BIG problem.. advice please

Hello, I have been brewing a while but never had this problem. I have a new batch in the primary fermentor.. 6 gallon bucket with lid and airlock. Fermentation began some time during the night. It was so hard it popped the airlock off and a lot of foam etc. came out (not a whole lot) but air got in. I tried to rig a blow off tube, but air still got in.. nothing small enough to plug the hole in lid. I seem to have taken care of the problem however, I put airlock back on in a couple hours and the initial problem seems to be ok.. not too much pressure. The fermentation is still vigorous.. airlock going a mile a minute.. but not building pressure again. Now here is my concern.. even though it is fermenting now just fine.. could I have screwed up the batch during that initial problem? If something got into the batch while exposed to air? What should I look for in case?

During fermentation, you have so much CO2 and stuff going out that it's unlikely anything got in. And if anything did, it probably won't survive in that environment. RDWHAHB. :rockin:

With fermentation that vigorous those healthy yeasts will be able fight off just about anything that could come in with the air. I had airlocks blown off before and never had a problem. Had bung on carboys hit the ceiling and remain open for a day while at work, was a mess with foam on ceiling and floor, I sanitize a piece of foil and set in over it until I could get a blow off tube on it. I use a blow off tube on every brew for the first 48 to 96 hours... don't have those messes anymore. RDWHAHB

Thank you so much.. that puts my fears at ease

On a related note, what is the best way to rig a blow off tube for a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket? Like zebtax said, that little hole is too small for any tubing I've come across.

jnrankin said:

On a related note, what is the best way to rig a blow off tube for a 6.5 gallon plastic bucket? Like zebtax said, that little hole is too small for any tubing I've come across.

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I use old tubing from my racking system. Your LHBS should carry something that will work.

Take an airlock and stick some tubing over the center part. Be sure to cut the X off the tip. Easy.


There is a good pic here...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/buckets-blow-off-tubes-30942/index2.html#post304830

It happens, don't worry. I use a brass hose barb to attach tubing to the bungs for my fermenters and carboys. Only every once and a while do I have a problem

Ok.. further help may be needed here.. as I stated before... it seemed like everything was fine.. got an airlock on after the disaster and vigorous fermentation continued most of the day.. then suddenly.. it stopped completely. mind you.. i started this last night... it has an og of 1.060 (ipa) so first a disaster.. then recovery that seems like it works.. about 5 hours of great fermentation with no more foam.. and all of a sudden complete stop.. all in less than 24 hours... should I add more yeast???

Relax and leave it alone. It's fine

Double_D said:

It happens, don't worry. I use a brass hose barb to attach tubing to the bungs for my fermenters and carboys. Only every once and a while do I have a problem

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This

brew2enjoy said:

Relax and leave it alone. It's fine

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Ok.. thanks.. I gues this is just my first time dealing with this.. done a hundred batches and without exception, they have all gone smoothly.. this is the first time there has been trouble.. I will relax.. and drink a few brews lol