Fermentation bubbles over

[Jamilton]

I'm on my fourth batch of brewing with extract, started it last night, and today it's foaming so vigorously that it's going through the airlock, plugging it up and bulging the lid on my primary until it squeezes out through whatever holes it can find. This is the second time it has done this, although the first time it didn't do so quite as intensely. Both times it happened with a pale ale. Once with dry yeast and this time with a liquid yeast. I've been pulling the airlock off to get rid of the pressure but I'm kind of worried about contamination.
Is this kind of intense fermentation normal? What should I be doing when this does happen? Is there any way I can avoid it foaming over like it this? Thanks for help folks!

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[masonsjax]

Perfectly normal. You should rig up a blow off hose into a pitcher or bucket of sanitizer so the airlock doesn't get clogged.

 

[Jamilton]

Guess it's a little late for this batch but I'll certainly do that for the next one. Considering where I'm at with this batch, what would my best course of action be?

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[brewguyver]

Guess it's a little late for this batch but I'll certainly do that for the next one. Considering where I'm at with this batch, what would my best course of action be?

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You should still rig a blow off tube to avoid a beersplosion. If you're using a 3 piece air lock, fit a length of sanitized 1/2" tubing over the center post of the airlock and run that to the star san water in a bucket. Keep the bucket you're blowing into lower than the fermenter so you don't get suckback.

You don't *have* to do this, but getting yeast and beer on the ceiling, on clothes in the closet, etc. is a royal PITA.

 

[boscobeans]

By all means install a blow off if you aren't positive how your fermentation will go..

Yeah yeah I know, no two fermentations are the same. After a few years of using Nottingham in my brown ales (some big and some just session brews) with a headspace of 2 gallons and an initial temperature in the low 60's I no longer use a blow off and krausen has never hit the lid..

Maybe try fermenting with more headspace, allowing plenty of room for krausen.
Try controlling the temperature to the lower limit of the yeast.

bosco

 

[masonsjax]

Infections are actually pretty hard to come by. I'm often borderline negligent with my sanitation practices and have never had infection. Exposing your beer to some air briefly, especially during high krausen should not be a problem.