Fermentation Issue - Advice Needed

[BRGriffith]

Hey guys,
So here's the deal. On tuesday I brewed up a Belgian dark strong ale. It came out at 1.110 (whoa), and pitched wlp530. It's 3 gallons total in a 5 gallon better bottle. It's really getting vigorous now, with krausen getting up to the top of the fermentor, and I just have a piece of aluminum foil covering the opening.

The issue is that this evening I'm going out of town, and won't be back until sunday evening. What should I do to keep it safe while I'm gone? Should I put it under airlock and just pray that it doesn't blow? Or just keep the foil on it and hope it doesn't oxidize? Any advice would be helpful.

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

What about a blow-off tube? That's what I'd do.

 

[BRGriffith]

Yeah, that would probably work, but I don't have your traditional blow off tube per se. I just connected a racking hose to the stopper and have it submerged in sanitizer to have a makeshift version. I hope it doesn't clog..

 

[flars]

As long as CO2 is being produced the risk of oxidation is close to nil. There is no specific rig for a blow assembly. You have created one.

Are you controlling the temperature of the fermenting beer? Temperature control of the fermentation can reduce the need for a blow off assembly by slowing the activity of the yeast.

 

[kh54s10]

I like what you have done, making a blow off, even if not optimum. If you didn't do that I was going to suggest a rubberband over the foil, not too tight, so that it will stay put but still allow blow off foam out.

 

[BRGriffith]

I'm at least attempting to control temperature. It's 68F ambient right now, and unfortunately that's the best I can do to control it

 

[kh54s10]

I'm at least attempting to control temperature. It's 68F ambient right now, and unfortunately that's the best I can do to control it

Swamp cooler... A tub of water 6-12 inches deep. Add ice bottles as needed to control the wort temperature.

If you have stick on Brewmometers, do not submerge them.

 

[brandonnys]

Is your better bottle somewhere where the floor isn't important?

I don't see any reason why it can't just bubble over. The krausen should inhibit air from going into the vessel, especially if it's still actively fermenting and producing CO2.

RDWHAHB.

 

[BRGriffith]

Hey guys, thanks for all the advice. The blow off tube I rigged up worked perfectly. Fermentation has since settled down substantially, and its now back under airlock. I'll keep this thread updated with it's progress!

 

[BRGriffith]

Okay guys,

Same beer, different problem. I bottled this beer today into 12 750ML brown Belgian bottles with silver Oxygen absorbing caps. The expected OG was 1.102 and expected FG was 1.023. The measured values were an OG of 1.110 and a FG of 1.035.... Should I be concerned that the bottles will blow?? Or will I just end up with a very sweet beer? Is it possible that the yeast won't be able to ferment the priming sugar or could I get a really over carbonated beer? I know there's almost no way for anyone to guess the outcome, but some outside opinions might help to calm my nerves...

Thanks, and Cheers

 

[ncbrewer]

Since you've bottled, my advice won't help for this brew. But I would check gravity, then check again 2 - 3 days later to see if it is stable. If it has dropped at all, it's not finished. Wait and check again later.

For this batch, I'd say take precautions in case you get bottle bombs. Keep them in a plastic bin, etc. to contain any mess. When handling, including when opening a bottle, wear protective equipment.

 

[ChelisHubby]

After the five weeks I would say the yeast did what it could and bottle bombs are not likely. now I have never used that yeast but I would suspect that the alcohol content has darned near killed them. it is almost 10%. I don't know if the bottles will prime, If it does it will be slowly, which shouldn't be a problem with this big beer I would want it to age a little.

 

[GHBWNY]

Since you've bottled, my advice won't help for this brew. But I would check gravity, then check again 2 - 3 days later to see if it is stable. If it has dropped at all, it's not finished. Wait and check again later.

For this batch, I'd say take precautions in case you get bottle bombs. Keep them in a plastic bin, etc. to contain any mess. When handling, including when opening a bottle, wear protective equipment.

Ditto^

No matter what your FG reads after 3-4 weeks, esp. if higher than "expected", like ncbrewer says, check it again in a few days to see if it is the same. It is absolutely the ONLY way you'll know if your beer is safe to package. Bottling according to "expected" FG is a bit of crap shoot since something in the process could cause it to finish either side of "expected". While finishing either side of "expected" is OK, and it may not be exactly true to style, if you don't have a benchmark by which to know if it is finished, bottle bombs can occur regardless of how far either side of "expected" it is.

 

[BRGriffith]

Well, thanks for the input guys. I'll probably sit them in a tub to contain any mess that might happen. I have a suspicion that I'll just end up having a sweet beer, but it's just nerve racking. I won't be having this problem again, that's for sure.