'Dough' Coming Out of Airlock?

[Neathawk49]

I've done a bit of searching around here and haven't found anyone describe it quite like what I'm seeing. But, I'm brewing a Belgian extract kit (from Midwest) and the krausen is very heavy and through the airlock there is a substance with the smell (yeastiness) of bread dough and the thick gooeyness of it too.

I have already swapped the airlock out once yesterday from a two chamber one to the larger 3 piece lock and the 'dough' is pushing through again. I don't have a blowoff readily available, any suggestions?

I'm assuming this activity is a good thing, but I don't want it to clog and explode/contaminate the fermentation. Also, I've been putting bourbon in the airlocks and I brewed it this past Saturday.

Thanks for any help!

 

[wilserbrewer]

I believe your dough would be thick yeast paste, perhaps it is drying a bit.

Be very careful with putting a airlock on a fermenter that is belching, if that airlock clogs you have a beer bomb....boom all over the cieling.

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

My guess, which it is just that without a picture, is that it is just krausen/sticky wort. If you don't put a blow off on there, it'll keep happening, and you might even get as lucky as I was two weeks ago when my airlock blew out of the carboy and shot krausen all over my face like a low-budget 90's porn.

It's actually a good thing if that's what it is. A picture might help some of the more experienced around here give you a confirmation.

In other words, you'll need to find a way to make a blow off readily available. Until then I'd consider putting starsan or some other sanitizer diluted water in your airlocks instead of bourbon. It may work just fine, but sanitizer solution WILL work just fine.

 

[NTXBrauer]

A blow-off tube is the best option here, but since you mention you don't have one, just keep your airlock clean and closely monitor the situation. The aggressive fermentation should subside after 24/48 hours and then you will not have to be overly concerned. You can always use a portion of siphon hose, if you have. Cut it to length, and force 1 end in the airlock hole of the bung and the other in a water bottle filled with sanitizer.

 

[b-boy]

Pickup some tubing and a jug of starsan and make a blow-off tube. I use it at the start of all my fermentations now. You never know when a fermentation take off.

The resultant gooey mess isn't work taking a chance, when you can just use a blow-off tube.

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

Is there ever a reason to use an airlock over a blow off during fermentation? I mean a blow off is just a big airlock. I don't see myself ever using an airlock again after the explosion I had. I'll probably just use them for bright tanks/secondaries unless there's something I'm missing.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Is there ever a reason to use an airlock over a blow off during fermentation? I mean a blow off is just a big airlock. I don't see myself ever using an airlock again after the explosion I had. I'll probably just use them for bright tanks/secondaries unless there's something I'm missing.

You are on to something here! I often wonder about the overuse of airlocks, IMO of course. Airlocks were originally used in wine making during aging of the wine, not during a vigorous fermentation. I had a carboy shoot a clogged airlock to the ceiling 20 years ago, never again, don't even use them anymore. I don't really bulk age my beer, but rather move it to a keg sooner rather than later.

For an active vigorous fermentation you can just cover a carboy with a piece of foil crimped around the neck, and add an airlock later on when things slow down a bit.

Or better yet use a blow off tube. Or even better yet, use a fermenter that is large enough, and also control your temperatures to avoid your yeast going all nuclear



Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

Or better yet use a blow off tube. Or even better yet, use a fermenter that is large enough, and also control your temperatures to avoid your yeast going all nuclear

The American Wheat I made two weeks ago was in a 6.5 gal carboy, and kept in a ferm chamber, and it still had a nuclear meltdown. I think it was just a great starter, plus optimal temps and that was a good enough combination to make it happen. I also never expected that result from an American wheat. In fact, I had the chamber set at the low end of the optimal temp range for that yeast.

Oddly enough, the American Amber clone I have fermenting right now has had a much more controlled fermentation. It has a healthy krausen on it that has raised and lowered a few times but not yet over-swelled to the point of hitting the blow off. I honestly expected it much more this time due to the higher ferm temp and all grain as opposed to the wheat extract. Yeast is a fickle lover.

 

[Neathawk49]

OK, so I failed to take a picture of the actual 'dough' (as I was in a panic). But, the picture with the double chamber is before it spewed. The other is about 2 hours after I swapped the locks.

 

[Foosier]

If you have a siphon hose, you can make a blow off with the 3 piece airlock. Tak the airlock apart, trim off the little cross bars that are at the tip of the airlock. Put aside the airlock lid and interior float. Attach the hose directly to the airlock "chimney" (the thing the float sits over). It will fit perfectly. Stick the contraption into the fermenter like you would any airlock. Put the other end of the hose in a bucket of starsan. Blowoff will now be controlled.

You will likely want to get another hose purposely for blow-off when you get a chance. but this will work in the short term.

 

[mhurst111]

As everyone has said, going forward, you want to use a blow off tube. The images below show correct way and what can happen if you don't.

 

[Talgrath]

OK, so I failed to take a picture of the actual 'dough' (as I was in a panic). But, the picture with the double chamber is before it spewed. The other is about 2 hours after I swapped the locks.

Yeah, looks like you don't have enough headspace. Short term, a blowoff tube is a simple way to fix things. Since you're working with extract kits, I'm going to guess that's a 5 gallon carboy, long term you'll probably want to get a 6.5 gallon carboy for bigger and more active fermentation. The beer should be fine, all that has happened is that Krausen has crept up through the airlock and dirtied your airlock. Put in a blowoff tube setup (they're extremely easy to make) for now and the beer should turn out just fine.

 

[number40fan]

Not sure if a blow off tube would have kept this one from making a mess.

 

[erick0619]

Not sure if a blow off tube would have kept this one from making a mess.

I don't know why but that picture gives me the same feeling after seeing a picture of a botched suicide on one of them shock sites


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