myquestforbeer
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2011
- Messages
- 21
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I am brewing my first beer, an IPA and started the process Wed night. The next day, we pitched the yeast when it got down to 72 degrees F. I was a bit concerned when I didn't see bubbles in the airlock 20 hours after yeast at 68 -70 degrees, but some helpful people here put my mind at ease. Sure enough shortly after that, it started going crazy! So crazy in fact that yesterday afternoon the lid started to look as if it were going to blow. This happened to my neighbor on his batches and beer exploded everywhere so I took the lid off to relieve pressure thinking the airlock got clogged.
This was the case, so I cleaned the cake off the lid and the airlock and placed the lid back on again. This happened two more times and got to the point where liquid was coming out the top of the airlock and getting everywhere- though not much. So I took off the lid one last time last night, cleaned the lid and the airlock again, and cleared away some of the cake on the top of the inside of the bucket and some of the foam on the top since there was so much and I was thinking it was clogging the airlock. There was still a lot of foam when I put the lid back.
It started bubbling again a bit slower but not as aggressive and more consistent, no more leaking. So I thought, great! Woke up this morning to nothing happening...for the last two hours there has been no gas escaping at all. Is this normal? Did I mess something up by cleaning it a little last night? I was careful to disinfect everything and run filtered water over the lid and airlock to wash away the disinfectant before replacing. Thoughts?
This was the case, so I cleaned the cake off the lid and the airlock and placed the lid back on again. This happened two more times and got to the point where liquid was coming out the top of the airlock and getting everywhere- though not much. So I took off the lid one last time last night, cleaned the lid and the airlock again, and cleared away some of the cake on the top of the inside of the bucket and some of the foam on the top since there was so much and I was thinking it was clogging the airlock. There was still a lot of foam when I put the lid back.
It started bubbling again a bit slower but not as aggressive and more consistent, no more leaking. So I thought, great! Woke up this morning to nothing happening...for the last two hours there has been no gas escaping at all. Is this normal? Did I mess something up by cleaning it a little last night? I was careful to disinfect everything and run filtered water over the lid and airlock to wash away the disinfectant before replacing. Thoughts?