Fouled Blow Off Tube and Bubbling Water

[NavyMarine1978]

Here is a situation that I now have encountered twice while brewing 1 gallon, all-grain batches. I have been finding that every all-grain batch has, so far, started visibly fermenting within an hour of entering the fermenter (compared to 3-6hrs for the partial grain recipes) and two of them so violently that foam and debris have gone right through the blow off tube into the blow off water (a few of them only entered the beginning of the tube and never reached the water). The ferment and blow off are so violent that the water is churning in the blow off bottle as well. These all-grain, 1 gallon batches have all finished fermenting within 3 days as well except for one batch which took 5 days. In the case of the batches where the blow off reached the water and coloured the water the same as the beer, should I be pulling it apart to clean and re-sanitize and replace the blow off water? Keeping in mind that the active and violent ferment finishes within a day. An example is the batch that I put together yesterday at 4pm. By 5:30pm the beer was actively fermenting and by 7pm the carboy and and blow off bottle where churning and the same same colour as the beer. I also noticed that the blow off bottle was about the over flow so I filled a new bottle with fresh water and placed the hose in there which began churning within seconds of entering. By this morning, the ferment is totally calm and is only emitting a bubble every 20 seconds compared to the 3-4 bubbles per second last night. The blow off tube is fouled with debris but, it is not plugged and bubbles freely. Since the blow off jug is blown like beer bottles, I can't see the actual colour of the water in there but, I can tell that it has debris in the bottom and the water cloudy. Should I be concerned about replacing the blow off tube with debris in it? There is still outward pressure and co2 flow, is this sufficient to keep bacteria from entering the tube and the fermenter? The beer will be finished fermenting by later today or tomorrow if it follows suit.

Thanks Everyone,

NavyMarine1978

 

[jarrodaden]

The blow off tube and blow off bucket should be cleaned at the start of each batch. You should put sanitizer in the blow off bucket. Don't mess with it or clean it unless it gets blocked up.

A few questions...

Are you using a full yeast package for these 1 gallon batches? That might explain the sudden and violent activity.
Also, how close is the wort level to the top of your fermenter?

 

[NavyMarine1978]

The blow off tube and blow off bucket should be cleaned at the start of each batch. You should put sanitizer in the blow off bucket. Don't mess with it or clean it unless it gets blocked up.

A few questions...

Are you using a full yeast package for these 1 gallon batches? That might explain the sudden and violent activity.
Also, how close is the wort level to the top of your fermenter?

Yes, I have been using a full yeast packet. I have been told that a half pack would be plenty and yet, I do not know how long the opened yeast would keep or the best means of doing it. I keep my bread yeast in an air tight jar in my freezer. Would this work for brewing yeast as well? I have been using the whole pack instead of ending up throwing out yeast which becomes stale or worse, using yeast in a batch that is beyond its prime. To answer your next question, I am filling my one gallon carboy up to the 4 litre mark which is half way up the writing near the top of the fermenter (right where the neck begins to tapper inward toward the mouth).

 

[NavyMarine1978]

This is what I found on the Danstar website regarding the Windsor Ale yeast which I used.

4. Usage
• When 100 g active dried yeast is used to inoculate 100 litres of wort, a yeast density of 7–15 million cells per millilitre is achieved. Brewer may experiment with the pitching rate to achieve a desired beer style or to suit processing conditions.
• Sprinkle the yeast on the surface of 10 times its weight of clean, sterilized (boiled) water at 30–35°C. Do not use wort, or distilled or reverse osmosis water, as loss in viability will result. DO NOT STIR. Leave undisturbed for 15 minutes, then stir to suspend the yeast completely, and leave it for 5 more minutes at 30–35°C. Then adjust temperature to that of the wort and inoculate without delay.
• Attemperate in steps at 5-minute intervals of 10°C to the temperature of the wort by mixing aliquots of wort. Do not allow attemperation to be carried out by natural heat loss. This will take too long and could result in loss of viability or vitality.
• Temperature shock, at greater than 10°C, will cause formation of petite mutants leading to long-term or incomplete fermentation and possible formation of undesirable flavours.
• Windsor British Ale yeast has been conditioned to survive rehydration. The yeast contains an adequate reservoir of carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids to achieve active growth. It is unnecessary to aerate wort.
5. Storage
• All active dried yeast should be stored dry and below 8°C. The packaging should remain intact.
• Activity loss is about 25% per year at 8°C and 50% per year at 22°C in unopened sealed packs.
• Windsor will rapidly lose activity after exposure to air. Do not use 500 g or 10 kg packs that have lost
vacuum. Opened packs must be re-closed, stored in dry conditions below 4°C and used within 3 days;
11 g sachets are not vacuum packed, but are flushed with nitrogen gas to protect the yeast. • Do not use yeast after the expiry date printed on the pack.

 

[Brak23]

Yes, I have been using a full yeast packet. I have been told that a half pack would be plenty and yet, I do not know how long the opened yeast would keep or the best means of doing it. I keep my bread yeast in an air tight jar in my freezer. Would this work for brewing yeast as well? I have been using the whole pack instead of ending up throwing out yeast which becomes stale or worse, using yeast in a batch that is beyond its prime. To answer your next question, I am filling my one gallon carboy up to the 4 litre mark which is half way up the writing near the top of the fermenter (right where the neck begins to tapper inward toward the mouth).

Get a bigger fermenter and you will avoid the blow-off problem. I had a 5-gal carboy for 5-gal batches and had a lot of blowoff. I lost about 1/2 gallon of beer in one batch.

Also, unless the tube gets clogged, don't mess with it. You don't need to change the water or remove the tube or anything. Just let it sit and ride the wave.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Yes, I have been using a full yeast packet. I have been told that a half pack would be plenty and yet, I do not know how long the opened yeast would keep or the best means of doing it. I keep my bread yeast in an air tight jar in my freezer. Would this work for brewing yeast as well? I have been using the whole pack instead of ending up throwing out yeast which becomes stale or worse, using yeast in a batch that is beyond its prime. To answer your next question, I am filling my one gallon carboy up to the 4 litre mark which is half way up the writing near the top of the fermenter (right where the neck begins to tapper inward toward the mouth).

1/4 of the packet would be plenty as well.

I have heard that dry brewing yeast should be stored in a refrigerator rather than a freezer and i don't understand why, but i store it in the fridge anyway.

A couple times i folded over the packet twice and stapled it shut, and that seemed to work just fine.

I've also put a piece of tape across the open end of the packet to seal it, and that worked too.

I've successfully brewed with Nottingham yeast that was at least 6 weeks open and re-sealed in the fridge.

 

[NavyMarine1978]

Get a bigger fermenter and you will avoid the blow-off problem. I had a 5-gal carboy for 5-gal batches and had a lot of blowoff. I lost about 1/2 gallon of beer in one batch.

Also, unless the tube gets clogged, don't mess with it. You don't need to change the water or remove the tube or anything. Just let it sit and ride the wave.

My other option for a fermenter is a 3 gallon carboy. I have used once before for making a Cherry Kriek which had the extra fruit which would have taken even more of the head space out of my one gallon fermenter. I tossed that 1 gallon batch into my 3 gallon carboy and it worked fine without any blow off or volume loss from the blow off. I have not been doing this since I preferred using the smaller carboy due to space restrictions. Can putting a 1 gallon batch into a 3 gallon carboy work for all recipes and styles of beer? That makes for 2 gallons of head space and a blow off tube (I do 1 step fermenting).

 

[NavyMarine1978]

1/4 of the packet would be plenty as well.

I have heard that dry brewing yeast should be stored in a refrigerator rather than a freezer and i don't understand why, but i store it in the fridge anyway.

A couple times i folded over the packet twice and stapled it shut, and that seemed to work just fine.

I've also put a piece of tape across the open end of the packet to seal it, and that worked too.

I've successfully brewed with Nottingham yeast that was at least 6 weeks open and re-sealed in the fridge.

I am putting together a 1 gallon batch roughly once per week. So, you suggest that if I fold over the packet and either tape or clamp it shut and store it in the refrigerator that it should work and keep until used up?

 

[Brak23]

My other option for a fermenter is a 3 gallon carboy. I have used once before for making a Cherry Kriek which had the extra fruit which would have taken even more of the head space out of my one gallon fermenter. I tossed that 1 gallon batch into my 3 gallon carboy and it worked fine without any blow off or volume loss from the blow off. I have not been doing this since I preferred using the smaller carboy due to space restrictions. Can putting a 1 gallon batch into a 3 gallon carboy work for all recipes and styles of beer? That makes for 2 gallons of head space and a blow off tube (I do 1 step fermenting).

Yes you can use a 3gal for all kinds, to my knowledge. Its mostly important for primary fermentation; the first few days. Once the initial heavy fermentation is complete, you could easily use your 1gal carboys for a secondary if you use a secondary. In my case, with very active fermentation on some of my beers, I've lot a good chunk of the beer (1/4 to a 1/2 gallon) because it blew it off during fermentation because of the fact that I was using 5-gal carboys for 5-gal batches.

I would use the bigger carboys, since you are only making 1gal batches, having any of it blow off gives you less beer to drink. And thats not good at all

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

I am putting together a 1 gallon batch roughly once per week. So, you suggest that if I fold over the packet and either tape or clamp it shut and store it in the refrigerator that it should work and keep until used up?

well when i tape i just fold the tape over, but yes

 

[NavyMarine1978]

For my next batch, I will probably just start using the 3 gallon carboy to avoid the losses and blow off. I may give the lesser yeast, meaning a 1/4 packet, a try before changing to the larger carboy first. I do enjoy using the smaller equipment since its easier to handle and clean but, I hate losing volume and dumping the remains after the boil down the drain since they do not fit into the smaller carboy. I don't know, since I hate hate wastage more than inconvenience, the larger carboy still makes sense.

Thanks again,

NavyMarine1978