Large belching from Primary

[Lost_Arkitekt]

So, I've homebrewed on and off for over 20 years, but now have started getting semi-serious. Usually, I don't promote the use of airlocks on the primary as I fancy blow-off tubes as I'm sure many of you do. I don't use the typical style (large hose). I have a stopper with a curved piece of copper pipe going to a piece of vinyl tubing. This has always worked fine for me.

I just brewed a batch of Belgian Dubbel using the Safbrew S-33 (which I've recently learned might be sh*t, but I'm trying). The fermentation is moving along fast right now, but every so often, I get a huge belch in the middle of the standard bubbling. Any idea what this is? Curious to learn more than fear that anything is wrong.

Thanks for the help.

Lost_Arkitekt

 

[johnp]

I get this if my blow off tube starts getting foam/liquid in it.

As the liquid builds up, it blocks some of the air from escaping until the pressure finally pushes a big pocket if air through all at once, causing it to belch every so often.

I don't know in that what's happening in your case, but that's the only time I've seen belching.

 

[Lost_Arkitekt]

I wasn't logged in when I replied, so I hope this isn't redundant.

Thanks, Johnp...I figured that what was happening, but I thought I'd ask just to make sure. I've only had one "blow off" of a bung and it was while using an airlock.

Since the fermenting is in full tilt, do you think it would hurt to pull out the stopper, rinse off the crud, soak in some StarSan and put back in? Anyone?

 

[johnp]

I wasn't logged in when I replied, so I hope this isn't redundant.

Thanks, Johnp...I figured that what was happening, but I thought I'd ask just to make sure. I've only had one "blow off" of a bung and it was while using an airlock.

Since the fermenting is in full tilt, do you think it would hurt to pull out the stopper, rinse off the crud, soak in some StarSan and put back in? Anyone?

No, that wouldn't pose a problem. It may happen again though and I usually just leave it. Not to avoid contamination risk or anything, I'm just lazy.

 

[Friedclutch]

Wait a minute..... Your beer is "pre-belching?" Seems to me that this is prelude to post beer drinking belching. Nice!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Since the batch is actively feementing, co2 is pushing out of the fermenter and its *less* likely that cleaning the stopper will result in contamination. If its getting blocked, you risk crud plugging the opening and pressurizing the vessel, resulting in an annoying pop. I have 2 airlocks. If I needed to "clean one, I'd just pull off the dirty one, pop in clean one and soak/clean the dirty one.