Blowing through the airlock

[Gavin]

5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy = this mess

I dumped some san water on it and I am waiting for it to calm down before I pull the airlock and resanitize. Looks like blow off tubes in the future. The 6.5 gallon carboys had no trouble.

 

[Gavin]

I jumped back in with a Milk Stout, Double IPA and a sierra nevada clone... All three are happy and a little too healthy!

 

[LandoLincoln]

Nice. I would have preferred to see more carnage, but this is okay.

 

[Gavin]

You just might! The CO2 is whistling out. I'm praying it doesn't blow up! It bubbled really slow for a day and suddenly went crazy! The other two are already slowing down.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

I like using a blowoff in a Mason Jar. Not only does it sound cool when it starts continuously bubbling. But as an added bonus you can make Hop flavored Seltzer Water for free :-D (just use fresh water without StarSan or anything)

 

[pdietert]

I would do a blow off tube before you have to clean krausen off of everything in that room.

 

[Gavin]

I THINK I am safe. It wheezes and hisses for about 30 seconds, then stops for about 2 minutes. Then goes again. It has been doing this for a few hours.

 

[ob_1jr]

You can safely change to a blow off tube. When fermentation is that active you have very little chance of infection. I woke up one day with beer in my airlock. I thought I would be able to just clean the airlock and move on....pulled the airlock off and it started coming out the top. Moved over to a blow off tube and within 30 seconds I had foam halfway through the tube.
What I woke up to:

Here is what it looked like about 30 seconds after getting the blow off tube on:

 

[Gavin]

That's why I don't want to pull it yet. It will most likely juts start shooting out all over the place. Cant't see in the picture obviously, but the fermentation in the glass is crazy! Fingers crossed... A few more hours and I will attempt to pull it.

 

[pdietert]

If it is on the up side, it could get worse. What was the OG on it?

 

[pdietert]

If/when you do pull it, do not just pull the air lock, pull the whole stopper.

 

[Gavin]

Didnt take readings on ANY of those 3 hahah I dont really care. Not doing secondary. The double IPA will go 4 weeks, the other two will be done in 3. I just wanted to get back in to brewing. Next time I will be more meticulous and include alcohol content.

Lesson learned though. No more cheap airlocks. Especially on a 5 gallon carboy!