Stauffbier

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You got lucky then!

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joetito1

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But wouldn't there need to be some sort of counter pressure for the liquid to drain back into the fermentor? I guess I don't understand how that would be possible...

lumpher

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no, just for gravity pressure to exceed the pressure in the fermenter

AndrewD

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Why would you risk it? What benefit is there to having the fermenter and blow off reservoir reversed like that? At least have them on equal ground.

jeepinjeepin

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During fermentation the yeast create heat. That raises the fermentation vessel above ambient temperature. When it cools off those couple degrees it will creat a vacuum.

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joetito1

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I honestly didn't know there was a risk of that happening. It was my first time dealing with this kind of situation and I acted pretty quickly once it exploded all over my floor. I wouldn't ever set it up like that again knowing that there's that possibility.

I was asking that because I was more curious HOW it would happen, not that I thought what I did was the right choice.

Stauffbier

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Here's just one example of probably 100's of threads on this forum...
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/1-2-1-gallon-blowoff-water-sucked-into-carboy-320466/

So, even if you aren't sure of "how" it can happen, just be aware that it does. For future reference!

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BobTheFourth

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++

I had several beers in a row literally launch the top of an airlock onto the floor before I learned that lesson. I never had a mess quite like the OP though.