First AG problem..

[Marek]

So I brewed my first AG blond ale 2 days ago, the only problem I had was finding a fermenter big enough for it, I couldn't find any buckets so I used this food safe container that holds 6 gallons and I'm making 5.5

I probably should have waited and just gotten a bigger bucket but I rushed. Today I went downstairs to check it out and the wort has started to go into the air lock, it's bubbling like crazy but some wort keeps getting in. Is this going to be a major problem? If so what can I do to fix it?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Attached a blow-off hose instead of the airlock. Just use a piece of hose that will fit into the hole for the airlock and then place the other end of the hose in a bucket with some water/sanitizer in it.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

You need to use a blow-off tube. Remove, clean and sanitize the airlock. Stick a hose over the vertical tube of the airlock (you leave off the other 2 pieces) and put it back in your stopper. Place the end of the tube down in a container (small bucket will work) of water. You may need to re-clean the airlock & hose if you've got a lot of krausen blowing out for very long.

Edit - beaten by a displaced masshole.

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Sparky's right about the blowoff tube, they make a size big enough to fit into the mouth of a carboy. Since im a cheap bastard and never really think ahead I usually end up using a piece of racking hose and jam it in the hole of my carboy stopper. It doesnt provide as much space for the krausen to travel through, but it gets the job done.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Pictures are worth 1000 words they say.

This is what I was advocating - hose over the airlock tube. FYI - carboy caps eliminate this hassle.

Here a pic of a wit 1/2 way through applying the blowoff tubes.



You can also do it this way - hose in the stopper method.



Then if you can get a big enough hose, you can jam that down into the carboy neck.


And just for fun... This foam volcano erupted the whole time I cleaned out the airlock and prepared the blowoff. I think I'm lucky I didn't give the room I ferment in a beer bath.

 

[Choguy03]

RDWHAHB.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

RDWHAHB.

Agreed - but he was asking how to fix his problem. If he just relaxed and didn't worry about it, the airlock can clog, pressure builds up, beer explodes all over everything, and now he's got something to worry about.

 

[Marek]

RDWHAHB? Awesome, just a question though since I'm at work for the next day can I use a hose thats had gasoline through it as long as i clean it and star-san it or should I just wait another day and get a clean one?

 

[BeerCanuck]

Marek..buy an new hose the kind the fit's an airlock like shown above ^
I would not risk a gasoline hose contaminating my beer.

Cheers
BeerCanuck