Fermentation Explosion

[burnsjz]

Ladies and gentlemen, I had an issue that has really puzzled me. Yesterday, I made a belgian dubbel using the following recipe:

9 lbs pale malt
1 lb buscuit
1 lb honey
.5 lb special B
1 lb dark brown sugar (added at the beginning of boil)

2 oz of Saaz (1@60min, .5 at 45 and 30)

I used one vial of white labs abbey ale yeast. I made a starter by using 4 oz of DME with 1000ml water, boiled for 15 min. and put about 800 ml of that in an erlynmyer flask with a stir bar. Pitched the vial into the starter and set it stirring. Nothing weird yet. Pitched the yeast into the wort (in a 6.5 gallon carboy) and put a clicking air lock on it. I come home from work today (a little over 24hrs after pitching) and find that the cap and the inverted seal cup of the airlock have completely blown off (I can't find them anywhere) and there is krausen, wort, and a significant amount of trube all over the place. To put this in perspective, there was a dense splotch of yuck about a foot wide ON THE CEILING that is 9ft above the fermenter as well as all over the walls and floor all around it. I went right out and bought a blowoff hose (which I never figured I would need) and set that up.

I've been brewing all grain for over two years and have done at least 50 batches and the most I've seen from really virulent yeast is a little squeeging out the top of the air lock Anyone know anything that I may have done wrong that would have caused this? BTW, I have actually made this recipe before and didn't have this problem.

Any experienced insight would be MOST appreciated























<a href=http://download.cnet.com/YouTube-To-MP3/3000-2071_4-75810474.html >youtube to mp3</a>

 

[bmac]

I'm assuming you are fermenting in a bucket and using a dry airlock? If so, it sounds like the airlock valve was stuck and the co2 built up inside the bucket to the point where it dislodged the airlock and painted your room with beer. Not that this has ever happened to me.....at least not recently

 

[bmac]

Sorry, re-read your post and saw that you said carboy not bucket. Probably same scenario, i was just reliving my bucket explosion and the stain it left on my basement ceiling.

Edit: Your question had me wondering how my Imperial Rye IPA was doing in my fairly new temp controlled fermentation fridge and it looks like I got there in just the nick of time. My airlock was completely clogged and the lid on my bucket looked like it was about to burst from all the pressure that had built up. Looks like i'll be running setting up my blow off tube after a little clean up!!!!

 

[burnsjz]

I have had this issue with the buckets but only getting a little spatter from the top of the lock. Since I've been using the carboy I have never seen the krausen even so much as kiss the airlock. I understand that some yeast will naturally be a little more live than others but JEEEZZZ!

I wouldn't be nearly as concerned if I hadn't made this exact batch the exact same way before. Just had me feeling like maybe there was something significant that I overlooked.

 

[buzzno]

Pictures!!!

 

[shuckit]

Link, picture, youtube link not working on OP's post. I came for the pictures!!