Had my first explosion

Brewing a hefeweisen, norther brewer's kit. I augmented the malt bill such that OG was 1.060, used a 1L starter. Pitched at about noon at about 80deg, put it in my fermenting closet which is about 63deg.
Went out for a poker night.
Came home, heard a BOOM, found this:


It blew off the top of the fermenter, krausen all over the walls, knocked the closet door open. I rigged a blowoff, it plugged that up and popped the top (less violently) again less than 20 minutes later.

Only solution I came up with late night with minimal supplies was less than ideal. This was the next morning:


Everything was sanitized, and I figured that there was enough CO2 blowing out that nothing really stood a chance of getting in.

It is now rigged normally with a standard blowoff bubbling like mad. Hoping it turns out OK.

Trust the yeasties. They have 3000 years experience...

"Everything was sanitized, and I figured that there was enough CO2 blowing out that nothing really stood a chance of getting in."

That is probably a good assumptions. Those are some awesome pictures. Out of curiousity, in the first picture, where exactly did the lid land?

Fantastic! Havent had that happen yet luckily, swmbo would have my head.

As far as contamination goes, I imagine you are all set too much activity for there to be an issue.

That is another reason I'm scared of glass carboys. It's like the yeast has a mind of its own sometimes.

The lid was in the foreground about where my feet were in the picture but I'd picked it up when I took the pic, it was dripping goop on the wood floor.

Girlfriend wasn't upset, thought it was funny, but said 'You're cleaning that up.'

Pretty epic! Haha it seems like everything will be fine, though. Good luck!

Nytelyte said:

Girlfriend wasn't upset, thought it was funny...'

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There in lies the difference between a girlfriend and a wife.

carltjones said:

That is another reason I'm scared of glass carboys. It's like the yeast has a mind of its own sometimes.

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why ?
this simply doesn't happen , ever, with a carboy and a 1" blow off tube.

Clean er up.and put a lid blow off or airlock on. How many inches from the top did you go,if you went only a few thats pretty ballsy witout a blowoff.I pressed my luck a few times maxing out my fermenter with only a few inches and turned out ok and a beer or two gained.I find lower temps tame the beast unless im not pitching enough.

amandabab said:

why ?
this simply doesn't happen , ever, with a carboy and a 1" blow off tube.

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If everyone uses a 1" tube to do the job we'd never see pics like this. Stainless is the way to go, hands down.

so you rack into another stainless?

No 2ndary. Just syphon to another and connect to gas. Easy.

jonmohno said:

Clean er up.and put a lid blow off or airlock on. How many inches from the top did you go,if you went only a few thats pretty ballsy witout a blowoff.I pressed my luck a few times maxing out my fermenter with only a few inches and turned out ok and a beer or two gained.I find lower temps tame the beast unless im not pitching enough.

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Yea, its sitting in the closet all cleaned up with a standard airlock at this point. It was right at 5 gal, maybe plus a smidgen. I don't know how much lower of temp I would want to go, it was sitting at about 63, how much below that would allow the yeast to remain happy and productive?

I've rigged blowoffs before, but had pretty much found the 'airlock danger zone' to be right around an OG of 1.070, anything below that and I've had no problems. This is my first hefe, and from what i'm seeing they are a bit more energetic than most..

Only took one explosion and I use a blow off tube every time. Better safe than sorry I figure