Nuclear fission in my FV?

Hopping_Mad said:

I have no idea why I added yeast nutrient along with the kit yeast to my second batch of Coopers dark ale, especially as the first lot I did was pretty vigorous without any help! I guess I just wanted to give the little blighters a good start in life.

I must say I made sure the wort was really well aerated on Saturday prior to pitching the dry kit yeast. Not much was happening until yesterday evening, and when I checked before going to bed I was pleased to see some healthy but sensible air lock action, and a temp of 18/20 C before going to bed.

When I woke up this morning I didn't know whether to come on here for advice or call bloody Red Adair (...is he still alive?). Forget froth in the air lock - the whole bloody lid had turned inside out at the edge and was completely away from the rim of the FV! :shock:Must have been mental in the night! Fortunately, I keep the FV on a few layers of newspaper in the cupboard under the stairs! :???:

I cleaned the air lock, turned the lid back in, brushed off the dried froth from the topside and stuck it back on.

No signs of activity since and I thing the yeast may have shot it's bolt. :pray: I'm waiting until tomorrow to take a gravity reading and see what's what, but I'm worried what temperature it got to, what off flavours I might end up with and, if the original yeast is done for, whether to pitch some more (I'm at least sensible enough to have spares!).:sick:

I'm waiting for somebody to go all 'Michael Caine' on me (*adopts cockney accent*) - "You were only supposed to bubble the bloody air lock!" :nono:

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proost said:

Spooky!
I had exactly the same thing. See "Beermageddon" Beer Brew Days 12/03/2014

:lol: :lol: :lol:

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proost said:

Spooky!
I had exactly the same thing. See "Beermageddon" Beer Brew Days 12/03/2014

:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Hopping_Mad said:

Weird! Same kit, same MO, same temp, everything, bar yours kept going and I reckon mine has died.:cry: Wish I'd read that thread! Grrrrrrrrr.

In a way, it looked awesome - but I won't be impressed if the eruption makes my beer undrinkable!

Did you do anything post trauma, and did your beer come out ok in the end?

I have just checked the gravity and its down to 1013 - in two days of real fermentation action that can't be good, surely? I'm thinking of the hare and the tortoise? Drank the trial jar contents and they taste ok though! There's still no sign of action since Monday morning, and I've got every kit down to 1010, or just below thus far (...appreciate all kits, and even different batches of kits are gonna be different and affected by external factors).

I'm going to check again tomorrow then consider my options which I see as:

1) Do nothing and hope it restarts naturally to get the FG down further
2) Give it a stir with a sanitised stirrer and hope there are are still some yeasties left alive that I can get into suspension and working to get FG down
3) Pitch some new yeast and don't eff around with nutrients in hope getting FG down
4) Just leave it as it is (or maybe get in another vessel to get away from the vast amounts of crud) for another week and hope any remaining yeasties can clear up any nasties and settle for the FG as it is (1040 SG to 1013 FG would be a slightly naff 3.5% ABV!)

Anyone got any thoughts on the above?

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Hopping_Mad said:

Anyone got any thoughts on the above?

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