blowout

This is my first attempt at brewing a beer. I bought a beer kit to make an IPA and put it in the primary fermenter last night around 9pm. I decided to store the fermenter in my closet, away from light. I got a call from my roomate at work around noon today saying he heard a loud boom in my closet and found that my cork and airlock had blown off and fermenting beer was all over my closet. I have read from a previous post here that it is a common problem, but since this is my first time and have never seen what looks right, I have attached a picture of the aftermath in my primary fermenter. It doesn't look right. Here's a link to a higher resolution picture Is it a lost cause?

You just took me back about ten years, its a right of passage blowing a stopper. I never really wanted revisit those days but since you took me there here is my take. Adding all the solids and trub from the boil into the fermenter results in more inflated matter ontop during peak fermentation reaching for a way out and collecting in the airlock and finally resulting in a ceiling scrubbing.

Looks like a very full 5 gallon carboy. If it is, I would recommend upgrading to the 6.5. They allow a little room at the top for the yeast to work and for the gasses to collect and escape. If that is a 6.5 gallon carboy and you brewed 5 gallons of beer, I'm very impressed with your activity!:rockin:

That is a 6.5gal carboy but I do believe I brewed a little more than 5gal (accidentally). It looks like all fermentation is done as of this morning, I checked when I woke up and there were no bubbles coming out of the airlock and there is no foam inside the carboy. I only watched the airlock for about 30 or so seconds though. Can something like this ferment that fast?

I doubt if it is done, overnight ferments do happen, but mostly for small beers. Take the airlock off and clean it, then put it back on. Give it another three days.

Will do. Thanks for the replies.