I'm dumb...

Brewed up a batch of a Rochefort 10 clone this weekend and it took a little longer to get started fermenting. My starting OG was 1.096 and my dumb arse didn't even think to put a blow off tube on!!! I stopped by my house during lunch today and the lid was completely blown off on the ground and there was krausen EVERYWHERE!!!! (all over the floor, counter, mirror, wall, door, everything) I cleaned it all up as well as i could for now but i don't have the stuff for a blow off tube so i guess i'll have to stop by Lowes on the way home but i'm expecting to see the same thing when i get home again. Hopefully i don't lose too much volume but i kinda accidentally overfilled when i topped off so i was originally sitting about 5.75 gallons. Hopefully it will turn out ok.

Welcome to the "mop the ceiling" club. Your brew will be fine.

You have any pics? I absolutely love explosion pictures!

Lol. I took one on my phone but it doesn't quite capture the "explosiveness" lol.

...doesn't look like you've had anyone arguing that point with you yet...

Now i got home this evening and all the madness has slowed down but my thermometer is now reading 78 F. This is a little too warm right? I'm not sure how it got up that high being that it was sitting at 66 last night and the secondary next to it is reading 70. Could the fermentation have had something to do with it? That's the only explanation i can think of.

That' exactly what it is. Fermentation creates a bit of heat.

Redweasel said:

You have any pics? I absolutely love explosion pictures!

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Yes please share! We love explosion pictures.

Bernie Brewer said:

That' exactly what it is. Fermentation creates a bit of heat.

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But i should still try and get that temp down right? From what i have heard it seems that higher temps can create off flavors?

Well, that is a bit high, but some Belgian yeasts will only really shine if you let them climb up to ~75˚ during the latter half of fermentation. You might just get even more of that Rochefort yeast flavour than you planned.

"Brew like a monk" has some interesting conversations with Trappist brewmasters about temperature. Apparently they don't brew at as high as temp as people think. But once the yeast does take off they do not try and cool it as those strains will often stop working if they do. They do not like them hitting above 84F though.

Westmalle, Achel and Westvleteren all brew with westmalle yeast.

Achel Bruin: pitches at 63-64F. Top temp hits 72-73F.

Westmalle Dubbel: pitches at 64F. Top temp hits 68F.

Westvleteren 8: pitches at 68F. Top temp hits 82-84F

You're safe temp wise.

Forget fixing the problem, we want pictures!

Lol. I tried getting the one pic on my phone to my computer but had problems. I will try to get it on here tomorrow.