Anyone had a carboy explode?

[petrolSpice]

Has anyone had their fermentation blow off, clogging the air lock, causing the carboy to explode? I'm curious if this is an actual concern or not. I'm using an orange carboy cap and have it hose-clamped on to get a good seal. I'm not sure if it would pop off if the carboy were to become pressurized.

My first batch blew off like mad and clogged the airlock, but luckily I was there to put on a blow off hose. My second batch is about 19 hours in with good airlock activity, so I was worried to leave it alone today while I'm at work. But I'm trying to keep it cooler this time around 64F.

 

[progmac]

the bung should pop out before the glass breaks.
edit, just reread and saw you are using a clamp. i'm much less confident that a hose-clamped orange cap would pop off. that sounds dangerous

 

[DocScott]

Yes this happens frequently. If you are concerned that you may have a blow out, hook up a "blow off" tube or hose to vent the gas off more easily.

Essentially you'll attach a line of tubing from your fermentor into a bucket of sanitizer.

I will usually attach it to the post in the middle of the airlock if fermenting in a carboy.

 

[Waynep005]

I have had to clean the walls and ceiling from a blow out. I have never heard of a carboy blow I g up though.

Sent from my XT907 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[AaronTX]

What causes these blowouts? My airlock started having activity yesterday (first batch of beer), and I'm lying in bed waiting to hear an explosion. These stories have me paranoid!

 

[petrolSpice]

What causes these blowouts? My airlock started having activity yesterday (first batch of beer), and I'm lying in bed waiting to hear an explosion. These stories have me paranoid!

The krausen (tan foam) can build up inside the fermenter and get into the airlock, causing it to clog, leading to a build up of pressure inside the fermenter, eventually blowing off the cap (or exploding the carboy as I'm worried about here). A hose will have a larger ID and will be less susceptible to clogging.

 

[Kaz]

I would still be highly skeptical of a carboy exploding here. I think a glass carboy would blow apart the orange cap or blow the hose off before the carboy would go. Either way, why so worried about the seal? Its really not that big of a deal, even if the blow off would come off, clean it up and replace the cap. If it would happen to blow off the cap, the escaping krausen and CO2 will keep most bugs from getting in anyways. In the past, if I was really worried about a blow out and my carboy was sitting somewhere important, I would sit in a tub and cover with a box just in case to contain any yeast schrapnel.

 

[BansheeRider]

The title of this thread is very misleading LOL

 

[peterj]

Has anyone had their fermentation blow off, clogging the air lock, causing the carboy to explode? I'm curious if this is an actual concern or not. I'm using an orange carboy cap and have it hose-clamped on to get a good seal. I'm not sure if it would pop off if the carboy were to become pressurized.

My first batch blew off like mad and clogged the airlock, but luckily I was there to put on a blow off hose. My second batch is about 19 hours in with good airlock activity, so I was worried to leave it alone today while I'm at work. But I'm trying to keep it cooler this time around 64F.

You don't need a perfect seal during primary fermentation. And if you're worried about it, why don't you just go ahead and put a blow off tube on to begin with? I would remove the hose clamp and put on a blow off tube.

 

[lokibrew101]

Ive been brewing for 5 years and have never heard of a carboy exploding, though in my lurking days, I remember reading a story about a guy who lost his brother from sliding into a carboy filled with loose change. The carboy exploded and severed his femoral artery. The brother was dead in a minute or two.

With that story in mind, I'd probably lose that clamp. Bungs will blow out before anything explodes, but I'm not so sure about the clamp.

 

[AaronTX]

Um, that was a depressing side note.

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[DocScott]

Yeah, geez...

Your carboy won't explode. The cap may blow out and leave you a huge mess to clean up. Hook up a blow off and forget about it for 2-3 weeks

 

[passedpawn]

Ive been brewing for 5 years and have never heard of a carboy exploding, though in my lurking days, I remember reading a story about a guy who lost his brother from sliding into a carboy filled with loose change. The carboy exploded and severed his femoral artery. The brother was dead in a minute or two.

With that story in mind, I'd probably lose that clamp. Bungs will blow out before anything explodes, but I'm not so sure about the clamp.

You might be confusing the story. The brother did die, but he tripped over a carboy, shattering it. He did die the way you described.

1st post, skip the pictures, first link below the pics:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium-376523/

 

[GASoline71]

I just kegged an Amber ale that never had any airlock activity... the bucket lid was not on all the way. Brewed up just fine. The pressure all went out of the bucket lid where it didn't seal.. I've also had fermentations blow the lid off the bucket. Just put it back on with a blowoff tube, and back to fermenting.

Nothing to worry about at all. Just makes a mess if it blows. This hobby shouldn't make you paranoid... where's the fun in that? Just remember... you're making beer, not nuclear fusion.

Gary

 

[Cyclman]

It could happen: http://www.addisonindependent.com/201111beer-tank-explodes-otter-creek

This may not apply to homebrew scale, with less osmotic pressure, etc., but I would want the cap or stopper to blow out rather than take any chance of the carboy shattering. You don't need that tight of a seal with the cap- if it's the proper size, it should be rather snug.

I do a blowoff with all higher gravity brews, even temp controlled.

 

[IvanTheTerribrew]

I wouldn't use a glass carboy for primary unless there was a blow off tube. I don't think it's a safe thing to play with that thick of glass with pressure. Plus you need to make sure you have a big enough carboy, like are you using a 5 gal carboy for a 5 gal batch or a 6.5 carboy? That headspace makes a big difference. I wouldn't trust anyone that says "your carboy won't explode". All that means is that it hasn't happened to them, not that it can't happen.

 

[progmac]

bottom line is that carboys aren't designed for any kind of pressure

 

[Math0]

An S airlock tends to clog faster.

 

[b-boy]

I always use a blow-off tube for the first week or so.

I had 3 blowoffs in a row that I had to clean up. That convinced me that a blow-off tube is the way to go.

 

[mrduna01]

I was thinking about this today due to getting my new big mouth bubbler fermentor. Its a 6.5 gallon and the krausen from my fermenting brown ale is almost up to the top in day 3. I don't have a blow off tube to fit yet but made other arrangements. Reason I was kind of worried is because it has a threaded top that screws on, not a typical bung and airlock. I doubt this would blow off before the glass breaks. I ended up just putting the airlock cap sitting on top without screwing it down just in case.

So many beers... so little time.