Fermentation explosion

We brewed our first stout... This is 12 hours later. We checked on it after 3 and it was hissing like some kind of animal. I just knew it was bad news. So we rigged up a blow off and it STILL exploded!! So we cleaned it up and unclogged everything... And it did it AGAIN!! Do we need to do anything to it or let it take its course? I feel like we've lost a lot of yeast.

 

Get a bigger hose. You can buy it big enough to stuff right into the neck of the carboy. I've had this happen with my stout. My daughter loved watching the chunks of foam and other bits moving through the blow-off tube. It was going like crazy!

I ended up having to go to the hardware downtown and buying the largest tubing they had and wrapping tape around it to fit the carboy. The smaller tuve just kept blowing out.

Oh, and you will want to clean that carpet right away...

 

I started using Fermcap-S in my boil to control the hotbreak....haven't had to use a blowoff tube since.

 

I use a 7 gallon bucket for a 5 gallon batch, so I'm not sure what to expect when using a 5 gallon carboy, but anyone else feel that this fermenter is too full?

 

A different stopper may do better. I've found that style doesn't like to stay in as well as the solid rubber ones, especially if they've got any moisture on them.

 

Get a bigger better bottle.

 

I agree, i used a 5 gallon carboy for primary one time and learned my lesson! You need ALOT more headspace when you got a big beer in primary. A 6.5 gallon carboy with a half inch blow off tube never fails me!

 

i use a bucket too and havent had an explosion with a blowoff yet.

i feel like using tht glass carboy as a primary is the issue...the shape of it forces the pressure over a smaller area and the weakest point (bung) blows off...I'm willing to bet if you used a bucket ud be fine.

 

I ferment 5 gallon batches in 7.9 gallon buckets, but even that is no panacea. Despite lots of headspace and a blowoff tube, I nearly had an explosion over the weekend when some eager abbey yeast went to town on 1.078 wort. The bucket lid was noticeably distended, and when I pulled the (clogged) blowoff tube out to relieve some pressure, yeast sprayed about a 2 foot blast radius. So for the remainder of the fermentation, I just loosely covered the lid on the bucket, and it behaved much better. And then I had to scrub trub off the walls.

 

I use a glass 5 gallon carboy for first and secondary fermentation. I've been brewing nearly 30 years and have done nearly all styles. I fill the carboy about as full as pictured, and use a large blow off hose (from Home Depot) that fits snugly in the neck of the carboy. The other end goes into a large plastic bucket with water and a splash of bleach. I've had fast and furious fermentations and never lost a hose yet, even with stouts.

 

Bigger fermenter, probably a wider blow off vessel for holding the sanitizer since that wine bottle has a narrow next... maybe like a vase. You could also swamp bath it to keep the temps down and the fermentation less active.

 

Yea, the carboy is too full. You only left room for two or three cups of krausen. Some yeasts will need at much as 40% of the fermenter space. I am unsure of the effects on a beer, but would probably be a preferable ferment type for a stout (burton union-esque)

 

Yeah when you asked if you should do anythibg or just let it go.. when this happened to me, i just plugged it back up and cleaned everything and let it go. Mine was a IIPA and turned out great. Just keep an eye on it, check the gravity in a few days or so and go from there.

 

<raises hand> . . . for the darker brews I use a 7-gal carboy. Darker brews tend to have more "explosive" start up. I wouldn't worry about lost yeast . . . just watch your hydrometer readings. You do not get a better fermentation with more yeast, just faster, and not by much . . . it's not that complicated.