Primary Almost Exploded

[McGreen]

I did a quick search and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

I brewed a Hefeweizen last night. The OG was 1.050, which was exactly what it called for in the recipe. I added Wyeast 3068 yeast (Weihenstephan Weizen) at a cool temperature of 64 degrees and let the temp get up to 70 degrees. Fermentation started right away and in 12 hours my airlock was bubbling like crazy. 24 hours in I noticed the airlock stopped and the cap swelled. I took a closer look and the airlock was filled with foam. I opened her up to avoid an explosion and wonderfully smelling CO2 came out. The brew was nice and foamy, but seriously dangerous of jettisoning off the cap. I cleaned and sanitized the airlock and placed the cap back on. Immediately it started bubbling again. The cap has foamy residue on the top that I did not clean off yet.

Did something go wrong? Was I premature in taking the cap off? I thought the airlock was supposed to prevent it from blowing off?

I followed the recipe and instructions to the letter and sanitized EVERYTHING. Is there a reason why this batch is so amped up with CO2?

Here is the recipe if it will help:

6.6 lbs. Munton's Hopped Wheat LME
1 lb. Torrified Wheat
3/4 oz. UK Northern Brewer Hops
Wyeast 3068

Quick synopsis of what I did:

Steeped cracked torrified wheat
Brought to boil
Added LME and hops
Boiled 30 mins
Let simmer and cool
Added Wort to water in primary and topped off with water
Let cool to 64 degrees
Pitched yeast
Sealed her up

Thanks for the help.

Also, what do I do now? The bubbling is so rapid I am afraid it is going to happen again, and I DO NOT want to have to clean up beer from my ceiling.

 

[Ultima]

It's just a vigorous fermentation, nothing unusual. Look into getting a blowoff hose for your fermenter, just a big tube that goes into a bucket of water. It's just like a giant airlock, but really useful for preventing those kinds of messes.

 

[McGreen]

It's just a vigorous fermentation, nothing unusual. Look into getting a blowoff hose for your fermenter, just a big tube that goes into a bucket of water. It's just like a giant airlock, but really useful for preventing those kinds of messes.

Thanks so much! Cheers!

After posting this, I noticed a "related threads" link below and a lot of it helped about the blow off tube. I cannot really rig one on yet. I have a true brew spackle bucket type and I am sure they make one specifically for it, but I just spent my last bit of cash buying some other equip. I guess I'll just deal with it. Clean, sanitize, clean, repeat.

I heard this is common with high gravity ales and wheat beer. Glad to know I'm not the only one this has happened too! Thanks again!

 

[superjunior]

perfectly normal. get you a blow off tube

 

[beergolf]

If you are using a 3 piece airlock, just take off the dome and the cap and get a piece of tubing that fits the center portion of the airlock. Then just run into a jug filed with some Starsan and you are good.

I think the tubing required is 1/2" ID but am not 100% sure.

 

[JonM]

Could be worse - I was in this exact position with my second or third batch, and I was tending to the constantly-almost-exploding carboy while nursing a raging hangover. It was a holiday so LHBS was closed and I couldn't get a blowoff tube. Ugh.

 

[buffalobrewer]

Could be worse - I was in this exact position with my second or third batch, and I was tending to the constantly-almost-exploding carboy while nursing a raging hangover. It was a holiday so LHBS was closed and I couldn't get a blowoff tube. Ugh.

the orange and blue mega hardware stores also sell tubing.

 

[Gator1]

If you are using a 3 piece airlock, just take off the dome and the cap and get a piece of tubing that fits the center portion of the airlock. Then just run into a jug filed with some Starsan and you are good.

I think the tubing required is 1/2" ID but am not 100% sure.

If it's a regular 3 piece you can warm up a piece of 5/16 siphon tube and it will fit into the stem of the airlock. I almost blew the lid off my bucket once as well

 

[Revvy]

You just have extremely active fermentation. It happens to all of us. Just clean it up, re-sanitize it (here's where having starsan in a spray bottle with distilled water comes in handy0 and rig up a blow off tube.

we've all had complete bucket blowoffs, and our beers survive. Your beer is protected by a layer, but it's co2 and not oxygen.

Watch these videos of one of my beers...that came out fine. ANd clean up your mess and rig up a blowoff tube.

 

[unionrdr]

That's wild,man. Mine was trying to do that the 1st 4 days,but the screw on cooper's micro FV lid held. The krausen was pushing against the inside of the lid after 10-12 hours! Even the airlock cleared itself a couple of times,going off like bursts from a machine pistol. That lid was creaking like an old wooden sailing ship in still water.
The pressure pushed the lid up off the seal just enough on the left side (to the left of the tap)to leak down the side a tiny bit to relieve some pressure. I was lucky though,no puddles or volcanoes.

 

[McGreen]

I cleaned and repeated a few times. It has been 46 hours since I pitched and the bubbling is only once every 5 minutes or so. I think she has finally calmed down. Thanks for the help everybody! I will be buying a blowoff tube rig ASAP.

P.S. should I aerate at all since she's been opened and closed a few times?

 

[NPK]

No there's no need to aerate. You could risk oxidizing the beer.

 

[smithnick0]

I went to harware store and bought a 20 ft section of 1/4" tubing for $2.50 and stuck it straight into my lid. Cut it in half and i have 2 blow off tubes. Works great!

 

[MPOWELLJR]

Had my primary explode on me last week lol, it was my second batch and it must have been a sight to see shooting out of the airlock like a geyser. I know from now on to use a blow off tube in the primary... planning my third batch now... this is an addicting hobby.

Cheers!