Fermenting too fast?

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LeeHall505

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I am relatively new to home brewing and I brewed a belgian tripel extract kit yesterday. I pitched a yeast starter made with two packs of omega yeast belgian ale W OYL-028 at about 2:30 PM. The cooled and aerated wort (I simply transferred rather violently between two sanitized buckets to aerate) was approximately 66°F. Less than 24 hours after pitching, the airlock started bubbling like crazy. The temperature in the room it's currently fermenting in is 64°F.

Should I be worried that it's fermenting too quickly?
 
With a recommend running temperature range of 64–78° F (18–26° C) that's a rather accommodating strain, especially for those who lack temperature control, and two packs is an appropriate pitch for the OG.
I'd say things are looking good! Carry on :mug:

Cheers!
 
"Nice fruit and rustic phenolics" according to Omega.
I haven't used OYL-208 specifically, but Belgian yeast should be giving fruity flavors with a little "spice".
It definitely smells fruity but could it just be acetaldehyde?
 
With a recommend running temperature range of 64–78° F (18–26° C) that's a rather accommodating strain, especially for those who lack temperature control, and two packs is an appropriate pitch for the OG.
I'd say things are looking good! Carry on :mug:

Cheers!
Thanks! Cheers!
 
How long should the airlock be going crazy? I've never brewed a beer of such high gravity and the airlock is already simmering down after less than 48 hours.
 
Totally normal.
It is entirely achievable to have airlock activity within 4-6 hours post-pitch even at lager temps if you treat your yeast right. The less lag the better. In fact, if you don't have airlock activity by 24 hours, I'd say something is wrong.

As far as how long, that depends on the vigor of the ferment, but it sounds like yours is going vigorously. It will only sustain that for about 24 hours and then start to taper off.
I've had 8% IPAs at final gravity in less than 72 hours.

Bottom line: your ferment sounds normal and healthy.
 
Totally normal.
It is entirely achievable to have airlock activity within 4-6 hours post-pitch even at lager temps if you treat your yeast right. The less lag the better. In fact, if you don't have airlock activity by 24 hours, I'd say something is wrong.

As far as how long, that depends on the vigor of the ferment, but it sounds like yours is going vigorously. It will only sustain that for about 24 hours and then start to taper off.
I've had 8% IPAs at final gravity in less than 72 hours.

Bottom line: your ferment sounds normal and healthy.
Thank you for the feedback! I was just worried about a stagnant or incomplete fermentation. Recently I brewed a small batch black IPA kit pitched with dry yeast and the krausen didn't begin to form until a couple days after pitching. I didn't take an original gravity reading so I just let the krausen fall back in before bottling about 16 days later. I haven't tried it yet but hopefully that lag time won't affect the final product!
 
To minimize lag time, use the freshest yeast you can find, and make sure you pitch enough of it.
Oxygenating the wort is a huge plus too.
A vitality starter on the morning of brewday is a wonderful thing so your yeast are awake and have begun eating by the time you pitch them.
And finally, some supplemental yeast nutrient or zinc makes for happy yeast.
All these things lead to quick and vigorous ferments.
 
The tripel is fermenting in a 6.5 gallon bucket and has the highest krausen I've seen. A little bit is getting into the airlock but I don't have a blow off tube. Should I just let it do it's thing? Any suggestions?
 
The tripel is fermenting in a 6.5 gallon bucket and has the highest krausen I've seen. A little bit is getting into the airlock but I don't have a blow off tube. Should I just let it do it's thing? Any suggestions?
While it's still pushing kreusen out the airlock, don't bother cleaning or replacing it. just watch out in case it pushes the airlock/bung out entirely. It happens.
Once it stops pushing crud into the airlock, have a sanitized replacement on standby and swap them out and clean the dirty one.
 
While it's still pushing kreusen out the airlock, don't bother cleaning or replacing it. just watch out in case it pushes the airlock/bung out entirely. It happens.
Once it stops pushing crud into the airlock, have a sanitized replacement on standby and swap them out and clean the dirty one.
Thanks!
 
While it's still pushing kreusen out the airlock, don't bother cleaning or replacing it. just watch out in case it pushes the airlock/bung out entirely. It happens.
Once it stops pushing crud into the airlock, have a sanitized replacement on standby and swap them out and clean the dirty one.
I have had to replace the airlock twice now in the past week. They continue to get clogged and pressure keeps building up and bulging the lid. Should I keep replacing them or let it go without an airlock? I have read that some belgian brewers use open fermenters.
 
I don't currently have a blow off tube.
Do you have an extra stopper/bung plug? I went to hardware store and bought a few feet of 1/2 inch poly tubing and cut hole.in stopper just big enough to fit the tubing. Better then my airlock that would plug up and easier to route then a 1" blow-off tube.
 

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