newb batch #2

hello all,
I just brewed my 2nd beer yesterday, a simple porter recipe-
3K DME
500g chocolate malt
125g crystal malt
125g black patent malt
1oz galena @ 60 min
1/2oz cascade @ 15min
steeped the grains @ 160F for 30 min


everything went much smoother than my 1st go, which was great. however there were a couple of things that have left me scratching my head....
1. I kept my temps in line real well, and when i added the wort, I aerated the bejeezus out of it (rolling the carboy). when I took my OG before pitching there were lots of bubbles, and it came out 1.080 @ 70F. maybe the bubbles were the cause for the weird reading.

2. when I topped up the carboy with the remaining 1/2 gallon or so of water, lots of foam spilled out-did i lose some yeasties???

3. finally, it's been over 12hrs, and it's bubbling inside the carboy, but nothing is blowing off through the blowoff hose. i know this one probably is just nervous inpatience on my part, but I'm concerned because of no. 2.

thanks so much for any help!

1.080 doesn't seem right for that recipe.

If you had foam coming out the top while topping it off I would keep a close eye on it during fermentation, sounds like it could get real exciting.

Did you top off to 5 gallons? What size vessel are you using?

When brewing with extracts there is little chance of the gravity being off either way unless the volume is changed. 3K of DME should come in at 1.60 for a 5 gallon batch.

Did you add the yeast and then shake the fermentor? I always add the yeast at the very end and then seal it up. You must not have lost to much yeast because it sounds like it is fermenting and has only been 12 hours.

Be cool and keep the brew cool and you will likely be fine.

thanks! it's so awesome that there are people up and talking about beer before 8am-and the west coast guys!
it is a 5gallon batch in a 5gal carboy-I shook before pitching the yeast, then topped up after-not quite full(again, losing some foam). but in the future, I will aerate, top up, shake a little more, then take sample, then pitch.
blowoff hose is attached, and bubbling, but not much blowoff-ing

update: at about 24hrs...oh it's fermenting vigorously! guess the yeasts are doing fine. just kinda miffed i folded on getting an accurate OG reading-oh well, practice practice practice......