carboy cap blew off from foam!!!!

[JOHN51277]

this morning I woke up and as usual went to check on my brews. I was alarmed at the site I saw. My bock I brewed on tuesday had blown the carboy cap and blow off tube completely off. it looked like soft serve ice cream coming out of the top. I took a peice of aluminum foil and kinda cut off the top foam and grabbed a sanatized cap and tube and put it back on with a zip tie this time. has anyone ever experienced this before?? It is a very violent fermentation.


Is there any way to keep this from happening again, or did I solve it with the zip tie???

This is the first time I did a starter with the yeast, maybe it did it.

 

[david_42]

Blowoffs happen when you get a really good start. As long as the foam is coming out, nothing bad is getting in. If you aren't using a blowoff tube, start using one. If you are, get a bigger one. Once the foam stops, replace the tube with a bubbler.

One of the signs that you're a real homebrewer: You've mopped the ceiling.

 

[Beermaker]

WOO HOO......blow out...Did you hit the ceiling? I think, if I member right, the ID od a gallon carboy is 1 1/4" So you can buy a piece of tubing that size, 4 ft or so long, and shove it inside. You wont blow it off, and it will hold any krausen you blow over. I got mine at Lowes.

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

Maybe we should make that the inititiation into our brew club. Never had a blow out? You're not a member!

 

[casebrew]

John, how warm was the fermenter? How full? reccommended 20% oversize fermenter, 6gal bucket for a 5 gal batch. I got lots of blow-off this summer, probably low 80's in the garage here insane diego. This weeks batch bubbled profusely, OG of 1.052 dropped to 1.010 in 3 days, temp of 67 in my bedroom. Note, summertime fermenter in garage, winter in house. I don't want to mop my ceiling, membership not withstanding.

 

[woodstone]

I'm with the other posts...welcome . I presume it was a 5G batch in a 5G carboy? Start doing 5G batches in a 6.5 gallon carboy and scrap the blow off...I've found no ill effects in flavor. Check out some of the other forum topics on this. Cheers!

 

[JOHN51277]

I did go out last night and saw that it did hit the wall and the ceiling a lil bit. I am definately going to have to get a bigger blow-off tube if im going to be doing the starters for now on. I am using a 6 gal for my 5 gal batches, and its still blowing the top. Thanks for the official welcome. Im still a greenpea though.

 

[Georgian Novice]

Maybe we should make that the inititiation into our brew club. Never had a blow out? You're not a member!

Alright, I see how y'all are. . .not good enough I just began learning what the heck a yeast starter is, now I need to have a blowout to prove my man-brewhood? I'll get you, yes I will, (crazy laugh inserted here).

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

Yeah, Georgian, you got the idea!

 

[Beer Snob]

This happened to me before... had beer all over the walls and ceiling... was terrible. But... the beer was great and I even screwed up more... imagine this... I cleaned up this mess ok... tossed out the cap that the store person sold me (it was that oragne cap with the two outlets... I had always used rubber stoppers).... so I have everything set and sink the rubber stopper in the carboy and what do you think should happen... the darn thing went straight through the opening falling to the bottom of the carboy! Man.... I was soo pissed. Racked...... again. This time using a larger stopper...

But... the beer was great. It was a Coffee Stout and my only disappointment was that some was wasted in the end and never got to my lips

 

[drewbrew82]

I found my air lock 8ft away from the carboy. I have to paint my ceiling, The stain won't come off.

 

[Yooper]

I found my air lock 8ft away from the carboy. I have to paint my ceiling, The stain won't come off.

Paint the room and ceiling wort colored, so if it happens again, you won't even notice! I think a lovely light brown for the ceiling would look great!

 

[silvervan83]

I pitched yeast at about 8pm and went to school the next day (back when I was in college). Came home from school at 2 and had a stain on the ceiling the size of a watermelon. The walls were soaked and the carpet was ruined. (it was in the back of my closet). I had to paint the walls, replace the wire shelving in the closet and re-carpet the room. One of the best beers i've brewed.

 

[Henny]

Man, I feel so left out. I am yet to get a blowout....

 

[drewbrew82]

I would have to say the spray was in a 3.5ft dia circle by what was left on the ceiling. I only wish that I could have seen the great explosion.