Bummer - First Fermenter Blowout

[EdWort]

I called SWMBO from Vegas and asked to to check the vodka in my airlocks of my first 10 gallon batch of Haus Pale sitting in the chest freezer in my garage. She reported the temp of 65 degrees (right on baby), then she lifted the lid and gagged. She said there was "Stuff" all over the freezer lid and down the sides of the bucket. I persuaded her to pick up the airlock, clean it up, dip the post in vodka and fill it back up. She won't touch the other stuff.

On the bright side, the blowout was contained by the chest freezer. Man she woulda been really pissed if I left those buckets in the Kitchen and then headed to Vegas. :cross:

Anyway, I have never had such a violent fermentation before with Nottingham, but I did aerate the heck out of my wort and one bucket had 5 1/2 gallons of wort.

When she put the airlock back on she told me it started bubbling right away.

I'll post some pics when I get home today.

What are the odds that this batch got infected?

 

[the_bird]

Probably pretty low - you've got a lot of CO2 helping to push away any buggies that might otherwise make their way in. Seems like the fact that it's contained in the freezer would help, as well.

 

[cubbies]

I'd say pretty slim. If it started bubbling right when the airlock was put back on, that means is was putting off a pretty good amount of CO2 the whole time. Be real tough for air to get in when CO2 is pushing out that hard.

 

[Biermann]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it. I've seen the same thing happen to a friend where the whole stopper and airlock combo fell out even-- he picked it up off the basement floor and just stuck it back in. . . . without resulting in infection.

 

[EdWort]

Thanks ya'll. I got home and SWMBO had already cleaned things up. I am so lucky to have her! I think it will be OK. They have already stopped bubbling. That Nottingham works fast. I'll crash cool them on Sunday and keg them a week later. It'll still be at least 6 weeks before they get tapped though. The 2.5 gallon cornies won't be tapped for at least two months.