Question about very active fermentation

[Wind River]

It's the morning after I pitched my yeast starter into a batch of hefeweitssen (my 2nd batch of beer) . I have around 5 1/4 gal of wort in a 6 gal plastic primary. When I looked this morning, the airlock was partially filled with kreusen and the top of the fermenter was bulging...I could hear the very active sounds of the yeast inside (I will always make a starter from now on!!).

I expect that I will have to put another airlock on but will the beer gush out when I take this one off?? As I said...the airlock is only half filled with the beer (and there is a very small amount on the lid). And what about the lid bulging? I'd hate to come home from work and have to deal with quite a mess.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mike

 

[User_05_28_08]

if the airlock is of the 3-piece variety (rather than the double bubble), you can take the top off, and attach a 1/2" hose and put the other end in a smaller jug with sanitizer to rig up a blow-off system (or a really big airlock, depending on how you want to look at it).

 

[Revvy]

Here's what ThorsSon is talking about.

You have to find a piece of long hose that will fit in the center pipe of your airlock...I had to do it in a pinch and found the the hose I had for my bottling wand almost fit....I put a small slit in it, then I soaked it in hot water for a few minutes to Soften and slid it around the tube...

I also found it is a good idea to cut, saw or break off the little criss crossing piece of plastic at the bottom of the airlock. It works great!

Someone else actually had a piece of, I think 1" hose that fit over the whole airlock instead....

 

[Wind River]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Big problem is:

1) I discovered this shortly before leaving for work...posted the question and had to leave.

2) only have 3/8" tubing (for racking)

2) I have a 40 min commute

3) Only one LHBS in area (which I will be going to on my lunch hour for 1/2" tubing)

So...I am reading this about an hour later,after having moved the fermenter to a cooler(60 degrees or lower) and deserted corner of the basement...just in case it blows.

Man, have I learned my lesson which is ALWAYS use a blow off tube instead of the airlock!!! I certainly hope the Beer Gods look down on me today LOL!

 

[claphamsa]

Well, I have lots of active fermentations, and I never use a starter....

I also always brew in the bathtub, so cleanup is easy!

 

[Wind River]

Good point...

I got excellent results last time with a packet of dry yeast...just threw the stuff in there and let them go to town. But this time, I thought I would use the liquid yeast and make a starter and was pretty stoked when I saw the stuff bubbling in the flask. I thought it would make a more active fermentation but I had no idea it would be this active .

Btw, claphamsa...love the pics in your gallery. Especially the ones with the cat sleeping next to the carboy

 

[Air Pirate]

if the airlock is of the 3-piece variety (rather than the double bubble), you can take the top off, and attach a 1/2" hose and put the other end in a smaller jug with sanitizer to rig up a blow-off system (or a really big airlock, depending on how you want to look at it).

hey i tried sending you a pm but it didnt go through, make sure you have your settings set so you can accept them.

 

[claphamsa]

Good point...

I got excellent results last time with a packet of dry yeast...just threw the stuff in there and let them go to town. But this time, I thought I would use the liquid yeast and make a starter and was pretty stoked when I saw the stuff bubbling in the flask. I thought it would make a more active fermentation but I had no idea it would be this active .

Btw, claphamsa...love the pics in your gallery. Especially the ones with the cat sleeping next to the carboy

even beer needs proper management!