Secondary Fermentation Issues

[Davhud]

Good morning,

Racked my first beer last night without a hitch into a carboy. Put the airlock on top and ever since I've been fighting foam and gas, so much so that it's flowing up into my airlock and at one point shot it across the room. Have I ruined this batch? What should I do. Thanks. Dave

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

welcome to the forum.Your supposed to have foam and gas,its fermenting and that's a good thing.You need a blow off tube.Ive never needed one so I cant help much more than that.Someone here will chime in with more help or search "blow off tube" and youll get your info.It seems odd that racking last night would require a blow off tube by the next morning.It usually takes longer than that.It sounds like you bought a 5 gallon carboy.You need a 6 gallon.The 5 gallons are for secondarys and again pretty much useless.
Good luck
Your in your primary carboy,not secondary.Secondary carboys come after fermentation has finished.Theyll be no "gas or foam" at that point.Not many people use them anymore.Leave in primary for a few weeks and rack to keg or bottles

 

[mdindy]

do you use a carboy or bucket? carboys have less room for foam to expand so you often need a blow off. also depends of the yeast some are more active than others. its super cheep just need a plastic cap and some tubing and can get it from any online brew store.

 

[Davhud]

Using a carboy, a bung, and airlock

Seeing how it's 5 am, any early morning suggestions?


Have I ruined the batch.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

First welcome to the club, this has probably happened to more of us than not. Sounds like a good healthy fermentation. Next time set up a blow off tube rather than a bung and airlock. Once the fermentation slows a bit, you can go to the air lock.
I have had it happen a few times and the beer survived each time. You are about to hit the hardest stage of brewing--waiting for the yeasties to finish their work. No way to rush them, just give it time.
Good luck,

 

[mdindy]

I have had beer blow off the air lock and foam all over the floor and the beer came out great, you will be fine.

 

[Gavin C]

No you haven't ruined your beer. It will stil bevery tasty I wager. If you are using a vessel for secondary the beer should by completed fermenting so that you can fill the secondary up with minimal headspace. This is to minimize the risk of oxidation when the beer is to be there for a long period.

If you are getting a lot of pressure and foaming, this means that fermentation was not completed more than likely. There are benefits to letting the beer sit in the primary for longer as it prevents encountering this problem you have.

If using secondaries is something you want to do, best to let the primary go longer first. More and more homebrewers are ditching the use of secondary vessels.

If carrying out a true second fermentation, through the addition of fruit or bulk aging on wood, secondaries are useful apparently. If not, they really serve no purpose.

Many folks do use them still and would argue the benefits. The consensus from many experts in this hobby though, now appears to discourage their use.

 

[Davhud]

Thanks guys!

Rummaging around the house now trying to macguyver a solution.

 

[flars]

Blow off can be a sign of a fermentation that is to warm. This will allow the yeast to become over active. Is the beer temperature in the ow 60°F range? High fermentation temperatures can produce unwanted flavors.

Blow off can also be from a carboy that is to small for the volume of beer. Five gallons in a five gallon carboy guarantees blow off. Five gallons in a six-and-a-half gallon carboy is best.


What yeast did yo use and what is your recipe?

 

[kh54s10]

So is this in primary or secondary? If truly in secondary how long was it in primary? If you use a secondary at all (a different thread) you should have final gravity before transfer to secondary.

The solution in either case is to install a blow off tube.

The beer should be fine as anything bad cannot get in because of all the stuff coming out.

 

[Davhud]

I did primary for five days. It got warm here in Napa a few days. Wonder if that had an effect.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I did primary for five days. It got warm here in Napa a few days. Wonder if that had an effect.

5 days is usually short for primary fermentation to be completed. The only true way to tell if fermentation is done is to get the same gravity reading taken over 2-3 days. That reading may or may not be at you expected FG (you can over shoot it as well as finish high).
you shouldn't transfer to a secondary until fermentation is completed (if you go to a secondary-whole different debate). Transferring before it is completely done will result in What you had happen, how bad of a mess depends on how much fermentation is left to be done.
As a general practice i give my brews 10 days before i do anything, and longer for some. Dont worry, it will be beer and probably pretty tasty.
Cheers

 

[ncbrewer]

Check this thread (and others) for ideas on whether or not to secondary: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=109318

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I did primary for five days. It got warm here in Napa a few days. Wonder if that had an effect.

5 days seems to short in primary.There should be little or no action in secondary.

first- make sure you have a 6.5 carboy and not a 5 gallon.Also (and this is just my opinion) The carboys are heavy, super slippery when cleaning,cant use a hop bag when dry hopping and most important a royal pain in balls to clean.I would get a 6.5 bucket and ditch the carboy.

Second-Next time try leaving in the primary the entire time.Less work,less equipment and less chance for oxidation among other things. I highly dought you will notice a difference in your beer

 

[BigFloyd]

What style of brew is this one? Perhaps the first question you ought to ask yourself is, "why am I moving this beer out of the primary into a secondary in the first place?" Unless there's a specific reason, racking to a secondary is an unnecessary step that can give rise to problems.

It sounds like you moved it much too soon. You'll have to do your best to ride this one out as best you can.