Overflowing foam!

[eadavis80]

I brewed the Northern Brewer's SMASH Pale Ale kit this morning. Everything went fine - OG of 1.042. However, I had one weird thing happen. When I added my diffusion stone to aerate my wort, I let it sit in the primary for 20-25 minutes, the same as I did the last time I used the equipment, only this time, when I went back downstairs to pitch my rehydrated dried yeast, the primary was overflowing with foam! I swear I put the diffusion stone in the primary for the same amount of time last time I brewed and this didn't happen. I literally had to "level off" the foam before adding the yeast just so I could put the lid back on the primary. Was this simply a case of too much oxygen? The foam went to the very top of my 6.5 gallon primary fermenter bucket when I pitched the yeast and sealed the lid. Due to all the foam will this require a blowoff tube? Do you forsee any ill effects of this excess foam?

 

[WayFrae]

I have never used a stone but I think it is normal to have a bunch of foam like that. I don't think it will have much effect on the krausen but you could throw on a blowoff just to be safe.

 

[pablosbrewing]

I brewed the Northern Brewer's SMASH Pale Ale kit this morning. Everything went fine - OG of 1.042. However, I had one weird thing happen. When I added my diffusion stone to aerate my wort, I let it sit in the primary for 20-25 minutes, the same as I did the last time I used the equipment, only this time, when I went back downstairs to pitch my rehydrated dried yeast, the primary was overflowing with foam! I swear I put the diffusion stone in the primary for the same amount of time last time I brewed and this didn't happen. I literally had to "level off" the foam before adding the yeast just so I could put the lid back on the primary. Was this simply a case of too much oxygen? The foam went to the very top of my 6.5 gallon primary fermenter bucket when I pitched the yeast and sealed the lid. Due to all the foam will this require a blowoff tube? Do you forsee any ill effects of this excess foam?

I aerate for 20-30 minutes with a 0.5 micron SS stone all the time - no worries, be prepared for good attenuation. Ingredients can play a role in how much aeration foam you get.

Remember to sanitize the stone by boiling for 15 minutes before use - otherwise bugs can take up permanent residence.

 

[BigFloyd]

If you're pushing pure O2 through that stone, about a minute and a half at 1.5L/min is all you need. 25-30 min is over-oxygenating (yes, you can do so) and a waste of your O2 bottle.

 

[Jamming]

Agree. With bigfloyd. Way overkill for aeration. Saturation takes only a few minutes.

 

[StubbornBeagleBrewery]

are you using aquarium pump & getting 02 from atmosphere (20%)? Or using an oxygen tank with pure oxygen? That is an important detail....

 

[pablosbrewing]

If you're pushing pure O2 through that stone, about a minute and a half at 1.5L/min is all you need. 25-30 min is over-oxygenating (yes, you can do so) and a waste of your O2 bottle.

Using an aquarium pump (not pure O2) 15 minutes is the lowest amount of time I would oxygenate.

 

[StubbornBeagleBrewery]

same experience from aquarium pump through stone, some times it foams crazy & others it doesn't. mine foamed like crazy for my first few brews & didn't for the next few. I even bought a replacement filter thinking it was clogged or something, and boiled the crap out of my stone. Not sure how to explain it, but it seems my IPAs & wheat foamed over, my stouts & porters did not (correlation != causation, I don't know?). I leave it in for 45 mins aerating, my understanding is that when using O2 from the atmosphere it's hard to exceed 8ppm regardless of how long you leave it, whereas pure 02 from a tank can exceed 25ppm. Therefore I err on the side of caution with the pump when I don't see it foaming & let it run longer.

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Mine has done the same. No rational here. For a 1.042 no blow should be needed. Check it sooner next time.


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[eadavis80]

It was an aquarium pump - not a pure O2 tank you'd get a Lowe's or something. 18 hours after pitching, no airlock activity. Yeah, I know... I know ... airlock activity is not sure sign of fermentation. Hopefully the airlock moves today.

 

[GCPHomebrew]

What was the yeast. I use bry-97 a lot and it takes 3-4 days to start and give airlock activity


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[eadavis80]

It was that yeast GCPHomebrew, but all's well in primary land. I got some airlock activity 22 hours after pitching and now 42 hours after pitching it's going about 1 bubble every 2-3 seconds

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Bry-97 is a slow starting fermentation monster. It eats and eats. The krausen will take forever to fall.


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[GCPHomebrew]

It warms the fermenter to 70-73 with no off flavors and no need for a swamp cooler. Great yeast.


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