What happened!! Help!

So we brewed on Friday night and yesterday the carboy was bubbling away just fine...I just went down the basement and suddenly it is completely out of control and has bubbled up and over/out of my airlock!!!!

This was our first time using liquid yeat and we did everything as per the directions...we actually felt very good about how well things where going!! Before I went to bed last night I checked and the temp on the carboy was 68 deg, it is currently at 68/70.

The airlock is still in place and bubbling away but it is now filled with a creamy colored liquid and is covered in foam in and out.

Upon further inspection it seems that it rose up and is now back to a reasonable level but the sides of the carboy are covered in dried foam still so it's hard to see.

What happened? Is the beer done for? Should I take the chance of putting a new airlock on? Should I leave it?

I noticed that there was a lot of activity yesterday but wow...

Tom

Your beer is fine! You have a VERY active fermentation! Woohoo!

You definitely want to get a clean airlock on there ASAP!

Yeah, it's called a "blowoff". It happens. Just be glad that it wasn't worse---in some cases, it can blow the top of the airlock off, and explode everywhere. This happened to me the other day when making a starter. Ugh. So consider yourself lucky.

In the future, if you anticipate another blowoff (for instance, with a high-gravity ale), you can attach a tube to the neck of the carboy, then run that tube into a bucket of sanitized water, ensuring that the end of the tube is underwater. This serves the same purpose of a little airlock---it's basically the same principle---but this way, you can change the bucket out if you need to, and you avoid any splatter or explosions.

Tom,
You plan on moving your eruption ale to a secondary frementer? I found that especially when you get a Blow off event it helps with the clarification of the beer, due to the large number of yeast in solution. Also check your SG when transferring. Some times when the yeast expands too fast you have some un-fermented sugar in the beer.

Clean the airlock & let it bubble. As people have said, just a very active ferment. Active ferments tend to give the best results, which is why so many people make starters.

welcome to the club

I noticed that it was still bubbleing out upun further further inspection so I went out to Home Depot and bought a tube that will fit over the hole in a rubber stopper. I sanitized it all and pulled off the airlock...the ensuing explosion covered me in foam but I was the only casualty...put the new hose on, dipped it in a semi-strong sanatizing solution and it is happily bubbling away...

Thanks for the help and the assurance that things are going good!

Tom

Tom Church said:

I noticed that it was still bubbleing out upun further further inspection so I went out to Home Depot and bought a tube that will fit over the hole in a rubber stopper. I sanitized it all and pulled off the airlock...the ensuing explosion covered me in foam but I was the only casualty...put the new hose on, dipped it in a semi-strong sanatizing solution and it is happily bubbling away...

Thanks for the help and the assurance that things are going good!

Tom

Click to expand...

Sorry, had to laugh at the visual of you pulling out the airlock and a small explosion covering you in foam.

You are now officially a homebrewer.

Now all you need is a boilover to be a experienced homebrewer!

ok...not the only casualty...my wife was holding the replacement and got covered as well...

And about a boilover...been there...I spend about 39 min scrubbing with amonia and still couldn't get it off...

Tom

From all of the wacky hijinks of this brew I'd say you're officially a homebrewer, that is unless you use bleach! (long running joke)

oxiclean will work on the boil over!

good job on the blow off!!! :rockin:

Baptismal into the homebrewing religion! Now we have your everlasting soul!