Fermenter bubbling out of control...what to do?

[dsuarez]

pitched yeast in biere de garde a few hours ago and returned to it bubbling out of the top of the air lock. I don't have a blow off hose. What is the best thing to do to save the beer?

This is the first time this has ever happened to me...is it the high temperature and the yeast?

 

[Yooper]

The best thing to do is rig up a blow off tube- just put it in the hole where the airlock goes and stick the other end in a pitcher of water and sanitizer.

High temperature can certainly cause explosive fermentation. If it's possible to bring it down to around 65-68 degrees in a water bath, that would help you save the beer. High temperature fermentations can cause some really awful off-flavors in beer.

What kind of yeast are you using? some Belgian yeast strains do ok at higher temperatures. What temperature is it fermenting at now?

 

[dsuarez]

I pitched the wyeast biere de garde yeast, which supposedly ferments from 70-95 degrees. have you had any experience fermenting hot with the biere de garde, farmhouse, or saison yeasts? It is fermenting at 85 degrees.

I just hooked up the blow off tube...for some reason I thought the tube was too big for the hole, but I guess not. so it should be good. thanks.

 

[Yooper]

Sorry, I've never heard of that strain- but I'm sure others can help you with it. Good luck! Glad the blow off tube worked out for you! If that yeast ferments that high (and it's Wyeasts job to know for sure!)- then you're all set!

 

[Coastarine]

Those types of beers (saison, biere de garde, etc) are often brewed at high temp (like 85-95 F). IIRC that's more accurate to style/history.

I remember having my (soon to be) brother-in-law's extract saison which he claimed weighed in at something crazy like 8% abv. Meanwhile it tasted very watery to me. It was like it had a big dead space in the flavor profile. I really don't know about his processes, but that may very well have been from fermenting too low.