Foaming like crazy!!

So I brewed a west coast amber ale yesterday and I decided to try out a new yeast, wyeast 1272. I made a 1.5 liter starter, cold crashed and decanted before pitching. I only have a 5 gallon carboy as a primary fermenter, to which I always attach a blowoff hose during the initial stages. I noticed fermentation starting within 4 hours of pitching the yeast and then the ridiculous amount of foaming began. It was gurgling like crazy in my bucket of sanitizing fluid and tons of foam was coming thru the blowoff hose.
Anyway, I changed out the solution in the bucket and noticed that there was some yeast in the bottom and I lost probably around half a gallon of beer. I was wondering if I will have to pitch more yeast. Any input would be appreciated.

I don't think you have any shortage of yeast at this point!! It sucks you lost a 1/2 gallon of beer though. What temp are you fermenting this at?

Yea I think I'll be fine for now but I still have foam coming out of the blowoff tube. I pitched it around 67F and it slowly raised to 72F at its highest and while I was at work it came down to 70F. I know it's the top temperature range for this strain, but I think the fruitiness will lend a hand to all the Citra. Also, I think it's time for a bigger fermenter.

Another reason why I like buckets.

No more yeast, that there's a really good ferment!

Well I just checked again and I placed my blowoff tube in a quart container of sanitizer inside a bucket and the hose has clogged up and there was about 2 cups of yeast inside the quart. I just removed it, cleaned of and resanitized it. Now it's bubbling away like crazy again with huge gurgles every few minutes.

I did some research and learned that its s top cropping yeast, but I guess I still shouldn't be that worried as the beer is a peanut butter color and still super active. It started as a nice deep reddish brown as wort. Hopefully nothing terrible happens while I'm asleep. :/

Invest in a 6.5 gal carboy - that should help quite a bit. :cross:

It seems to have calmed down a bit over night and I only lost a little more yeast. Another factor I forgot to mention is that I put 10 drops of Fermcap-S in the fermenter before aerating and adding yeast. I read that it should be refrigerated, but my LHBS just kept it on the shelf and I refrigerated it after purchasing. Does the Fermcap have the potential to spoil? If so I'll have to try and return it because I spent $7 on it instead of ordering it online for $2.

ipa-hole said:

invest in a 6.5 gal carboy - that should help quite a bit. :cross:

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yes!

Bassaholic said:

It seems to have calmed down a bit over night and I only lost a little more yeast. Another factor I forgot to mention is that I put 10 drops of Fermcap-S in the fermenter before aerating and adding yeast. I read that it should be refrigerated, but my LHBS just kept it on the shelf and I refrigerated it after purchasing. Does the Fermcap have the potential to spoil? If so I'll have to try and return it because I spent $7 on it instead of ordering it online for $2.

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I've had a never-ending bottle of Fermcap for many years now and in various stages of storage (currently in the door of my kegerator). The stuff is pretty remarkable. Mine hasn't spoiled (as far as I can tell) despite leaving it out of the fridge for months.

It's made from the same stuff that silly putty is made of and, if so inclined it can rid you of head lice!

Good thing you used it - your fermenter would likely still be in orbit.