Blowoff - am I okay here?

[MTate37]

I pitched a 1.5 L of Wyeast American Ale II Saturday afternoon and within four hours I had a nice steady bubble going in my blowoff jug. Sunday evening it was a series of bubbles that would gradually slow to a complete stop and then I would get a huge glug in the jug as the blowoff cleared. By last night things had evened out to a slower, but still steady bubbling. This morning when I checked it there was no bubbing at all. Just two or three BIG glugs a minute and the below in the blowoff. I pulled the airlock to change it out and got a steady stream of krausen coming out of the hole.

I know that this is the point of the blowoff, but with so much material coming this far up into the tube I'm a little concerned that it might clog at some point during the day and I'll go home to a bathroom painted with krausen. I really don't want to make the 40 minute round trip drive home during lunch to check on it, but that sounds better than hours of cleaning tonight when I get home.

On another note, the stuff coming out of the hole smells FANTASTIC! Can't wait to try this one.

 

[unionrdr]

Out of all the times I've used a blow off,I've only had one that backed up nearly to the top of the tube where it bends over into the FV. Pulled the end out of the pail,sprayed some Starsan up into the end & put it back in. Problem solved. That was a rare occasion though. Most of the time,the flow of co2 is great enough to be self-clearing.

 

[DLR1987]

I think you'll be ok. I would assume that with even only 2-3 big glugs a minute, the co2 is still pushing everything or enough out of your blow off that it shouldn't clog. I have seen similar things with my fermentations, but no explosions yet. I think for it to clog, the tube would have to dry the blow off material to the inside of the tube first, but that's just my opinion. What kind of beer is it any way? I'm just curious haha. Good luck!

 

[Clonefan94]

I think you'll be OK, but whenever I start to get gunk moving into the tube itself, I always get a big heavy towel and wrap it around the fermenter, making sure to have most of it draped over the top. This way, if it does blow, the towel should keep it somewhat contained.

 

[unionrdr]

One observation I neglected to mention. when you see krausen flowing through the tube it's not so much sucking back as being blown out in spasms more often as not. Krausen overflows with all the excess co2 flowing out at the same time. So it's all going in the right direction most of the time. Just keep an eye on the blow off jug,as that foam can be blown up fuller in volume inside the jug by all the bubbling stirring things up. so you might need to empty the jug now & then on really active ones.

 

[MTate37]

What kind of beer is it any way? I'm just curious haha. Good luck!

Yooper's Ruination Clone. Best brew day I've had for the most part.

I always get a big heavy towel and wrap it around the fermenter, making sure to have most of it draped over the top. This way, if it does blow, the towel should keep it somewhat contained.

That is the last thing I did before I left the house. Hopefully all will be good.

One observation I neglected to mention. when you see krausen flowing through the tube it's not so much sucking back as being blown out in spasms more often as not. Krausen overflows with all the excess co2 flowing out at the same time. So it's all going in the right direction most of the time. Just keep an eye on the blow off jug,as that foam can be blown up fuller in volume inside the jug by all the bubbling stirring things up. so you might need to empty the jug now & then on really active ones.

It is definitely going in the right direction. The jug was actually full to the top with StarSan bubbles and a nice StarSan snake growing up the tube, but with the sudden decrease in bubbling from the tube the snake has died and all the bubbles have gone away...just StarSan now.

 

[DLR1987]

Sounds amazing! I have an Avery Maharaja clone in secondary right now. It's dry hop day for me

 

[MTate37]

Sounds amazing! I have an Avery Maharaja clone in secondary right now. It's dry hop day for me

I hope so...definitely the best smelling beer I've made at this point. The only bad part of brew day was chilling took way longer than I anticipated and the trub didn't settle out. Out of six gallons I got maybe 2.5-3 G crystal clear wort and 3 G or so of cloudy, sometimes milky looking wort. Hopefully most of it settles out.

 

[MTate37]

Four days in and this thing is still blowing off like crazy. I've never had a fermentation like this before. Was planning to let the temp start coming up bit not sure if I should yet.

 

[DLR1987]

Four days in and this thing is still blowing off like crazy. I've never had a fermentation like this before. Was planning to let the temp start coming up bit not sure if I should yet.

I would definitely wait until fermentation subsides before letting the temp rise. Cheers.

-D