Vilent ferment - first time using liquid yeast.

[Phan71]

Edit: That should say VIOLENT in the title.

Okay, I don't know if I should be freaking out or not. I brewed my fourth batch last night, the fist one I've done that wasn't a kit and the first one I've done using liquid yeast. It's the WYeast Irish Ale activator pack. The beer is an Oatmeal Stout with a high OG, ~1.076

So, this morning I go to check and see if there's any signs of fermenting yet. WOW! The lid of the bucket is bulging and looks like it's going to pop off. There's wort in the airlock, and bubbling out of the top of the airlock.

So, is this normal? Is there anything that can be done to slow this? The temp in the closet I keep the primary is a little high this morning (we have radiator heat, with little control over them). Should I move it somewhere cooler? I don't have many options for this, as it's only 37 outside right now.

Also, I'm really worried that water from the airlock got into the wort. I used a diluted solution of the star-san in the airlock. Should I be worried about this? Or did the pressure just push the solution out? Or, does it really matter?

 

[rod]

rig a blow -off tube to prevent problems until ferment slows.
as far as i know star san will not hurt anything in that small a quantity

 

[david_42]

Not a problem. Pull the airlock off, clean it & put it back on. You are probably past the peak already.

The pressure pushed the star san out

 

[Phan71]

Well, I don't know if it's past the peak yet or not - It's still going pretty strong. So I might wait before removing the airlock. I've moved it into my office and opened the window so it would cool down a little. I'm hoping that will help.

 

[Phan71]

Here's a couple pictures I took a few minutes ago:

http://geokrueg.home.netcom.com/beer/

 

[andylegate]

I've got a scotish ale fermenting right now and it looks like a mini tornado in the bottle. That much activity is good. Your yeast is working hard at make your beer. Just imagine a 100 billion little guys working away for you!
Don't worry about the blow out. It happens sometimes. And don't worry about contamination of the batch. That kind of activity, all that gas blowing out, chances are nothing is getting in!

 

[boo boo]

Get a blow off tube on that sucker ASAP.

If that airlock plugs, then boom, instant yeast shower over your office.

 

[uglygoat]

is that a biker scout trooper? you'll need some more to guard the batch mate!

 

[Phan71]

Yes, and you can see Darth Vader's feet right by him. Boba Fett is just out of the shot.

 

[Flint]

Holy Moses!! That's incredible! I wish my batch had a fraction the activity yours does! I've only got a couple inches of krauesen.

 

[Ol' Grog]

Holy Jumping Fermentation, Batman!!! Unless you got a constant of high pressure, your lid shouldn't be bulging like that. You obviously have a clogged bubbler hole, unclog ASAP or she will BBBBBBLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW.

 

[Phan71]

It did eventually settle down. I took off the airlock, pressed down on top of the lid to release some of the pressure and flatten out the lid, then cleaned and replaced the airlock.

It's been bubbling pretty steady since then. I was just so worried that the lid was going to pop right off, or beer would just come gushing out the top and make a huge mess.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Wow, that is indeed violent fermentation. Don't see that all too often, but definitely happens. I think you did the right thing.

As for Starsan hurting the brew, you have nothing to worry about. As noted, it was pushed out by the wort and even if it did get in, the Starsan would become ineffective (pH of the starsan would raise past its sanitizing pH max of 3.5 rendering it useless) once introduced into that much wort...

Actually listened to the podcast interview with the chemist that made starsan and he said if you left 2 gallons of your diluted sarstan sanitizing solution in your primary and then dumped your wort onto it by accident (as opposed to dumping onto two regular gallons of water), that you could still probably brew a beer on top of those two 2 gallons of starsan mixture. Pretty nuts... Makes a few drips from an airlock or some starsan bubbles in the bottom a lot less frightening.

Disclaimer: I don't encourage brewing beer with 2 gallons of starsan water!! (but I thought it was pretty amazing that it would even be chemically possible and/or probably not kill you ...)

 

[BeerSlinger]

So, I have to ask, what was your working recipe? I'm seriously thinking about WL Yeast so this has perked my interest a bit...Also, when you have a reaction like this, do you have to back off the amount of priming sugar or is that just a separate issue all together?

 

[Phan71]

Basically, it's the recipe from this post, but I changed it a little.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14098

I used 6.5 pounds of Amber malt (LME) instead of 6
1 pound of chocolate malt instead of .5
.5 pound of black patent instead of .25
I used licorice root instead of brewer's licorice, because that's what the lhbs had.

Also, I didn't quite follow their directions for steeping the grains. I did about 20 minutes at ~160 degrees and then removed the grains. I sparged the grains with some water that I heated separately in another pot. I left the oatmeal in and brought it to a boil.

I wouldn't think you would have to back off the priming sugar. By then the fermentation should be complete, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

 

[loopmd]

Wow, that is indeed violent fermentation. Don't see that all too often, but definitely happens. I think you did the right thing.

As for Starsan hurting the brew, you have nothing to worry about. As noted, it was pushed out by the wort and even if it did get in, the Starsan would become ineffective (pH of the starsan would raise past its sanitizing pH max of 3.5 rendering it useless) once introduced into that much wort...

Actually listened to the podcast interview with the chemist that made starsan and he said if you left 2 gallons of your diluted sarstan sanitizing solution in your primary and then dumped your wort onto it by accident (as opposed to dumping onto two regular gallons of water), that you could still probably brew a beer on top of those two 2 gallons of starsan mixture. Pretty nuts... Makes a few drips from an airlock or some starsan bubbles in the bottom a lot less frightening.

Disclaimer: I don't encourage brewing beer with 2 gallons of starsan water!! (but I thought it was pretty amazing that it would even be chemically possible and/or probably not kill you ...)

Actually it happens all the time if you use a starter or put on top of an old yeast cake. Definately use a blow off tube next time. I am surprised you left it alone, it looked for sure like a bomb about ready to go. Then again as I was reading I thought for sure you were going to post..."well, I pulled the airlock off and now I am scraping stuff off the ceiling in my office"....lol.


loop

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Well, I'm still in awe. I've never pitched onto a yeast cake before, but have used a starter and not got blow-off like that.

How do you put a blow of tube onto an Ale Pail like that? Obviously its easy to do to a carboy, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it done on a plastic fermenter? The hole for the airlock seems really really small for a blowoff tube?

 

[Torchiest]

Also, I'm really worried that water from the airlock got into the wort. I used a diluted solution of the star-san in the airlock. Should I be worried about this? Or did the pressure just push the solution out? Or, does it really matter?

One thing that I do to eliminate that concern is use cheap vodka in the airlock. It's still sterile, but even if some gets into the wort, it's not a concern at all. You can get 1.75 liter bottles of cheap stuff for like $10-15, and that'll last you a loooooong time.

 

[BeerSlinger]

Basically, it's the recipe from this post, but I changed it a little.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14098

I used 6.5 pounds of Amber malt (LME) instead of 6
1 pound of chocolate malt instead of .5
.5 pound of black patent instead of .25
I used licorice root instead of brewer's licorice, because that's what the lhbs had.

Also, I didn't quite follow their directions for steeping the grains. I did about 20 minutes at ~160 degrees and then removed the grains. I sparged the grains with some water that I heated separately in another pot. I left the oatmeal in and brought it to a boil.

I wouldn't think you would have to back off the priming sugar. By then the fermentation should be complete, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

I know it was a newbie question but i'm still getting use to the physics of brewing.....My experience was quite the opposite because I had two cans of light LME, .75 of Fuggles, 1.5oz of East Kent, 1.5 of Hallertau-Mittelfruh dry hopped, with 6 grams of dry muntons yeast and I had the completely opposite experience, it was going good for the first couple of days and then quit pretty quick.....But from what I understand, that's quite common for a 5 gallon load......

What was funny was that I took one huge whiff of it before I put it in the carboy to set for a couple of weeks, I swore it smelled just like Coors Light.....

 

[BeerSlinger]

Actually it happens all the time if you use a starter or put on top of an old yeast cake. Definately use a blow off tube next time. I am surprised you left it alone, it looked for sure like a bomb about ready to go. Then again as I was reading I thought for sure you were going to post..."well, I pulled the airlock off and now I am scraping stuff off the ceiling in my office"....lol.


loop

Exploding in the house.......I just get in the mood for a beer at night......I can't imagine what smelling all day would do to me......