Blowoff Problem

[greenwoodbeers]

This question has probably been asked 1000X over already. I just brewed a batch of beer on Saturday and today the airlock/trap was full of foam and shooting off like a steam radiator. I was about to put a long tube into the carboy plug when it blew. I had to put my hand over it to prevent a complete volcanic eruption. I put the plug back it(without sanitizing because I was in a panic). I had to get my 6 gallon fermenter and basically pour the entire batch out of the carboy and into the 6 gallon fermenter. I did sanitize the 6 gallon fermenter though. What can I expect to happen at this point, besides possible contamination? Will the beer still ferment even though is has been shaken up due to the transfer? Should I be concerned that the same thing might happen in the 6 gallon fermenter now that it has been shaken up?

 

[ScottishPete]

Any reason you didn't ferment in the 6 gallon to begin with ? With the extra headroom in the 6 gallon you shouldn't have the CO2 bursting out of the top ...

Start with the 6 gallon and the blow off tube first next time and you'll be all set

 

[frankr]

I have had the volcanic eruption thing happen in an Ale Pale too, so don't feel bad. When I am making batches in succession, I sometimes just pitch the new wort on top of the yeast cake from the previous batch. This usually results in explosive fermentation within a few hours. The first time I did this, my airlock clogged. I stupidly pulled it out which allowed a guyser of crud to shoot all over me, the walls, the ceiling, etc... Since then I don't use the airlocks on the primary. I use the bottom plastic piece of the airlock, hook tubbing to it, and run that into a pitcher of water. This way the blowoff has someplace to go other than on me and the ceiling.

 

[greenwoodbeers]

I didn't want to use the 6 gallon because it's a bucket and I wanted to see what the beer is doing(I just started brewing) to get a sense of the whole process. I was also following the advice from a person at the beer and wine hobby store who said "air is the enemy".

Thank you for the advice. Next time I'll use the 6 gallon bucket. Or maybe I'll buy a 6 gallon carboy...

 

[dleonard]

I use the bottom plastic piece of the airlock, hook tubbing to it, and run that into a pitcher of water. This way the blowoff has someplace to go other than on me and the ceiling.

I used to do that, but now I just use a larger hose that fits directly into the throat of the carboy. I've had the other method still get clogged.