Air Lock BLEW Out!

I came home to quite a mess today. Last night, I started brewing Brewers Best Milk Stout. This morning at 6AM there was a thin layer of foam, maybe a half inch. It was nice to see the yeastie beasties working.

Unfortunately the air lock didn't stay in place. This being my second stout, I should have known how foamy and ferocious the start of fermentation can be.

This is what I came home to.


The sucker shot out with a lot of force. Enough to splash my ceiling which is a good 4' away.


The stopped was obviously not in the carbon when I got home, like it is in the picture. My question is, how worried should I be about my beer? It's sitting in a closed closet.

Mods please nuke! Accidental double posting.

The pics didn't show up. I wouldn't be concerned about the brew. get yourself a blowoff tube. A blowoff tube works just like an airlock, but an airlock does not work the same as a blowoff tube.

annasdadhockey said:

The pics didn't show up. I wouldn't be concerned about the brew. get yourself a blowoff tube. A blowoff tube works just like an airlock, but an airlock does not work the same as a blowoff tube.

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I always go with a blow tube. I use the air lock, take the cap off, slide some 3/8th tubing over the stem inside the airlock and the other end goes into a bucket of sanitizer.

JLW said:

I always go with a blow tube. I use the air lock, take the cap off, slide some 3/8th tubing over the stem inside the airlock and the other end goes into a bucket of sanitizer.

Click to expand...

I prefer the 1" ID tubing right into the top of the carboy. That sucker will never clog.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/1-inch-blowoff-tube-ftw-146001/

Should be no worries. With all the CO2 flowing "out" it is very unlikely that anything bad will get "in".

NRS

annasdadhockey said:

I prefer the 1" ID tubing right into the top of the carboy. That sucker will never clog.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/1-inch-blowoff-tube-ftw-146001/

Click to expand...

My set up was out of necesity and I haven't revisted a better design yet. I might have to check that out.