Exploding bucket lid -first batch! Houston, we have lift off

[jonbeck14]

Hello Everyone,

First time poster here. My friend and I brewed up a batch of wheat beer at home yesterday, and all went well, until last night.

We pitched our yeast, WYEAST, and added it to the wort, closed down the hatches (put the lid on the bucket) and inserted the fermentation lock into the lid. Things went well, fermentation began, and was going strong. When my friend woke up this morning, I got a frantic phone call. He said the lid had blown off the bucket and some of the innards were sprayed around the basement. Our theory is that the pop off top (similar to a film canister lid) on the fermentation lock got clogged and that caused the pressure build up. Does that sound likely? There are little pin holes in the lid, but they aren't too big. The lock is a 3 piece plastic type.

I don't know if we'll be able to salvage this batch, but we'll re sanitize the lid and lock, and put it back on.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Haha yup Hefe's are notorious for this...they're strong fermenters

Clean and sanitize the lid and put it back on. Then take a peice of siphoning tubing and stick it in the hole where the airlock went. Put the end of that into a jar of sanitizer and walk a way...

Oh, and welcome to the board!

 

[jonbeck14]

Thanks for the tip, we'll go with the hose.

Thanks for the quick reply,

cheers!

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Yup no problem...thats what this site's for.

 

[FerociouslyTed]

Threads like these ought to come with pictures.

 

[jonbeck14]

ask and ye shall receive:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dfcarter/BREWCREW1?authkey=qRf6Ruv0UzU

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Haha nice pics!

Yup thats an A$$ load of krausen. Did you get the lid cleaned/sanitized and a blowoff tube hooked up?

 

[jonbeck14]

Yes, my friend got it cleaned up and we're back in business. I'll let you all know how it turns out in the end.

Now when I brew up a wheat beer at my place, I'll know to use a tube instead of the lock. I have a very small apartment, and krausen all over the closet won't make my girlfriend too happy! She's requested a wheat beer for our first batch at our house.

Thanks!

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Haha, I got a fridge and started fermenting in the garage just for that reason...

Krausen all over the ceiling wouldn't make my fiance too happy either!

Thats cool she asked for a wheat beer...my fiance just says "brew something I like, you know something light"

 

[FerociouslyTed]

ask and ye shall receive:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dfcarter/BREWCREW1?authkey=qRf6Ruv0UzU

Word.
That's good times right there.

 

[jonbeck14]

Yes, I've trained her well on beer! We went to a homebrew class in Chicago a few weeks ago and she got to choose the style, since it was her birthday. She said, how about a belgian sort of thing, or maybe La Fin du Monde! I was so happy!

 

[TexLaw]

That, right there, is why I used to keep my primary in the tub, with the shower curtain drawn, until we got beyond that stage. At least, I did until I got a larger fermenter, some Foam Control, and a chest freezer for fermenting.

That beer will be fine. Welcome to the world of brewing!


TL

 

[gaffrig24]

I just had the same problem with a raspberry wheat that I just brewed up. The top stayed on but I got beer that made it through the airlock, and the top of my bucket looked 4 months pregnant. I replaced the airlock with another and will watch it closely. Should I put a tube in instead? It's been in the primary for 3 days now and I would think that the fermentation will begin to slow down by now. Right now my primary is in a hole that I dug in my basement floor to help keep it cooler, if I add a hose I'll have to take the bucket out of the hole and ferment in a warmer place or dig a bigger hole and make room for a blow off tube bucket.....maybe I should dig it big enough for more fermenters so I can brew more at a time. Those if you who live in GA know why I don't want to dig in that GA red clay.

Keith