Blow-Off: How Much is Too Much?

So I used a blow-off tube for the first time, as this is the first time I've done a beer with an OG this high. I'm glad I did, as I'm getting foam coming out of the tube. It's not a constant stream, but there's enough coming out to make me wonder, how much blow off is too much blow off? In other words, isn't the bulk of the yeast population in the very foam that's blowing off?

mine was doing the same thing but as it stopped going through the tube i reinstalled my 3 piece airlock and its still active even after being very active for two days. So i think your all good.

Too much blow-off is only a problem when some un-affiliated party complains about it

There isn't much of a way to control blow-off volume other than increasing the size of your fermentation vessel. A 6.5 gallon carboy will reduce the amount of blow-off you experience during a 5-gallon fermentation. In the past, when I knew I was going to experience higher possibilities of blow-off, I would keep the positive pressure in my carboy to a minimum, which helped to some extent, but the foam still builds up rapidly. Keeping your ale fermentation temperatures as close to 60° as possible also helps reduce the problem...

The temps are fairly low, mid 60's. It's in a 6 gal better bottle. The energy of this ferment is crazy. Makes the Whitbread I've been using look like child's play. I'm curious if the force behind this one is due more to the yeast, the OG, or both.

I guess as long as the rate of blow-off doesn't increase too much, I should be left with more than enough yeast to finish off & bottle condish.

Yikes...it just keeps going and going. I had to dump the 1 liter flask I'm using as a container (filled half way with star san solution) once already, and it looks like I'm going to have to do it again pretty soon. So that's about a half-liter worth of brew blow-off in less than 24 hours of fermentation.

Really hope it tapers soon...and I really hope that's not the bulk of my yeast blowing off...

Pelikan said:

Yikes...it just keeps going and going. I had to dump the 1 liter flask I'm using as a container (filled half way with star san solution) once already, and it looks like I'm going to have to do it again pretty soon. So that's about a half-liter worth of brew blow-off in less than 24 hours of fermentation.

Really hope it tapers soon...and I really hope that's not the bulk of my yeast blowing off...

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I had a dubbel blow-off for three straight days with plenty of yeast to carbonate and bottle condition; you should be fine.

If your fermentor runs dry....atsa too much blow off

A 1 liter flask is small! I usually use a one gallon jug, at least! I've been using a 7.5 gallon bucket for primary most of the time now, though, so I rarely use blow off tubes.

You don't have to worry about losing your yeast- there are plenty of yeast in suspension to finish off the fermentation, and then some.

Just switched out the 1 liter flask for a 1/2 gallon growler. Hopefully that one will last a bit longer.

This is the first time I've used a BB as a primary, and also the first time I've done a brew with an OG this high (1.090) -- so it's a number of firsts. Glad I went with a blow-off tube, though. I would have had a serious mess on my hands if I didn't.

Just thinking out loud...if my bucket wasn't in use at the moment, and I went with that as my primary, I might not have needed a blow off tube, based upon the amount of volume that's coming out.

I caught my wee heavy this morning just before it blew. The three piece airlock had pluged up and the top of the bucket looked like a baloon. I think from now on I will use a blowoff tube for all my high gravity beers.

Pelikan said:

Just switched out the 1 liter flask for a 1/2 gallon growler. Hopefully that one will last a bit longer.

This is the first time I've used a BB as a primary, and also the first time I've done a brew with an OG this high (1.090) -- so it's a number of firsts. Glad I went with a blow-off tube, though. I would have had a serious mess on my hands if I didn't.

Just thinking out loud...if my bucket wasn't in use at the moment, and I went with that as my primary, I might not have needed a blow off tube, based upon the amount of volume that's coming out.

Click to expand...

thats why lol. thats gonna be some strong shtuff.