What does one do in this situation?

So, I brew at my parents' house in Plymouth, MA although I live at my apartment in Boston and I come to the house about once a week to brew, bottle, transfer to secondary etc... Today I came to the house and found that my Hoppy Weizenbock with an OG of 1.065 had burst through the airlock and there was dried krausen all over the floor and carboy, the airlock was lying on the floor next to the carboy. This is the first time this has happened to me although this is maybe my 20th or 25th batch.

I took a sample and I measured 1.026. The beer has been in the primary for 8 days, not that long, I know. I threw on a clean, sanitized airlock and it started bubbling immediately so there is definitely still active fermentation. My question is this: should I keep an airlock on there or should I switch to a blow-off tube?

My only real concern is that I don't know how long the beer went uncovered and what could have fallen in during that time posing a risk for infection. Any experience/advice is welcome.

CO2 is heavier than O2. So you probably had a nice layer of CO2 sitting on top of the beer preventing any bacterial infection (barring anything in there prior to fermentation). Since you're almost done with primary fermentation, I'd go with an airlock and let it go.

jgourd said:

CO2 is heavier than O2. So you probably had a nice layer of CO2 sitting on top of the beer preventing any bacterial infection (barring anything in there prior to fermentation). Since you're almost done with primary fermentation, I'd go with an airlock and let it go.

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OK, good to hear. I tasted that hydrometer sample and it was delicious so I don't think the risk was too high. The airlock is still bubbling mildly, about once every 10 seconds or so.

Sounds like you'll be fine.

Blowoffs happen, but not twice on one batch.

david_42 said:

Blowoffs happen, but not twice on one batch.

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You have to pay extra for that.

Seriously though, sounds like minimal risk of infection and the major fermentation is over so an airlock is fine. Proceed as usual!

david_42 said:

Blowoffs happen, but not twice on one batch.

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Ya wanna bet?

WL German Ale yeast fermenting at 55*. Brewed 3/12, blew off 3/14 and I added a couple drops of the foam control stuff (can't remember the name right now). I checked on it last night before going to bed. Air lock once again full of krausen. Had to add more foam drops. I hope it's still OK, I forgot to check on it this morning.