Help!! Tons of pressure in fermenter

[Coontail]

Just came home from work and came home to this. The top of the bucket is bulging from pressure and it looks like the pressure caused some of the brew to come out of the airlock.

What do I do? Open the lid and relieve pressure then reset the airlock?

I had a towel over the whole thing including the air lock so I'm getting the feeling it must've choked the flow and Voila

 

[Coontail]

 

[beermanpete]

The krausen and yeast probably got in the airlock and blocked it. Sanitize the area around the airlock and remove it to relieve the pressure. If you can, use a blow-off tube in stead of the airlock for a few days until the krausen declines some. Otherwise just clean, sanitize and replace the airlock and keep a close eye on it for a few days.

 

[bleme]

I would just pull the airlock, clean it up, sanitize, and put it back on. You might want to put some towels down and strip to your skivvies because it probably won't be just air that blows out of there.

What yeast did you use and what is the temperature?

 

[flars]

Blow off tube assembly using the three piece air lock. Have sanitized paper towels ready to cover the air lock bung it you pull it. You could also lift one edge of the lid a little to direct the pressure downward.

 

[MarkKF]

That was cider? How full was the bucket? Did you add sugar? And what yeast did you use?

 

[Coontail]

Ok, before reading your comment I did just that. I have a spare airlock so I sanitized that in a bucket of star San and sanitized the area around it and in the grommet where it seals.

 

[Yooper]

I would just loosen the lid, and set it back down gently (without sealing) on top until things settle down.

 

[Coontail]

I'm gonna keep a very close eye on it though. I'm new to this but is krausen that thick cream colored paste? Because that was blocking all the vent holes in the cap

 

[Coontail]

Ok, before reading your comment I did just that. I have a spare airlock so I sanitized that in a bucket of star San and sanitized the area around it and in the grommet where it seals.

 

[Coontail]

That was cider? How full was the bucket? Did you add sugar? And what yeast did you use?

Yes it's a 5 Fallon batch of Graff. About an inch and a half from the lid. I did not add sugar. I'm using Safale S04

 

[Coontail]

I would just pull the airlock, clean it up, sanitize, and put it back on. You might want to put some towels down and strip to your skivvies because it probably won't be just air that blows out of there.

What yeast did you use and what is the temperature?

Lol I wiped off some of the krausen and it started letting pressure out again so I didn't get a face of cider. I ended up doing this exactly though. I'm using Safale S04 at 66 Degrees

 

[bleme]

Lol I wiped off some of the krausen and it started letting pressure out again so I didn't get a face of cider. I ended up doing this exactly though. I'm using Safale S04 at 66 Degrees

66F is a good temp, but the yeast in the bucket is probably pushing that quite a bit higher. If you have one of those big rope tubs, put the fermentor in that and fill with water. That will create a heat sink to keep it lower and calm the yeast down so they plug away at a more steady rate.

 

[Coontail]

66F is a good temp, but the yeast in the bucket is probably pushing that quite a bit higher. If you have one of those big rope tubs, put the fermentor in that and fill with water. That will create a heat sink to keep it lower and calm the yeast down so they plug away at a more steady rate.

Right now I actually have it set in a tub of water with a fish tank heater. The lowest the heater will go is 66ish degrees unfortunately

66F is a good temp, but the yeast in the bucket is probably pushing that quite a bit higher. If you have one of those big rope tubs, put the fermentor in that and fill with water. That will create a heat sink to keep it lower and calm the yeast down so they plug away at a more steady rate.

 

[Yooper]

Yes it's a 5 Fallon batch of Graff. About an inch and a half from the lid. I did not add sugar. I'm using Safale S04

Then you're very lucky! I've left 6 inches and still had to mop my ceiling.

 

[Coontail]

Then you're very lucky! I've left 6 inches and still had to mop my ceiling.

Wow! I was too lazy to go out and get a 6 gallon bucket somewhere though I do know I should be using one. Eventually I wanna do some experimental 1 gallon batches in glass carboys so hopefully those don't explore on me!

 

[beermanpete]

I'm gonna keep a very close eye on it though. I'm new to this but is krausen that thick cream colored paste? Because that was blocking all the vent holes in the cap

The cream colored paste is the yeast. Krausen is the foam floating on the must (or wort if you make beer). The krausen will always have some yeast in it.

 

[jtkroh]

After the second time this happened to me, I started using the blow off tube and bucket of sanitized water for all my primaries. Outside of that, make sure there is enough headspace in the fermentation vessel

 

[mneilson]

As a side note, those orange Homer buckets and lids from Home Depot are not food safe. I'd find a new one for your next batch

 

[Coontail]

As a side note, those orange Homer buckets and lids from Home Depot are not food safe. I'd find a new one for your next batch

I figured, when I went there all they had was the orange lids. I'll have to search around for the white lids, Lowe's maybe?

 

[mneilson]

Both stores (or your LHBS) should have food grade buckets and lids

 

[Coontail]

Both stores (or your LHBS) should have food grade buckets and lids

I'll check for them. I do have the food grade bucket

 

[Coontail]

After the second time this happened to me, I started using the blow off tube and bucket of sanitized water for all my primaries. Outside of that, make sure there is enough headspace in the fermentation vessel

How much headspace should there be?

 

[jtkroh]

How much headspace should there be?

I don't know if there is a good answer to this. I do 5 gal batches in 6.5 gal carboys and a few times the kreusen has gone pretty high, and into the blow off tube.

Probably depends on OG, yeast strains and fermentation temperature. I get lost when talking about attenuation and flocculation so I just do my best to pitch the right amount of yeast and keep it in the optimal temp range.

 

[Coontail]

Welp, it happened again.. taking that advice on the blow off tube