Primary EXPLODED!

I just wanted to share with the newbs my latest newb experience.
This past weekend I brewed a 5 gal. batch of Cologne Kolche.
In the past, I've neglected to top off to the 5 gal. mark after racking to primary.
This time I did and, not thinking, I installed an air lock as usual.
Monday morning I found that a blow-off tube would have been a much better idea! There was stuff everywhere! Actually, I was pretty impressed at how much pressure was generated by the fermentation process....blew the top of the air lock off and actually sprayed the shop light over my work bench! Awesome!
Anyway, I figured that new or first time brewers would like to know that mistakes will be made and it's probably the best way to learn. At first I was pretty upset but, after thinking about it, what better way to remember?
I'll bet many of the experienced brewers here have made similar mistakes while they were learning.
Greydog

I have yet to accomplish this feat and I hope not to anytime soon SWMBO will put an end to my new found hobby faster than I can blink.

I'm still waiting for someone to get a video of this...It would be priceless!

Sounds more like a good squirt instead of an assplode! :cross:

haha it would be interesting to see on video. I guess it's a good thing that the wife really only goes to the basement for storage, and to get things off the printer, my little beer corner seems safe.

Pics
Pics
Pics
Pics?????

It's like raunchy beer porn.

This thread is worthless without pictures.

PT Ray said:

This thread is worthless without pictures.

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+1........

I can home today and found my airlock bubbling like cray. There was some krausen getting in there also. I immediately switched to a blow off hose. If my primary pops in the coat closet...The SWMBO is not going to be happy

Pics or it didn't happen...

While my first few batches finished fine with airlock, my third that used Nottingham did not. I experienced the same mess, but in my closet. Your right, the good thing is that you'll never forget to use a blowoff tube again.

You will only allow this to happen once

I've been there and even had to repaint the ceiling because I couldn't get the krausen stain off without making a mark in the existing paint!

I feel so left out of the blow-off crowd. I've used a blow-off tube in each of my first 3 batches, and I've never even come close to needing it! Irish Red, Porter, ESB, and nothing.

Weezknight said:

I feel so left out of the blow-off crowd. I've used a blow-off tube in each of my first 3 batches, and I've never even come close to needing it! Irish Red, Porter, ESB, and nothing.

Click to expand...

The use a regular airlock.... It's when you don't have it, that you will need it. Make sure to have the camera charged, because we will want pictures.

First time I used a blowoff, was the first time I needed it, my wife was thankful (as she watched Krauzen flowing through the tube)!

I was debating on using an airlock on the last beer I brewed (Imperial IPA) and I'm glad I opted for a blow off tube instead. The amount of krausen I got was huge and noise the tube made in the sanitized water on the other end sounded like someone was dropping an anvil into a swimming pool. :rockin: