Krausen Overflow - Should Clean? / When to Clean?

[eRicphtgr]

Hi Guys, I just ferment this Sunday night with Danstar Munich Classic dry yeast and it has Krausen overflow this morning just like below photo. I have about 7 to 8 inches height space in the barrel (12 inches diameter) but it still overflow.

But the question is, should I clean my airlock now to avoid infection? First time seeing this, anxious now and worry about infection.

 

[Miraculix]

Take it out, cover the whole in the bucket, clean the air lock, fill it with cheap vodka or water if you don't have vodka and put it back in! As long as there is still some fermentation going on, it won't be a problem.

 

[myndflyte]

Clean it now. The last thing you want is for it to get clogged and create enough pressure to shoot the lid off.

 

[Miraculix]

Btw. What type of fermenter do you got there?

 

[Killshakes]

If you have another clean airlock, I would just fill it with sanitizer and swap it for the dirty one.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I'm curious what the chamber is. Looks like a mini fridge but the door is on top?
Don't forget if the door is on top the entire freezer should be filled with co2 bringing the odds of infection down to just about zero.

 

[BrewingAroundtheRrealm]

I would definitely spray around the airlock with sanitizer first to clear the area around the hole. Then remove clean and replace the airlock. I've had blow outs happen like that. Even when I thought there is no way it could happen with that much headroom.

 

[eRicphtgr]

Take it out, cover the whole in the bucket, clean the air lock, fill it with cheap vodka or water if you don't have vodka and put it back in! As long as there is still some fermentation going on, it won't be a problem.

Thanks for the quick respond. Have clean it up last night and sterilize the airlock again.

 

[eRicphtgr]

Clean it now. The last thing you want is for it to get clogged and create enough pressure to shoot the lid off.

thanks, have clean up and the overflow has stopped.

 

[eRicphtgr]

Btw. What type of fermenter do you got there?

that's a Polypropylene material clear fermenter

 

[eRicphtgr]

If you have another clean airlock, I would just fill it with sanitizer and swap it for the dirty one.

I clean up the top and use alcohol swap to sanitize the surface, wash the airlock, sterilize it and later sanitize it, put it back.

 

[eRicphtgr]

I'm curious what the chamber is. Looks like a mini fridge but the door is on top?
Don't forget if the door is on top the entire freezer should be filled with co2 bringing the odds of infection down to just about zero.

it is not a chamber, it is a refrigerator which I added a thermal controller to adjust the temperature.You are right the whole inner chamber is full of CO2 once I close it up. However, I will still open the door every day to check the fermenter temperature. So better clean up to avoid any possible infection.

 

[eRicphtgr]

I would definitely spray around the airlock with sanitizer first to clear the area around the hole. Then remove clean and replace the airlock. I've had blow outs happen like that. Even when I thought there is no way it could happen with that much headroom.

exactly just what I thought too... anyhow Murphy's law just proved itself again.