Super Active Fermentation

[jkbachman]

I brewed an all grain porter yesterday and pitched the yeast. Today, I'm having super active fermentation to where my lid is coming off and I've had to replace my airlock with a blow off hose. Should I be worried about this? Is this a sign of bacterial contamination?

 

[Revvy]

Nope, just a sign of active yeasties. Happens to all of us. You may consider making a blowoff tube.

we've all had complete bucket blowoffs, where the lid flies off, and our beers survive. Your beer is protected by a layer of co2.

Watch these videos of one of my beers...that came out fine. Next time clean up your mess and rig up a blowoff tube.

 

[jkbachman]

Thanks for the help. Is this just typical of beers with higher starting gravity or is it more with beer style?

 

[whitehause]

High gravity and a good pitch of healthy yeast will do it every time. ( well almost )

 

[shoestealer17]

Nope, just a sign of active yeasties. Happens to all of us. You may consider making a blowoff tube.

we've all had complete bucket blowoffs, where the lid flies off, and our beers survive. Your beer is protected by a layer of co2.

Watch these videos of one of my beers...that came out fine. Next time clean up your mess and rig up a blowoff tube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btOS7HUluEw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnFTK1EhD24

I just did a barleywine and it did exactly the same thing as in the 2nd video. I had a blowoff tube rigged the same way as I always do (like in the vid, has worked perfect on many beers) and it blew the top off my 5 gal bucket and showered the inside of my fermentation chamber.
Dont know what else I could do to stop that from happening.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I find that fermentation that active is indicative of high temps.

 

[shoestealer17]

I find that fermentation that active is indicative of high temps.

I had mine in a temperature controlled fermentation chamber at 68F

 

[cheezydemon3]

That is good, but the internal temp of the beer can still be way higher.

Not saying for sure that your temps were high, just saying that since I started pitching cooler and making sure that temps stay low, I haven't even needed a blow off.

 

[shoestealer17]

That is true, the internal temp could have been high.
I just wonder why that blowoff tube setup has worked for all my other beers fermented at the same temp and didn't work for this one.
The beer will end up being about 12% abv, guess the yeast really just like all that sugar

 

[shoestealer17]

Anyone else had this problem, or Revvy, have you found a way to deal with it?

 

[Revvy]

Anyone else had this problem, or Revvy, have you found a way to deal with it?

No, because I don't see it as a "problem." It's just something that happens on occasion. As opposed to cheezy I don't think it's indicative of anything. Yeah sometimes it happens during high heat, BUT usually just happens because you have a particularly active strain of yeast that is interactive what whatever proteins, minerals, oxygen in your wort. It just is going gangbusters.

If it happens you just put a blowoff tube on it and move on.

It's not a "problem" it's just something that happens.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Revvy definitely has more experience. All I am saying is that whatever yeast strain, no matter the size of the beer, I have not had this problem in the last 4 years since chilling to 60F and moving immediately to controlled 65F ambient.


To answer the OP's other query: more hop residue is usually the culprit for foiling the blowoff and blowing the top.

 

[ncbrewer]

I just did a barleywine and it did exactly the same thing as in the 2nd video. I had a blowoff tube rigged the same way as I always do (like in the vid, has worked perfect on many beers) and it blew the top off my 5 gal bucket and showered the inside of my fermentation chamber.
Dont know what else I could do to stop that from happening.

I use an airlock, but just set the bucket lid on loose, with a little weight to hold it in place. After a few days, I snap the lid down. It can still run over the top, but it won't be violent.

 

[shoestealer17]

I put a blowoff tube on all my primaries now just to avoid this problem, I hate spending a hour cleaning up krausen and beer. Not snapping on the lid seems like it might work, but also involve alot of cleanup. Although, its probably just that the fermentation was going extra crazy since it was a high OG barleywine

 

[ncbrewer]

I put a blowoff tube on all my primaries now just to avoid this problem, I hate spending a hour cleaning up krausen and beer. Not snapping on the lid seems like it might work, but also involve alot of cleanup. Although, its probably just that the fermentation was going extra crazy since it was a high OG barleywine

I haven’t had one overflow since I started the loose lid method, so I don’t know for sure how big a mess it will make. I’m hoping it will just run down the sides of the bucket into the swamp cooler tub.

I started the loose lid method after having a blow-off tube plug – it was really messy.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Chilling the wort to 60F and moving to 65F I NEVER need a blowoff or a loose lid.

 

[Oter]

My very first beer blew off. I have used a blow off tube ever since. works like a charm.

And the beer was excellent, btw.

 

[jeffjjpkiser1]

My rule of thumb has always been that any OG over 1.065-1.070 gets a blowoff valve. Anything below should be safe with an airlock.