So.... vigorous foaming blew the fermentation lock onto the floor. Help Please.

[clockwise]

I brewed my first hefewiezen last night and went to check on it 10 minutes ago only to find the fermentation lock on the floor and it foaming out the top. This is my 5th brew and I've never seen this happen. I typically brew 5 - 5.5 gallons in a 6.5 gallon carboy. Previous 4 times the foam never goes that high.

2 things different this time: I actually made an attempt to aerate the wort (shook vigorously for about 5 minutes) and I used a White Labs Hefeweizen IV yeast. Would either or both of these result in such a drastic increase in foaming?

It's literally foaming out the top right now.... stores closed till morning. Do I just let it foam out the top until I can get a blow off tube put on there tomorrow? I assume by then the foam will be dialed back...

 

[Onetime]

Well, if you use a bung u could probably take your siphoning tube or bottling hose and push it through the hole in the white bung. Then put that hose into a bucket, milk jug, or vessel ad sanitizer/ water or vodka and now u have your air lock. In the morning buy your large tube from HD or Loews. I bought three feet today for 1.99$ a foot. Good luck and hope that helps.

Good Times


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[Onetime]

I actually have to sanitize my blow off hose in an hour and put it on my carboy( i work tomorrow and dont want a mess).


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[heckler73]

just put the air lock back in, but don't put any water or the two loose airlock parts in - just let it foam out if you don't have a tube tonight.

or even better, cut your siphon tube and stuff it into the bung, running the other end of your siphon tube into some water in a small bucket. bob's yer uncle - blow off tube.

 

[tooldudetool]

I would think that maybe because its a wheat beer you are getting a thicker krausen than usual, wheat has lots of protein, and is known to help head retention because of this fact. It could also be the yeast, different yeasts have different fermentation habits, I'm not familiar with the one you're using. You don't really need to worry much about contamination or bacteria getting into your beer, at this point everything is positive pressure and pushing out of the fermenter, so as long as you get something installed once fermentation slows down, you should be fine. Next time start with a blow off tube!

 

[Onetime]

Piggy back ?: can i just use water in my vessel or bucket thats excepting the blow off hose instead of the san star and water solution?


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[wormraper]

fermcap fermcap fermacap it's worth it's weight in gold. I use it on every brew for over 2 years and never ONCE had a blowout using only a simple airlock

 

[clockwise]

I would think that maybe because its a wheat beer you are getting a thicker krausen than usual, wheat has lots of protein, and is known to help head retention because of this fact. It could also be the yeast, different yeasts have different fermentation habits, I'm not familiar with the one you're using. You don't really need to worry much about contamination or bacteria getting into your beer, at this point everything is positive pressure and pushing out of the fermenter, so as long as you get something installed once fermentation slows down, you should be fine. Next time start with a blow off tube!

I've been using Safale #5 mostly and a White Labs English ale once. Both types had pretty much identical krausen, BUT this batch, the krausen seems so much more light and airy. *shrug* I know for next time.

Plus it turns out I was lucky. I ordered the Blichman beer gun and it had like 6 feet of hose with it, which just happened to fit my cork hole perfectly.

fermcap fermcap fermacap it's worth it's weight in gold. I use it on every brew for over 2 years and never ONCE had a blowout using only a simple airlock

Think I'll invest in one of these for the next batch.

Cheers guys.

 

[wormraper]

I've been using Safale #5 mostly and a White Labs English ale once. Both types had pretty much identical krausen, BUT this batch, the krausen seems so much more light and airy. *shrug* I know for next time.

Plus it turns out I was lucky. I ordered the Blichman beer gun and it had like 6 feet of hose with it, which just happened to fit my cork hole perfectly.

Think I'll invest in one of these for the next batch.

Cheers guys.

it's cheap stuff. I've done over 60 brews the last couple years and I'm just STARTING to run out of my first bottle.. only like $2 a bottle too

 

[fartinmartin]

You haven't mentioned temperature !
Just cool it down to about 15C it will calm down.
I bet you are up well over 20C ?

 

[podz]

I have been researching making some weizen myself.

At least wy3068 yeast comes with a warning: This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermenter headspace of 33%. I have also read many articles from people who reminded readers to actually heed the wy3068 warning. Additionally, I have read that wy3068 is so aggressive that you don't even need to make a starter - just smack and pitch.

It might be that if one actually heeds the headspace warning then a blowoff tube wouldn't be needed.

I don't know about the white labs yeast, but I would imagine similar behaviour.

 

[clockwise]

I have been researching making some weizen myself.

At least wy3068 yeast comes with a warning: This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermenter headspace of 33%. I have also read many articles from people who reminded readers to actually heed the wy3068 warning. Additionally, I have read that wy3068 is so aggressive that you don't even need to make a starter - just smack and pitch.

It might be that if one actually heeds the headspace warning then a blowoff tube wouldn't be needed.

I don't know about the white labs yeast, but I would imagine similar behaviour.

Ahhhhhhhh I see. I was pretty certain it was the yeast since this is the first hefeweizen. I'll know for sure next time and will at least me properly prepared.:cross: