I am brewing an all-grain IPA which is currently in primary. I placed the brew in the primary Thursday evening around 7ish. All was going well and it started to ferment within 12 hours. I checked it twice on friday and it seemed to be a nice easy fermentation (didn't think I needed a blow off tube). I went to work yesterday (24 hour shift) and when I got home this morning, the airlock had blown off! I cleaned and sanitized the airlock and replaced it. My beer was still churning along in the carboy like I still had good fermentation going on. I don't know how long the airlock was off (could have been 24 hours for all I know) I was just wondering what the likely hood of contamination is to the beer if it is still going through the fermentation Process? Has anyone else had this happen and ruin a batch? Just curious/concerned...
Airlock blow off!
- Thread starter jgoodhart
- Start date
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There are 2 kinds of people in this world, those that have had an airlock blow-off, and those that will.
To answer your pressing question; since your fermentation was at its peak producing significant CO2 it is unlikely that any infection causing bugs got into your beer. Even if they did, what would you do differently from here on out? Nothing, you'd just continue your process and make a note of it and try not to repeat your mistake next time.
Now, whether you have learned your lesson about using a blow off tube depends on whether this first incident produced a splattering of krausen all over your ceiling, walls, carpet, heating vent, etc. If it didn't then you're probably going to keep thinking no blow-off tube is Ok. Go ahead, ask me how I know.
Welcome to this amazing hobby!
To answer your pressing question; since your fermentation was at its peak producing significant CO2 it is unlikely that any infection causing bugs got into your beer. Even if they did, what would you do differently from here on out? Nothing, you'd just continue your process and make a note of it and try not to repeat your mistake next time.
Now, whether you have learned your lesson about using a blow off tube depends on whether this first incident produced a splattering of krausen all over your ceiling, walls, carpet, heating vent, etc. If it didn't then you're probably going to keep thinking no blow-off tube is Ok. Go ahead, ask me how I know.
Welcome to this amazing hobby!
