Blow off Tube can't handle ferment.

[scottywags]

This is my 3rd time making the same beer and pitching right on top of the same yeast cake (Notty). The 2nd time is was a pretty crazy fermentation but this time.....within the hour of me putting the bucket into the cooler it's already clogged the blow off tube 3 times and the bucket is swelling. Every time I pull the airlock and tube off to clean it it shoots and ooozes white foam.

Temp is holding steady at 60 degrees & the tube is a about a foot long 3/4 in OD and 1/2 in ID.

Not sure how to go to anything bigger to help release the pressure.

 

[mbobhat]

That's pretty typical with buckets, especially since you are pitching on a yeast cake! You will get explosive results. Trust me I did that with S04 and a russian imperial stout. Next time try just taking a cup of the yeast and using that, unless you are making a huge beer, then in that case you need more headroom, try going 4 gallons instead of to the brim. Otherwise you probably want to switch to a carboy, since the gases seem to do a better job getting out. Plastic carboys are not to bad, plus you can get a larger than 5 gallons if you are making 5 gallon batches. Chances are the beer in your bucket is above the temp you are measuring, so try adding some frozen water bottles to your ice bath if you have one, or turn down your cooler to around 50. Once you get past the first couple days it should slow down and not clog and you can raise the temp. If your yeast is bubbling then your wort is not too cold.

 

[bfish]

or start using a 6.5 gallon bucket.

 

[scottywags]

This is a 6.5 gallon bucket with about 5.5 in.
The last one I did on this yeast cake it was done in 2 days...went from 1.055 down to 1.006! I feel like this one is going to be about the same. Maybe next time I will try using just a portion of the yeast cake I guess.

 

[csurowiec]

Don't use the whole yeast cake unless you are making a BIG beer. A cup of slurry from the previous batch is plenty to ferment a 1.055 beer.

 

[Sailingeric]

I use brewcraft 30L/ 8 gallon bucket. Plenty of head room and the lid does not seal so well so it can vent out gas build up without any mess