Pacman Cake + Yeast Nutrient + 1.095 Stout = mess

Wow, I pitched 5.5 gallons of 1.095 stout on a pacman yeast cake with 5 teaspoons of yeast nutrient at 70 degrees last night in a 6.5 gallon ale pale. This morning it was a mess!! The airlock got consumed with foam and shot the little inside piece across the room. Then as it was fermenting the airlock would get plugged up and when enough pressure would build it would "clear the blockage" out for lack of a better phrase It woudl shoot coffee dark syrup wort and foam all over the place....thank God none reached the ceiling.

So anyways......I spent my morning cleaning up..but I think the fermentation is fairly healthy?! !

I rigged a 1/2 inch blowoff tube and I hope that keeps up...I have my doubts!

The funny thing is, is that I have fermented 1.095 barley wine in there before and had it even fuller with less headspace and used a nottingham yeast cake with no problem. The only difference is the yeast nutrient....that must make a huge difference.

Giving yeast nutrient to PacMan is like dropping a deer into a pool of piranhas... Expect some excitement.

mmonacel said:

Giving yeast nutrient to PacMan is like dropping a deer into a pool of piranhas... Expect some excitement.

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The pacman yeast just keeps impressing me. It is without out doubt my "house" strain of yeast now for lack of a better term. I have never gotten off flavors or under attenuation from this yeast and it drops like a rock! It also appears to laugh at high gravity beers...being no worse for the wear.

5 tbsp of yeast nutrient???

I use 1 tsp in 10 gallon and thought that was a lot.

bja said:

5 tbsp of yeast nutrient???

I use 1 tsp in 10 gallon and thought that was a lot.

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I am sorry, it is crosby and baker fermax yeast nutrient and says to use 1 tsp per gallon. I used 5 tsp in about 6 gallons of wort. I had to discard about 1/2 gallon due to hop sediment and trub.

I accidently had TBSP...I changed it

bja said:

5 tbsp of yeast nutrient???

I use 1 tsp in 10 gallon and thought that was a lot.

Click to expand...

sorry, it is five teaspoons.

WOW! After three days it is at 1.021 and %9.58 ABV. This yeast is simply amazing.

I used the pacman for a random brew and a Scottish ale, both times, this yeast needed a blow off tube in a 6.5 gallon carboy. I didn't learn the first time, and ended up with it spraying all the way up to the ceiling of my closet!

Never again will I use this yeast without a blow off tube for the first 2 days of fermentation.

Pics or it didn't happen

I needed an emergency 2 am blowoff with my barley wine i fermented with pacman. I too but about 5 teaspoons of yeast nutrient. made a huge starter and about 18 hours after I pitched I had the most violet ferment I have ever had. the beer didnt settle down for a week