Help Even A Blowoff tube can't contain it

[cpz28]

I saw how violently my IIPA was fermenting (8 LBS of DME/ 1.5 LBS steeping grains and 1968 Yyeast London ESB) I decided to switch the airlock out for a blow off tube and even though this 5 gallon batch is in a 6.5 gallon bucket the foam is still popping off the stopper and the blow off tube. What should I do?

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

What are you using for a blow off? Carboy or bucket? I'm just slightly confused when you say stopper, as there shouldn't be anything but the tube.

 

[shafferpilot]

Yeah, a small diameter tube (ie racking tube) isn't much better than an airlock. You need one of those monster tubes like in Kilted Brewer's pic. Till then just keep cleaning out the tube so it doesn't clog up too much and keep resanitizing that and stopper each time you pick it up off the floor. Oh, and before you ask, your beer will be fine BTW that's an awesome pic!!

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

BTW that's an awesome pic!!

I'm actually enjoying that one right now. That's the Carmel Cream Ale. It's a nice late evening drink!

And yeah, your beer will be fine. Just keep cleaning what you've got. In a few days the "violence" will be over and you can go back to the airlock.

 

[cpz28]

My frementer bucket lid is drilled larger than the tip of an airlock, so you stick the airlock in a rubber stopper thing (same thing you would use to affix a regular 3 piece airlock to a carboy). I have the rubber stopper thing in the hole with the main piece of the airlock in the rubber stopper, but rather than the cap and cup for the air lock base I attached a hose over the opening where the little cup in the airlock usually sits. Hope this helps explain.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

My frementer bucket lid is drilled larger than the tip of an airlock, so you stick the airlock in a rubber stopper thing (same thing you would use to affix a regular 3 piece airlock to a carboy). I have the rubber stopper thing in the hole with the main piece of the airlock in the rubber stopper, but rather than the cap and cup for the air lock base I attached a hose over the opening where the little cup in the airlock usually sits. Hope this helps explain.

Makes perfect sense now.
RDWHAHB

 

[Funkenjaeger]

If you're attaching the blowoff tube to the airlock body, you're much better off snapping off the little x-shaped "guard" at the inlet of the airlock - it introduces a lot of restriction that can clog up, which is exactly what you DON'T want with a blowoff. But, I'd say that since you have a small stopper in there, that's probably your biggest problem - keeping that thing from popping out. When I use a blowoff on a bucket with just a regular airlock grommet, the lid sometimes bulges when the small tube clogs up a bit, but then it blows its way through.

Have you tried just skipping the airlock body and jamming the tube in your stopper instead? Generally, a 5/16"IDx7/16"OD siphon tube will fit wherever an airlock will.

 

[CBBaron]

Have you tried just skipping the airlock body and jamming the tube in your stopper instead? Generally, a 5/16"IDx7/16"OD siphon tube will fit wherever an airlock will.

+1
Just stick your tube in the rubber grommet and skip the airlock all together. It is still possible to clog but much less likely and it makes much less mess than the airlock.
Craig

 

[Neals]

I just spent about 15 minutes trying what CBBaron suggested, but I can't seem to jam my racking tube into the grommet. My airlock is bubbling like crazy (already cleaned it out twice tonight) and I'm afraid it's going to explode while I sleep.

Any ideas for a makeshift blow-off or other quick fix to fend off the wort bomb until I get a chance to go head to the homebrew store (probably not for a couple of days)?

Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

I just spent about 15 minutes trying what CBBaron suggested, but I can't seem to jam my racking tube into the grommet. My airlock is bubbling like crazy (already cleaned it out twice tonight) and I'm afraid it's going to explode while I sleep.

Any ideas for a makeshift blow-off or other quick fix to fend off the wort bomb until I get a chance to go head to the homebrew store (probably not for a couple of days)?

Thanks!

Take the grommet out. You'll have enough room for the tubing then.

If it still doesn't work, pull the lid off and set it gently on top so the co2 can escape without blowing off the top.

Check the temperature on the fermenter- usually in the summer, a big blow off can be a sign that's it getting way too hot inside there! Put it in a tub with some water and a couple of frozen water bottles to cool it off. Or put a wet t-shirt over it so some water can wick up it and have some evaporative cooler. do you have a thermometer stuck on the side?

 

[Rick500]

If you can't get anything else rigged up, you could just sanitize a big piece of aluminum foil and put it over the top of the carboy. It's not ideal if there's a possibility of gnats or flies around, but it's better than an explosion until you get something better together.

Edit: Oh, not a carboy. Then +1 on loosening the lid.

 

[Neals]

Thanks for the quick response, Yooper.

I've got one of those stick-on thermometers, and it's showing 77-79 (If I'm reading it right). The kit for my IPA says 65-75. Should I try the wet-shirt technique to bring it down a few degrees?

I'll try to pry off the grommet without losing it in the wort. I have a fairly thin transfer tube -- do you that'll work for a makeshift blow-off? Thanks!

Edit: Thanks, Rick. It's a 6.5-gallon bucket.

 

[Neals]

OK, I took the grommet out and put the racking tube in, but the seal is not very tight. I wrapped the opening with a little tin foil to seal it up a bit, but I don't know if it's working. Think I'm all right for now?

Wait, I just heard bubbling coming from the other room. That must be good, right?

 

[Yooper]

OK, I took the grommet out and put the racking tube in, but the seal is not very tight. I wrapped the opening with a little tin foil to seal it up a bit, but I don't know if it's working. Think I'm all right for now?

Wait, I just heard bubbling coming from the other room. That must be good, right?

That sounds fine. It should work now for you.

Get it cooler if you can- 79 degrees is pretty darn hot! Most ale yeast strains do best in the low to mid 60s. That's the temperature of the fermentation, not ambient air temperature.

 

[Gordzilla]

what ive been doing is keeping a standard 5gallon bucket with sanitizer in in near the fermenting brew. Inside the bucket i keep a airlock with the "x" shape cut off the bottom which is hooked up to an airlock, i also have some 5gallon bags that i have 2 sanitized tubes sealed inside just in case that first tube gets clogged up. Never hurts to be prepared and this way if my wort decides to go crazy i got a blow off ready to hook up, also if im gonna be away from home for a while ill just hook the blow off up just to prevent an accident.

 

[Pivovar_Koucky]

If you have a plastic racking cane around you can cut about an inch or so off of the end and stick that through the grommet, then put the hose on the end of that.

I can't fit an airlock on top of a carboy inside my lagering fridge, so that's what I use during lagering. The piece of racking cane just goes throught the rubber stopper instead of the bucket lid.