"Fruit Cap" trouble

[TheRealJeanParmasanPI]

Usually when I make a melomel I use cold pressed fruit juice. This time, I decided to use whole. I froze the strawberries first, then thawed them out and smooshed them up and proceeded with my usual routine. From What I've read, the fruit that floats to the top forms a "cap" that needs to be broken every once in a while. I just went ahead and tried to "pop" it and that resulted in a veritable VOLCANO of strawberry foam. Is this normal? Am I not doing it right?

 

[loveofrose]

The volcano (excess trapped CO2) is the very reason you need to punch down the cap. Do it as many times a day as you can. It helps to use a carboy twice the size of your batch.

 

[TheRealJeanParmasanPI]

The volcano (excess trapped CO2) is the very reason you need to punch down the cap. Do it as many times a day as you can. It helps to use a carboy twice the size of your batch.

Ah okay! I had waited a couple of days to do it, so I guess I'll just have to pick it up thanks!

 

[SKBugs]

I've found melomels are best in a large food grade bucket, and you put your fruit in a hops bag. That way you can easily remove the fruit to degas etc and punch down is only a matter of pushing the bag of fruit down.
It is also a good reminder to degas/ oxygenate and punch down all at the same time.