Carboy Overflow?

[rogersbm]

So I was SUPER pumped yesterday! Began my home brewing journey by brewing my first IPA. Everything worked out pretty well, my initial gravity was a perfect 1.051 when I put it in the carboy. My temps were prefect along the way, and everything was going great. I added my yeast, but was skeptical because the instructions said to shake the carboy BEFORE you add the yeast. I was worried that the yeast wouldn't mix very well in my wort. My father in-law (who has doctorate in biochemistry and a home brewer for over fifteen years) told me to shake it after I added the yeast to oxygenate it before I capped it. Now I've got a huge mess. After one day of fermenting, it's completely overflowed. What went wrong?

 

[Walter_Whites_Batch]

I'd say nothing went wrong, you've got a nice fermentation going there. Maybe you should've used a blow-off hose?

 

[amandabab]

What went wrong?

You used an airlock for the early stage of fermentation

 

[rogersbm]

I'd say nothing went wrong, you've got a nice fermentation going there. Maybe you should've used a blow-off hose?

Well, hopefully I didn't ruin it with the way I fixed it. My wife was pretty upset, because I used the closet to ferment. Didn't expect it to overflow, so I pretty much ruined the carpet in there...lol. I figured I didn't have enough room in the carboy, and that I made a mistake, so I transferred everything into a plastic bucket instead. Obviously I left some yeast in the carboy, because it was impossible to get it all out. Do you think it'll still come out okay? Maybe it'll just take a little longer?

 

[Yooper]

Well, hopefully I didn't ruin it with the way I fixed it. My wife was pretty upset, because I used the closet to ferment. Didn't expect it to overflow, so I pretty much ruined the carpet in there...lol. I figured I didn't have enough room in the carboy, and that I made a mistake, so I transferred everything into a plastic bucket instead. Obviously I left some yeast in the carboy, because it was impossible to get it all out. Do you think it'll still come out okay? Maybe it'll just take a little longer?

It'll be fine. No worries.

For next time, remember to aerate before you add the yeast. You don't shake to mix the yeast- the yeast do their own mixing. Also, use a big bucket (or a bigger carboy) for more headspace, and do your best to keep fermentation temperatures around 68 degrees.

 

[Blindsquirrelbrewery]

Looks like you are using a 5 gallon carboy for your primary fermenter. A blow off tube will be mandatory for any batch of beer you brew. If you dont know what a blow off tube is, its just a clear tube going to a bucket of water so the foam has a place to go. Just keep the end of the tube underwater in the bucket. You can get the tube at home depot for cheap. If you dont want to use a blow off tube every time, get a glass 6.5 gallon fermenter. There will be some types of beer, even with the 6.5 gallon, you will need the blow off tube for.

 

[rogersbm]

It'll be fine. No worries.

For next time, remember to aerate before you add the yeast. You don't shake to mix the yeast- the yeast do their own mixing. Also, use a big bucket (or a bigger carboy) for more headspace, and do your best to keep fermentation temperatures around 68 degrees.

Sweeeet...I feel like a million bucks right now. Had all my buddies looking forward to trying my first batch and I thought I ruined it! Thanks!

 

[DSorenson]

Yeah man, I've used an airlock one time before immediately fitting that carboy with a blow off tube when I got home to find my airlock had rocketed across the room. It just seems to me that a blow off tube is a safer bet for primary fermentation. Both of my beers have made use of it, and it just seems easier and less worry-some.

 

[BryPA]

Hey join the club.. first timer here as well. Here's my blowout.. !!!

 

[Hellosluggo]

Here's my last one.

 

[rogersbm]

Wow, those pics are wild. Wasn't expecting all that mess, but it seems like common sense in hindsight. Thanks again folks!

 

[Reindeer]

Here's my last one.

After my first 2 batches blew the airlock off I switched to this setup. Works awesome.

 

[beerlover82]

I put my first batch in a Rubbermaid tub. Good thing because it overflowed before I put the overflow tube on. I now ferment in my 6.5 gal bucket.

 

[rogersbm]

I'm sure I'm obsessing a little bit here (being my first batch and all) but I feel like I screwed up the fermentation process. When I transferred the batch from the carboy to the plastic bucket, the yeast was reacting so well it was basically fizzing through my airlock. Now I don't even see bubbles in my airlock. How long should I go before checking with a hydrometer? Should I expect to see any activity in the airlock? The reason I'm worried is because there was a decent amount of yeast left in the carboy after I transferred it. (Not a ton, but at least 1/10 of the baggie that I used)

Everyone has said that it'll be fine...just wanted to make sure I shouldn't be expecting activity in my airlock. Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

I'm sure I'm obsessing a little bit here (being my first batch and all) but I feel like I screwed up the fermentation process. When I transferred the batch from the carboy to the plastic bucket, the yeast was reacting so well it was basically fizzing through my airlock. Now I don't even see bubbles in my airlock. How long should I go before checking with a hydrometer? Should I expect to see any activity in the airlock? The reason I'm worried is because there was a decent amount of yeast left in the carboy after I transferred it. (Not a ton, but at least 1/10 of the baggie that I used)

Everyone has said that it'll be fine...just wanted to make sure I shouldn't be expecting activity in my airlock. Thanks!

You have that reversed, if you have both a bucket and a carboy. You want to start fermentation in the bucket (as it has more headspace) and then leave it there until the beer is finished fermenting. THEN, you rack it (siphon it) to the carboy for clearing. When it's super active is NOT the time to try to transfer it! The beer is what? 2 days into fermentation? That's about a week too soon to transfer it.

For now, I'd suggest just leaving it alone and try to forget about it. It's been transferred, so let it finish and settle out a bit. There would be no advantage to messing around with it now.

 

[rogersbm]

You have that reversed, if you have both a bucket and a carboy. You want to start fermentation in the bucket (as it has more headspace) and then leave it there until the beer is finished fermenting. THEN, you rack it (siphon it) to the carboy for clearing. When it's super active is NOT the time to try to transfer it! The beer is what? 2 days into fermentation? That's about a week too soon to transfer it.

For now, I'd suggest just leaving it alone and try to forget about it. It's been transferred, so let it finish and settle out a bit. There would be no advantage to messing around with it now.

I realized I did it backwards after the fact, but everything I read said it was okay to do the entire fermentation process in a carboy. (Even the guy at my local brew shop) I guess that would have been fine if I had used a blow off tube.

I didn't have a choice but to transfer it, because it was spewing everywhere. The container was entirely way to small...like I said, it got all of the carpet, all over the stuff in the closet, all kinds of mess. I'm leaving it alone, just not sure what I'm looking for at this point. I'm going to wait about a week and a half and do a hydrometer reading and see where I am. I just wasn't sure if I should take a reading now, and then take another in two weeks or so, just to see if anything is even happening in there. My gut tells me it's dead, but that's probably bc my knowledge of brewing is elementary at best.

 

[Yooper]

I realized I did it backwards after the fact, but everything I read said it was okay to do the entire fermentation process in a carboy. (Even the guy at my local brew shop) I guess that would have been fine if I had used a blow off tube.

I didn't have a choice but to transfer it, because it was spewing everywhere. The container was entirely way to small...like I said, it got all of the carpet, all over the stuff in the closet, all kinds of mess. I'm leaving it alone, just not sure what I'm looking for at this point. I'm going to wait about a week and a half and do a hydrometer reading and see where I am. I just wasn't sure if I should take a reading now, and then take another in two weeks or so, just to see if anything is even happening in there. My gut tells me it's dead, but that's probably bc my knowledge of brewing is elementary at best.

Oh, plenty is happening, that's why it was blowing off!

It's fine. Just try your best to keep it at 66-68 degrees (beer temperature, not ambient temperature) and check it in a week or two.

 

[rogersbm]

Oh, plenty is happening, that's why it was blowing off!

It's fine. Just try your best to keep it at 66-68 degrees (beer temperature, not ambient temperature) and check it in a week or two.

Sweet...Thanks

 

[Chefboubou]

Here's my last one.

Hey Hellosluggo, what's the OD of this tube? Looks great as you don't need a grommet!!

 

[Chefboubou]

Found it : 1.25 in OD... Bought and installed as the fermentation was mostly violent!!

 

[USMCBrewer]

Hey Hellosluggo, what's the OD of this tube? Looks great as you don't need a grommet!!

Like Sluggo, I also use a 1.25 OD tube, and it fits nice and right in the opening of the carboy. No grommet needed.