Air Lock filled up

[Rezilynt]

First, Thanks to all of you on this board!
I brewed my first batch on Sunday (stout). Anyway, I went to the garage this morning and checked on the fermentation. The airlock was seeping the brown "sludge". I took off the airlock cap and was sprayed all over. Is this normal? Can I replace the airlock with a clean one? Did I screw up by taking that top off?

 

[AnonyBrew]

Next time use a blow off tube. As long as the new airlock was sanitized you should be fine.

 

[Revvy]

If it's still blowing you can Mcgyver a blowoff tube on your airlock.

You have to find a piece of long hose that will fit in the center pipe of your airlock...I had to do it in a pinch and found the the hose I had for my bottling wand almost fit....I put a small slit in it, then I soaked it in hot water for a few minutes to Soften and slid it around the tube...

I also found it is a good idea to cut, saw or break off the little criss crossing piece of plastic at the bottom of the airlock. It works great!

 

[Yooper]

It's a good idea to replace the airlock with a new sanitized one if the first is all gunked up. It could clog, and then the top would blow off.

A blow off tube is a great idea for active fermentations!

 

[Rezilynt]

I'll have to rig something up. I went to change the airlock, but, it is still blowing out to the point you can hear it. I even used a 6 gallon carboy. I'll go make a blowout tube. Thanks much for all the help!

 

[Rezilynt]

The blowoff tube is now in place. The slit in the tube trick worked like a charm! Should I replace this with an airlock in a couple of days?

 

[Revvy]

The blowoff tube is now in place. The slit in the tube trick worked like a charm! Should I replace this with an airlock in a couple of days?

You can once it calms down, or just leave it on for the rest of the time, it really doesn't matter....

 

[grasshopper1917]

Wasnt coopers stout was it? That stuff ferments like crazy - check out the mess it made for me:

http://www.geocities.com/sampsonsuds/mess.html

Blow off tube for sure next time i try this one

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

My blow off tube has been collecting dust once I started using fermcap....

http://www.northernbrewer.com/beer-additives.html

I was skeptical about this stuff at first, but the price wasn't bad so I decided to try it out after hearing it mentioned in another thread on this board. ( https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=602603 ) Using about half of what they recommend I have not had a boil over or needed to use a blow off tube. I currently have over 6 gallons of a 1.080 golden fermenting in a 6.5 gallon bucket with maybe an inch of head space and have not had any foam get up into my airlock.

 

[GloHoppa]

ive found that using a mr. beer mini keg is a great little vessel to run a blowoff tube into

 

[Yooper]

Wow- I just noticed you only have 3 posts and already became a premium supporter. Impressive! Thanks!

 

[Rezilynt]

Grasshopper - Yes, it was a Coopers Stout. Can't believe it started coming out of a closed bucket lid on you. I actually had to dry my face off after I took the cap off the airlock. I got pretty wet.

 

[Rezilynt]

Yooper - I've been reading this forum for a while - researching actually. I figured that since this forum is so helpful, I might as well give back!

 

[grasshopper1917]

Yea it made a mess of my ale pail by leaking out over the top - the whole cover of my bucket was covered with slime - but I transered it too secondary last night and took a little taste from my hydrometer sample and it tastes great. Im sure yours will turn out fine as well.

What did you add to yours?

I added 3# of dark liquid malt extract and 2 cups of corn sugar.

 

[Rezilynt]

I too added 3# of dark liquid malt extract. Did not add the corn sugar though.
I tasted mine yesterday after taking a reading (1.022 so far (hopefully I'm reading it correctly -
It tasted pretty good. Can't wait to get the next batch started.