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Mike7431

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Brewed my first belgian tripel last night. Pitched my yeast into a 1 gallon carboy. The instructions called for just an airlock but at the last minute I decided to start with a blowoff tube and I'm glad I did! This thing started foaming like crazy after only a few hours. Do belgian tripels usually ferment this vigorously?

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You don't seem to have much headspace in your fermenter - that's really the biggest issue. That tapered section at the top is even smaller than it looks. Also, looks like your blow-off vessel could be a tad bigger. :D
 
Also, looks like your blow-off vessel could be a tad bigger. :D

I just tagged in a fresh blowoff vessel. This one is much bigger. Should I also be switching out the tubing? There aren't any outside contaminants getting in but it's still getting pretty dirty from the foam.
 
I have done tons of 1 gallon test batches and that happens to each and every one of them. The problem is that to fit a true 1 gallon of wort into a 1 gallon carboy leaves very little headspace. Get yourself a bigger container for your blowoff tube to run into and effectively manage your fermentation temps. I typically use a small swamp cooler until high krausen is completed.
 
Leave the blow off tube in place until it is no longer needed. Really no risk of contamination during the blow off. More risk cleaning and replacing. When the krausen begins dropping you can switch to an airlock with sanitizer or vodka.

Warm fermentation temperatures will be more vigorous than cooler fermentation temperatures. Higher temperatures will also produce different flavors from the yeast than the cooler fermentation temperatures.
 
According to the thermometer strip that I have on there, I've got my temp at about 64 degrees (I'm not sure how reliable those strips are). The space that I have it in is about 60 degrees. This is my first time using a carboy as my primary and I thought the low temp would slow it down enough. I guess I was wrong haha
 
According to the thermometer strip that I have on there, I've got my temp at about 64 degrees (I'm not sure how reliable those strips are). The space that I have it in is about 60 degrees. This is my first time using a carboy as my primary and I thought the low temp would slow it down enough. I guess I was wrong haha

The thermometer strips are accurate to within a degree according to comparisons made with a thermowell thermometer.

The temperature you are fermenting at did slow the fermentation. Would have been a lot more blow off if it was warmer.
 
I put the end of my blow off tube in a margarine cup with about 1 inch of Starsan, that sits in a large pot so that if the cup fills the pot catches the overflow. I don't replace the tubing when if blows off and don't switch back to an airlock either. (unless I need the blowoff tube for a new batch)
 
Yes. Higher gravity worts generally produce a more aggressive fermentation. Couple that with the fact that German wheat yeasts and Belgian yeasts are aggressive without needing any extra help means that a tripel will yield a vigorous fermentation.
 
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