New brewer, am i doing this ok...

[meta4our]

I am using a northern brewer caribou slobber. The only thing is the 5 gallon jug was ever so slightly warm when I added the yeast...I thought it would be ok because the wort was cool when did hydrometer testing, and I waited 90 minutes for it to cool while dousing it with water.

This was last night...this morning I look at it and this is happening



I think it's just a ton of CO2 but I wanted to my make sure. Is it ok to remove the lid and check? Sorry I just don't really know what I'm doing right now

Thanks guys

 

[brewmedic43]

As a new brewer myself I can imagine the shock when you check on your creation and notice this. In my limited experience and constant reading on this forum, my noob impression is that this is completely normal. You had a rapid fermentation that may have been better suited with a blow off tube rather than the airlock, I don't think it's necessary to take the lid off, but I would sanitize a second airlock, or if you don't have one, clean the one you have then re-insert. In my reading, if you leave a clogged airlock and get more pressure inside the fermenter, you may come back to krausen on the ceiling. Hope this helps

 

[cmybeer]

I made this mistake when I first started. To begin with, you should have a 6 gallon fermenter otherwise you will get a blowoff like this every time. I bought a 5 gallon because it was cheaper but soon learned. There's nothing really wrong with a blowoff, you just don't have enough space in there so it comes shooting through the airlock.

Anyone have any good ideas for a blowoff tube on a bucket like that? I've never used one.

 

[brewmedic43]

Anyone have any good ideas for a blowoff tube on a bucket like that? I've never used one.

My LHBS guy drilled out a hole large enough for a rubber bung to fit into, then I was able to attach my siphon tube in the hole and put the other end in a cup of Star san, it worked for me.

 

[cmybeer]

On the plus side you know for sure you're fermenting. You're making beer!

 

[Conan]

Yep, making beer, and a mess!
May just have to deal with it this time around, but as others have said either a bigger bucket (6.5 gallon) or a blow-off tube, or both, will go a long ways towards keeping that sweet wort in the fermenter. Kyle

 

[AussieBrewerInColorado]

Thats what you call a blow-over, common. Ways to avoid is to use a slightly larger vessel, I use 6.5 gallon carboy's for 5 gallons. Also could use a blow-off tube. Another way is to use fermcap to reduce foam. Either way, you can look into all those, but first clean it ASAP with sanitizer before you get an infection. Many brewers have hit their celings with blow-off's so.. it happens. Good luck!

 

[SledgeH]

If this is only 24 hrs post pitching, I'd go with a blow off tube now so you dan't have to clean this every morning for the next 2 days or so. I'm guessing this was a kit? If so, you should have a 3/8" tube that's used with your racking cane. The tube should be the same diameter as the hole the bubble lock is in. You may lose some beer due to the small diameter of this particuliar blow off tube set up, but you'll avoid a mess. Pop one end into the bucket and the other into a pot/jar with sanitizer solution. I'f you cherish anything in those boxes you may want to move those out of the way too

 

[meta4our]

You guys are amazing. I will look into affixing a tube. How messy do you think it can get?

 

[kwingert]

Messier then you want to clean. But on the bright side you've got a pretty good fermentation going on in there. Good luck.

 

[csamuel]

As a new brewer myself I can imagine the shock when you check on your creation and notice this. In my limited experience and constant reading on this forum, my noob impression is that this is completely normal. You had a rapid fermentation that may have been better suited with a blow off tube rather than the airlock, I don't think it's necessary to take the lid off, but I would sanitize a second airlock, or if you don't have one, clean the one you have then re-insert. In my reading, if you leave a clogged airlock and get more pressure inside the fermenter, you may come back to krausen on the ceiling. Hope this helps

+1 on the 6.5 gallon buckets. Always have extra airlocks and you may have to babysit it for a few days swapping a sanitized airlock with that one. It is worth the time swapping them out...much better than blowing the top off your bucket and having to clean up.

 

[cmybeer]

How messy do you think it can get?

Being a new brewer I don't want to scare you or anything because I don't think this will happen but it can get pretty messy with that pressure. This wasn't me, but it's my favorite blowoff video I've seen...

 

[nattron]

Blow off tube..... boom

 

[SmoothSmoke]

That looks like a 6.5 gallon bucket based on where the level of the liquid is at, or appears to be at. Is it a 6.5 gallon bucket or 5 gallon? If it's a 5 gallon bucket, you definitely will need to move up to a 6.5 size.

 

[meta4our]

The home brew shop in my town is closed right now, so I just cleaned and resterilized my airlock.

Thanks so much for the help guys, the beer appears to be progressing swimmingly, and it smells great! I'm just going to be keeping a good eye on my airlock until tomorrow, then buy a blow off tube that actually fits, or some sort of adapter. For the guy who posted their blowoff tube with a similar setup, your picture resolution was poor so I couldn't make out how you did it. Mind elaborating?

 

[nattron]

The home brew shop in my town is closed right now, so I just cleaned and resterilized my airlock.

Thanks so much for the help guys, the beer appears to be progressing swimmingly, and it smells great! I'm just going to be keeping a good eye on my airlock until tomorrow, then buy a blow off tube that actually fits, or some sort of adapter. For the guy who posted their blowoff tube with a similar setup, your picture resolution was poor so I couldn't make out how you did it. Mind elaborating?

Use your racking cane tubing and slip it ( might have to put the tube end in boiling water to make it fit) over the inner part of your air lock. Then put the other end of the tube in a cup or jar of Sanitizer.

 

[sweed]

For my RIS, which is known for major krausen, all I did was put my 3/8" tube into my fermentation bucket's airlock rubber gasket. There was a lot of pressure, but no overflow, so I'm guessing you have a tube to just put into your bucket next time. Or drill it out a bit and find a rubber gromet for a seal, and of course a proper size bigger tube like a 1/2".

edit: added my set up pic

 

[johnp]

I am using a northern brewer caribou slobber. The only thing is the 5 gallon jug was ever so slightly warm when I added the yeast...I thought it would be ok because the wort was cool when did hydrometer testing, and I waited 90 minutes for it to cool while dousing it with water.

This was last night...this morning I look at it and this is happening

I think it's just a ton of CO2 but I wanted to my make sure. Is it ok to remove the lid and check? Sorry I just don't really know what I'm doing right now

Thanks guys

Just a blowoff! A sign of good vigorous fermentation. It might be a good idea to attach a blow off tube next time, instead of the airlock, at least for the first few days.