First Bucket Explosion with picture

So I should have known better. Since going all-grain, I have had inconsistent efficiency. Brewed 2 days ago and ended up under gravity but with more volume. So I put close to 6 gallons in the bucket. I have had success with femcaps so added those and was monitoring the airlock. Steady this AM and clear with no hint of krausen, but tonight after work I checked. The bucket had exploded. I so should have gone straight to blow-off. Took everything out of the fridge and rinsed it, but it will need a good cleaning after this batch is done with active fermentation. Overall, I'm just laughing at myself. I sanitized the lid and hooked up the blowoff. Hoping the beer will be fine. I expect it will be

Yeah 6 gallons with good fermentation would do that lol What are you using for a blow off tube with the bucket? I use buckets too and have figured with almost 3 gallon head room, I should be fine and not need to use a blow off tube.

Messy lesson

EEEWWWWW
I had some grape wine do that to me....luckily I had the fermentor in the shower!!

h22lude said:

What are you using for a blow off tube with the bucket?

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I have some 1/2 ID vinyl tube that connects to the 3 piece center airlock. Just checked and there is already krausen blowing off.

BeerWard said:

I have some 1/2 ID vinyl tube that connects to the 3 piece center airlock. Just checked and there is already krausen blowing off.

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Im shure that works but you really should put your jar below your fermenter and not above it. I would clean up than gunk on the outside of the bucket too. That will attract some wild yeast that will lap that stuff up.Most likley not inside your bucket,but its just a good idea/practice.

My very first brew, a Belgian wit extract did the exact same thing. Came home from a movie just in time to hear that sickening "thuuuump" in my spare bedroom.... I opened the door to find that the lid had blown off, wort all over the ceiling, the walls, the bed/sheets, carpet, etc. Got everything cleaned up, all good... Live and Learn!

jonmohno said:

Im shure that works but you really should put your jar below your fermenter and not above it. I would clean up than gunk on the outside of the bucket too. That will attract some wild yeast that will lap that stuff up.Most likley not inside your bucket,but its just a good idea/practice.

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Good advice. Last night the plan was a quick clean, to get the lid cleaned, sanitized and back on. I did a wipe down of the wall, but later this weekend will get some bleach water and go over everything.

I usually put the blowoff jar lower, but my chamber is full with no shelf space. I don't want suck back, so when is slows down, should I just change back to an airlock?

correct me if i'm wrong, the suck back will only happen with the temperature change.
if your wort is already cold, it wont suck back. its sucks back when going from warm to cold.

another thing i learned with 3 piece airlocks is to cut the little 'x' off at the bottom. Even with a blow off tube you can explode a bucket lid if the krausen clogs the bottom of the stem. Guess how i know that...

From now on, leave the lid cracked open at the start of fermentation. Even a blowoff tube can get clogged (and yours looks narrow), and you'll have another explosion. Put a towel under the fermentor to catch any crap that comes out of the bucket. You'll never have to worry about an explosion again. If you're worried about stuff (flies, etc) getting in, just cover the crack with foil. Bottom line: airlocks are evil.

Haha gotta love a good lid pop. Lucky for you the fermentation chamber looks relatively easy to clean. My mini fridge has the bent down freezer tray that's IMPOSSIBLE to clean behind. I just don't look. Im sure there's still little mold dudes eating half fermented dunkelweizen two months after the boom.

bucfanmike said:

another thing i learned with 3 piece airlocks is to cut the little 'x' off at the bottom. Even with a blow off tube you can explode a bucket lid if the krausen clogs the bottom of the stem. Guess how i know that...

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What little 'x' at the bottom? I've never noticed this.

There's a plastic cross that covers the opening of the airlock- the end you put into the fermenter. Snip that off- it does no good, and as was said helps keep the airlock clogged, especially with whole leaf hops. Kyle

I still ferment in buckets and now use two different sizes. 6 gallon for normal brews and 7.9 gallon for one that have violent fermentation like my Hefe and Robust Porter.

I don't bother with airlocks anymore and I don't have blow off problems even with Hefe's. I just rest a solid lid on top of the bucket without snapping it down. Works like a charm with no mess and no airlock hassles.

http://www.youtube.com/user/EdWort#p/a/u/1/EJmchDK46mY

smyrnaquince said:

What little 'x' at the bottom? I've never noticed this.

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Some have them and some don't. The 3-piece that came with my original kit didn't have it. When I ordered extra 3-pieces from AHS, they had the x.

Not long after I started brewing I decided I needed more fermenting buckets. So I go to the LHBS get a couple buckets, lids, and airlocks. He says to me do you want me to fix those for you? I had no idea what he was talking about, and he showed me the x, and then cut it off for me. I have now smartened up and started using blow offs, the brown ale I brewed on sunday would have had the same results the OP had. Nice pics though.

Brewcraft makes a fermenter bucket that holds almost 8 1/2 gallons. I prefer those for many reasons, this being one of them.

jafo28 said:

Not long after I started brewing I decided I needed more fermenting buckets. So I go to the LHBS get a couple buckets, lids, and airlocks. He says to me do you want me to fix those for you? I had no idea what he was talking about, and he showed me the x, and then cut it off for me. I have now smartened up and started using blow offs, the brown ale I brewed on sunday would have had the same results the OP had. Nice pics though.

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I've been doing bucket fermenting for about a year and haven't had any blow off issues. At the risk of sounding dumb, how do you hook up a blow off tube to the bucket? Just goes in place of the airlock?

Yes, finally! I've been waiting to see a good picture of a bucket explosion. Thank you!

I've been doing bucket fermenting for about a year and haven't had any blow off issues. At the risk of sounding dumb, how do you hook up a blow off tube to the bucket? Just goes in place of the airlock?

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Check out post #5 on page one of this thread.

EdWort said:

I still ferment in buckets and now use two different sizes. 6 gallon for normal brews and 7.9 gallon for one that have violent fermentation like my Hefe and Robust Porter.

I don't bother with airlocks anymore and I don't have blow off problems even with Hefe's. I just rest a solid lid on top of the bucket without snapping it down. Works like a charm with no mess and no airlock hassles.

http://www.youtube.com/user/EdWort#p/a/u/1/EJmchDK46mY

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+1. I stopped bothering with airlocks (and carboys for that matter) around batch number 5 or 6 and have never looked back. Once fermentation is done, I just snap the lid down to minimize air contact, let it condition for how many days I want and bottle afterward. Unless you ferment in a room that is full of flies and critters or your usual beer needs month long aging, beers do fine with the bucket and loose lid method.

jfr1111 said:

+1. I stopped bothering with airlocks (and carboys for that matter) around batch number 5 or 6 and have never looked back. Once fermentation is done, I just snap the lid down to minimize air contact, let it condition for how many days I want and bottle afterward. Unless you ferment in a room that is full of flies and critters or your usual beer needs month long aging, beers do fine with the bucket and loose lid method.

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I'm with you fellas. I had a close call where I caught the wort coming through my airlock and the lid was bulging. Thankfully I came home when I did or else there may very well have been trouble. After that incident, I just cover the top of the bucket loosly until the bulk of fermentation is done. This method works well for me too.

I stick an airlock on there when I do eventually lock the lid, though.

EdWort said:

violent fermentation like my Hefe and Robust Porter.

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I should have followed your advice Ed. This recipe WAS your Robust Porter. I have been brewing for a year in a half, and only had one close call before, but one explosion and I'm a convert to blow off tubes. You said it would be violent and here is the evidence!

inkman15 said:

I've been doing bucket fermenting for about a year and haven't had any blow off issues. At the risk of sounding dumb, how do you hook up a blow off tube to the bucket? Just goes in place of the airlock?

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You can put a hose on the center post of a three piece airlock, or remove the grommet on the lid and shove an appropriately sized hose in the hole. Lately i've been using better bottles so I just put the hose through the stopper.

This happened to me on my first AG batch. After it exploded the fruit flys swarmed it and it got infected
great way to start all grain!!

dezman said:

This happened to me on my first AG batch. After it exploded the fruit flys swarmed it and it got infected

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I am not exactly sure how long it was left uncovered, but the way it was putting out gas, I'm hopeful it will be OK.

neut2004 said:

From now on, leave the lid cracked open at the start of fermentation. Even a blowoff tube can get clogged (and yours looks narrow), and you'll have another explosion. Put a towel under the fermentor to catch any crap that comes out of the bucket. You'll never have to worry about an explosion again. If you're worried about stuff (flies, etc) getting in, just cover the crack with foil. Bottom line: airlocks are evil.

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I do this often as well, especially with those violent Belgian strains. I usually wait until it's going pretty good. If the airlock is going super fast or it starts whistling, I will unseat the lid for a day until it slows down a bit

For an update. This beer is now on tap, and it is fantastic. A great porter. Thanks Ed. I will make it again, minus the explosion