam that might leak out during the course of the day, and if the foam is rising when I get home I'll set up the blow-off hose/water.

This is the most excitement I've encountered since my kids were born!

__________________
Bottled:
Pale Ale (First Brew Ever) - not drinkable.

On Deck:
Northern Brewer American Amber Ale

In My Fridge:
Harpoon IPA, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Becks

TheJadedDog

Recipes 

Blow-outs are not a huge deal. If you have a mess when you get home just clean it and attach a blow-off tube.

Personally I always go with a blow-off until fermentation dies down and then I attach an air-lock.

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And now we go AG!

On Tap: Nadda
Primary: Nadda
Planning: Extra Special Bitter

Nyxator

Recipes 

This happened in the secondary fermenter? I think it's best to ensure that the fermentation is done or very close when I rack the beer to secondary.

As for the question, I would stick a blow off tube on there when you get the chance, but having gunk on your airlock isn't going to hurt anything.

__________________

Haiku are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

IvanTheTerrible

Recipes 

I thought it was done. I took hydro readings 2 days in a row and it was stuck at 1.017. I posted that and everyone thought it was high but it looked like it was done so I racked. I'm not sure why it happened, but I knew there was something funny going on when I saw yeast swimming around the next day.

Oh well, I guess the yeast will work it down to the 1.010ish gravity that it should be... isn't this a good thing or do you foresee any problems?

__________________
Bottled:
Pale Ale (First Brew Ever) - not drinkable.

On Deck:
Northern Brewer American Amber Ale

In My Fridge:
Harpoon IPA, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Becks

Bobby_M

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Recipes 

It's better than staying stuck. I've had this happen once and the beer was fine. You'll want to start counting your days in secondary once it's stops again though. I mean, you're trying to get it to clear in there so you have to give it time now or rack into tertiary.

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IvanTheTerrible

Recipes 

When I got home last night there was krausen coming out of the little holes of the airlock! Blow-off tube was installed and she's bubbling away.

When do I take the tube off and put the airlock back on? When all the activity stops?

__________________
Bottled:
Pale Ale (First Brew Ever) - not drinkable.

On Deck:
Northern Brewer American Amber Ale

In My Fridge:
Harpoon IPA, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Becks

IowaStateFan

Recipes 

No kidding. Having the fermentation become unstuck in the bottles is a BAAAAAD thing. Ask me how I know.