Blow Off Top -- Help!

[kyoun1e]

There is definitely a chance of that happening. Whenever I brew a big beer - imperial stout, barleywine, etc - even 5 gallons of fermenting wort in a 6.5 gallon container blows off like crazy. For this reason I have two blowoff tubes and two buckets of starsan (I actually use old growlers) for blowoff at the ready. That way when I need to change, I just do a quick swap and can go clean the dirty one after.

You certainly don't need to have two, but it wouldn't hurt to do that - or at least take it off daily and clean it to be safe.

I'm starting to get the sense that redundancy is a good thing when it comes to brewing. I'm a better safe than sorry guy so I'm going to have double of everything.

That said, it looks like the furious bubbling is over with. It has calmed down quite a bit. Guessing that's normal.

 

[seatazzz]

I'm starting to get the sense that redundancy is a good thing when it comes to brewing. I'm a better safe than sorry guy so I'm going to have double of everything.

That said, it looks like the furious bubbling is over with. It has calmed down quite a bit. Guessing that's normal.

Yep. Vigorous bubbling usually subsides within 3-4 days, but don't assume they're done yet. Those yeasties are still working their magic and need a few more days to clean up the mess after their party. Kinda like a big summer party where you are eating leftovers for days.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Look at the bright side...you had it in a tub where it didn't make a mess on SWMBO's floor, and the stopper didn't blow out and splatter yeast gunk all over your ceiling, walls, and furniture. See, it's all good! Ed

Yeah. Its not a vigorous ferment if you don't have to clean the ceiling

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I have a blow off tube premade and ready for such occasions. 8 feet of vinyl tubing and a brass hose barb that fits snugly into the airlock bung. A 2litre soda bottle filled half way with ( sanitizer, water, vodka) completes the assembly. Be sure the end of the vinyl tubing is submerged in the liquid in the soda bottle to form an airlock. I place the middle of the tubing high to ensure that as krausen subsides, the resultant beery goodness runs at least partly back into the fermenter.

 

[kh54s10]

Blow off tube for the start of EVERY fermentation! Unless your fermenter has a very large headspace......

 

[kyoun1e]

I have a blow off tube premade and ready for such occasions. 8 feet of vinyl tubing and a brass hose barb that fits snugly into the airlock bung. A 2litre soda bottle filled half way with ( sanitizer, water, vodka) completes the assembly. Be sure the end of the vinyl tubing is submerged in the liquid in the soda bottle to form an airlock. I place the middle of the tubing high to ensure that as krausen subsides, the resultant beery goodness runs at least partly back into the fermenter.

Ooooh. Good tip. Getting tubing high.

My tubing is a tad short so not sure if that's possible. Will take a look.

5 days in, everything still looks good!

 

[GoeHaarden]

I have a blow off tube premade and ready for such occasions. 8 feet of vinyl tubing and a brass hose barb that fits snugly into the airlock bung. A 2litre soda bottle filled half way with ( sanitizer, water, vodka) completes the assembly. Be sure the end of the vinyl tubing is submerged in the liquid in the soda bottle to form an airlock. I place the middle of the tubing high to ensure that as krausen subsides, the resultant beery goodness runs at least partly back into the fermenter.

Not sure you'd lose much Krasuen here...

I'd rather let the beast escape and prevent any chance of contamination...