First Brew...trouble?

[slater]

I got my first batch in the fermenter yesterday around 3:00pm and I had to go to work today at 10:00 am. When I woke up it was bubbling and looked perfect fine. When I got back here today around 3:30 pm I looked where it was and it looks like stuff has gotten in the Airlock and there was a huge bubble outside on the edge of the airlock. It overflowed maybe about a tablespoon. Is this ok, should I do something or just let it go?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Parker36]

Clean it up, sanitize your airlock, and relax

 

[Yooper]

It's fine. Just pull off the airlock, rinse it off, resanitize and stick it back on. If it seems like that's going to keep happening, you can use a blow-off tube.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=51534

 

[slater]

Just take it out while it is still bubbling?

Thanks for your quick answers

EDIT: I did what you suggested and now it looks like it is fermenting perfectly fine. Thanks for the quick input. Time to go get ready for the super bowl now. I will suggest this forum to my friend who will be starting to homebrew in the next month or so.

 

[Yooper]

Yes- but pull it out slowly. Because if it's blocked, and you pull it out quickly, you might get a little shower of beer. Not really likely, but better safe than sorry. If it looks all gross, just clean it and resanitize and stick it back on. I have several airlocks (there are under $1 or so each) and just put a clean one on whenever it needs it.

 

[slater]

Yooper. Since I am a first time brewer I only have one. but when I pulled it out I got a little bit of mist on my hand. But it is now looking great. Sorry for the beginner question. I probably should have looked around to see if anyone else asked it first. Seems to be running great now. Other than I wish I could have gotten it to a lower temperature because I think it will probably happen again. It is between 67-69 degrees. The contents were made with Cooper’s Real Ale beer kit and a bag of dried malt extract (was suggested by the homebrew store I went to). But I realize it will probably overflow again. Hopefully soon I won't be one of the beginners who worry about everything.

 

[Yooper]

You could rig up a blow off tube really quick if you want. Just take some tubing, and stick it in the hole where the airlock goes. Then put the other end in a pitcher/jar of water. It works best if you have a large opening with a large diameter piece of tubing, but small works ok too if that's all you have. I'll look for a picture to show you what I mean.

 

[slater]

Yooper. I only have the tubing that came with the homebrew kit. It is 4' of 5/16" syphon hose. Will that be ok to use. If not i will keep the airlock on until it happens again. And then tomorrow go and pick something up at the store.

 

[Yooper]

If the airlock isn't clogging, you can just keep using the airlock. The key to the blow off tube is to have it big enough to not clog. By tomorrow, I bet it will be settled down a lot and over the stage where you have to worry about it.

 

[slater]

It actually ended up doing it again and it clogged quite a bit this time. I hope I didnt do something wrong. I ended up using the syphon tubing and put it in a 2 quart pitcher half full of cold water. Tomorrow should I replace it with the airlock? should I just keep the blow off tube? It seems that a lot is traveling through the blow off. Is this good? Sorry to worry so much, I know I shouldn't. Thank you for understanding me being like this on my first brew. Also thank you very much for all the help.

 

[Yooper]

Well, you might lose some beer through the blow-off, but that's ok! What size bucket/carboy are you fermenting in?

 

[slater]

I am using a 6.5 Bucket. Next time I go back home for break, since I am in college, my dad said he might have an extra carboy he can give me. I think it is going good currently. It was going crazy last night, looked at it this morning and the pitcher that the tube is in has raised some. Should I eventually put the airlock back on? Thanks for helping me out again