What happened to this batch? Infection? 2nd batch ever

[bhorn]

It's still oozing out the top a little bit. It pushed the airlock off and everything. Before going to bed last night I checked on it, it has been in the fermenter for almost exactly 24 hours as of right now, I'm guessing the airlock blew off sometime this morning.

This was a partial mash russian imperial stout and was shooting for right around 10% abv.

 

[GPP33]

Did you sanitize the airlock before putting it back on? Use a blow off tube next time. Beer looks very happy, not infected.

 

[Sourz4life]

Yea, just looks like a heavy fermentation went underway. For any sacc ferments I use a blow off tube for the first week or so.

 

[kh54s10]

Set up a blow off tube for the start of EVERY fermentation. Sanitize everything well as you clean up and get the blow off tube or airlock back on and it should be fine.

What temperature is it while fermenting? Keep it cool so the wort doesn't get above 70. Mid sixties is best for most ales.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Big beer and active yeast = violent fermentation. More headspace and/or a blowoff setup could have prevented the mess. Clean it up, rig a blowoff, and let it go. Should be fine.

 

[bhorn]

Thanks all, part of me was thinking that it was just the fermentation. I think another main issue is this airlock/carboy connection isn't the best with this carboy being plastic, once sliding the airlock as far down as I could it would ride back up like 1/2 inch and remain sealed but not very tightly. I think with this carboy I should tape the airlock too. I'm gonna go pick up a blowoff and hope for the best.

Thanks!

 

[ncbrewer]

I had a blow-off once with an blow-off tube. It was a smaller diameter tube that fit in the airlock hole. It might be best to use a large tube that fits directly into the carboy opening. Still, I've read lots of posts of brewers having good luck with this smaller diameter tube, so maybe I was just unlucky. I also had some concern about the large (maybe 1" ID) diameter tube being hard to clean and sanitize. Eventually, I went with a 7.9 gallon bucket for 5 gallon batches and no blow-off tube, and haven't had anything come close to blowing off - but I don't brew anything over 1.055 OG beers.

 

[GPP33]

I picked up some cool little orange caps that fit tight on the outside of the carboy neck and have a nipple that a 1/2" tube fits nice and tight on. I've had beers that blew an easy half gallon out and never had one slip off.