Question of sanitation in aggressive fermentation and lots of Krausen!

[Brewsephus]

I have a very full primary and it's aggressively fermenting away! Im very excited, but I am concerned about the blow off in the sanitizer container. There is a lot of krausen fluid mixing into the sanitizer. It's turned a light tan color, and I am worried about the viability of it's sanitizing power. I used StarSan in about 2 quarts of water and a long blow off tube.

Any thoughts as to the viability of the sanitizer? How often should I change the water? Is it fine like it is? Will the positive pressure during the first bit of aggressive fermentation be enough to keep the beer clean until I can switch to my two piece blow off?

 

[deepcdan99]

With that active of a fermentation you could theoretically remove the blow off all together. You should be fine for a while as long as active fermentation is in progress.

 

[Dunerunner]

Agreed!! There is enough gassing to prevent anything from being drawn back into the FV and contaminating your beer.

 

[Brewsephus]

Agreed!! There is enough gassing to prevent anything from being drawn back into the FV and contaminating your beer.

But then I wouldn't have a vessel to contain all the krausen that was spewing everywhere. The wife would be pissed.

Is it enough to change the sanitizer daily until the aggressive fermentation stops?

 

[deepcdan99]

You can change out the water if u want. No harm no foul.

 

[Draken]

I actually left a very aggressive fermentation alone while I went out of town for a week.. I apparently completely overwhelmed the Starsan. When I looked in the primary, the krausen had died down, but low and behold when I went to switch out the blow off for an airlock, my gallon jug had a krausen in it..I stuck some Saran wrap and a rubber band on it, just to check that it wasn't just holdover foam from the blow off.. And it kept burping around the rubber band... Not sure what that means for my beer, but I found it darn amusing.

 

[Brewsephus]

I actually left a very aggressive fermentation alone while I went out of town for a week.. I apparently completely overwhelmed the Starsan. When I looked in the primary, the krausen had died down, but low and behold when I went to switch out the blow off for an airlock, my gallon jug had a krausen in it..I stuck some Saran wrap and a rubber band on it, just to check that it wasn't just holdover foam from the blow off.. And it kept burping around the rubber band... Not sure what that means for my beer, but I found it darn amusing.

That is very amusing!