I just learned about exploding fermenters.

[downhill_biker]

Last night I just brewed two more batches and put them in the firmenters. I should have known better, but basically I was making a super high gravity beer, so wanted to tone it down a bit, by making a 6gal batch instead of 5g. Less room in the bucket and it blew up...I popped the lid, popped the airlock out, ect. I left it off over night and foam went everywhere on the lid. I just used a towel to catch it before it hit the floor.

My question is, will this contaminate my beer? I basically had foam flowing through the hole for the airlock all night and put the airlock back in this morning when it calmed down.

 

[Ace_Club]

Your beer should be fine. The expulsion of the foam from the bucket also aided in keeping any of the bad bugs out.

 

[veritas524]

next time take some tubing and run it into your rubber stopper and the other end into a bucket/bottle with sanitizer. All the foam will go right into the sanitized water

 

[downhill_biker]

Thanks guys. Next time I will use the overflow method.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

You can also drill out the tiny holes on the cap of the airlock to keep it from stopping up. The little bits of Hops plug the little holes. I punched mine out to about 1/4" and mo more launched air locks

 

[superjunior]

You can also drill out the tiny holes on the cap of the airlock to keep it from stopping up. The little bits of Hops plug the little holes. I punched mine out to about 1/4" and mo more launched air locks

or just cut that end off

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

next time take some tubing and run it into your rubber stopper and the other end into a bucket/bottle with sanitizer. All the foam will go right into the sanitized water

Probably gonna prepare for this myself. I already plan on having some airlocks blow off on me in the near-future. I'll have this stuff on hand just in case of that issue.

 

[Diver165]

It happens to everyone. I learned the hard way too. I had a beer volcano in the basement. I'm just lucky it was an unfinished basement. SWMBO would have probably put the beat down on me. LOL

 

[certaut]

if you have a constant controllable temperature not a problem,
haven't used a airlock for years
the + side is you can put a hydrometer float in the fermenter and no need to take samples

 

[Smashing]

hydrometer float

What is this you speak of? I did a quick search but came up empty.

 

[veritas524]

if you have a constant controllable temperature not a problem,
haven't used a airlock for years
the + side is you can put a hydrometer float in the fermenter and no need to take samples

I babysit the crap out of my fermenters with water baths and ice and they NEVER go over 70... I still have to use a blow off tube during some primaries for the first couple of days.

 

[ultravista]

If you have a spare tub / shower ... do you fermenting in the tub. You've got running water and a krausen curtain.

 

[downhill_biker]

What is this you speak of? I did a quick search but came up empty.

This is a tool that everyone should have. It measures the specific gravity of the beer. This is important when you are trying to figure out what the beer alcohol content is our weather the beer is done firmenting or not.

Sent from my DROIDX using Home Brew Talk

 

[Bruin]

I'd love to drop the hygrometer in and leave it float, but there's usually so much crud above the wort in the carboy after fermentation, I wouldn't be able to read it!

 

[Jbloader]

Last week I was experiencing a "violent fermentation" and switched to a blow-off tube...then the hops plugged up the air lock...then BOOM!!

My youngest daughter was standing in the dining room (hardwood floors for easy clean-up) saying "Wow, dad, your beer got everywhere," and "I hope that doesn't stain the walls." Thank you sweet heart, now go to bed.

The wife didn't move from the couch until I got it all cleaned up. God bless her.