Overflowing fermentation. Advice please.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

Hi all. I woke up this morning to an overflowing airlock. Think I filled it too much. Didn't have time to sort it then, so just in from work and have cleaned and re-sanitised the airlock. My question is will this brew be ok, looks very cloudy just now will this settle again, still bubbling away the minute i put the airlock back in place.

I have attached a picture of what it looked like.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

Paul.

user 23602 · Sep 24, 2019

Absolutely fine! My last brew removed the lid, strained the cupboard and it's just been bottled... The tasters were fantastic.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

Ok thanks, my lid stayed on, as did the cap on airlock, was just a bit worried that I would have a ruined brew, next time will leave a bigger gap, and maybe only use a half pack of yeast.

DavidDetroit · Sep 24, 2019

plus one on it being fine. A slightly bigger fermenter next time if you have one (if the overflow was not just from overfilling) or the famous blow-off tube for each brew.
Personally, I use a 7.9 gallon (US measurement) for a 5 gallon batch. Five years and never a need for a blow-off tube. Judging by my krausen, I could get away with a 6.5 gallon bucket as well.

user 23602 · Sep 24, 2019

PaulRob said:
Ok thanks, my lid stayed on, as did the cap on airlock, was just a bit worried that I would have a ruined brew, next time will leave a bigger gap, and maybe only use a half pack of yeast.

I'm sure someone here can explain a bit better than me saying it's fine and that mine was okay. But a couple have my fermentations have looked like yours in the picture and turned out okay.

DavidDetroit · Sep 24, 2019

PaulRob said:
half pack of yeast.

You may want to check that the 1/2 pack has enough oomph for the job. It probably does but keep a look out.

An Ankoù · Sep 24, 2019

I see you've got a fermenter with a lid that clips on all round. First time I used Wyeast West Yorkshire yeast I didn't leave enough headspace and the yeast clogged the bunghole. If I hadn't caught it in time I reckon the fermenter would have burst. Be warned.

DavidDetroit · Sep 24, 2019

If the CO2 production is still in full swing, the gas is going out and still protecting the beer.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

davidfromUS said:
plus one on it being fine. A slightly bigger fermenter next time if you have one (if the overflow was not just from overfilling) or the famous blow-off tube for each brew.
Personally, I use a 7.9 gallon (US measurement) for a 5 gallon batch. Five years and never a need for a blow-off tube. Judging by my krausen, I could get away with a 6.5 gallon bucket as well.

Thanks for your advice, at the moment I am sticking to small batches, so just have the 5 litre fv. My first batch was only 4.5 litres and there was little action at all in the airlock, this time around I filled it up to the 5 litre mark, so will go back to 4.5 litre next time. Was also a different yeast this time.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

An Ankoù said:
I see you've got a fermenter with a lid that clips on all round. First time I used Wyeast West Yorkshire yeast I didn't leave enough headspace and the yeast clogged the bunghole. If I hadn't caught it in time I reckon the fermenter would have burst. Be warned.

Thanks, will take heed, and leave more headspace.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

davidfromUS said:
If the CO2 production is still in full swing, the gas is going out and still protecting the beer.

Still seems to be bubbling away, so fingers crossed, just didn't like the look of it.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

davidfromUS said:
You may want to check that the 1/2 pack has enough oomph for the job. It probably does but keep a look out.

Yeah thanks will check, all the yeast I've looked at says that a 10g or 11g pack is suitable for up to 20litres, so I'm sure a half pack would do 4.5-5 litres. The other option is to buy the bulk 100g pack like the ones from bigger jugs, and use maybe 7g each time, but I've not seen anyone comments about their yeasts. Maybe someone could reply if they have used them, or I might start a new thread about it at some point.

DavidDetroit · Sep 24, 2019

We worry too much near the beginning of our brewing careers. For what it's worth, when it's all said and done, it's hard not to make drinkable beer.
Are you familiar with an auto-siphon? Anyway, you give it a few gentle pumps and it does what the name says.
I didn't know this the first time I used one and pumped (like filling a bicycle tire) an entire five gallons into another bucket, adding oxygen with each pump. I thought at the time, what a dumb way to transfer beer. Anyway, you can't add more oxygen at the wrong time than I did and the beer got complements all around. Just had to drink it within a couple of months.

DavidDetroit · Sep 24, 2019

PaulRob said:
Yeah thanks will check, all the yeast I've looked at says that a 10g or 11g pack is suitable for up to 20litres, so I'm sure a half pack would do 4.5-5 litres. The other option is to buy the bulk 100g pack like the ones from bigger jugs, and use maybe 7g each time, but I've not seen anyone comments about their yeasts. Maybe someone could reply if they have used them, or I might start a new thread about it at some point.

Yeah, easily.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

davidfromUS said:
We worry too much near the beginning of our brewing careers. For what it's worth, when it's all said and done, it's hard not to make drinkable beer.
Are you familiar with an auto-siphon? Anyway, you give it a few gentle pumps and it does what the name says.
I didn't know this the first time I used one and pumped (like filling a bicycle tire) an entire five gallons into another bucket, adding oxygen with each pump. I thought at the time, what a dumb way to transfer beer. Anyway, you can't add more oxygen at the wrong time than I did and the beer got complements all around. Just had to drink it within a couple of months.

You are probably correct about us all over worrying, we all just want the best beer possible, but most brews will be some kind of beer no matter what. I've heard of the auto siphon, not used one yet, that would certainly add a lot of oxygen, but as you said a very nice beer in the end, so maybe we all worry about nothing.

Chippy_Tea · Sep 24, 2019

Blow off tube as mentioned earlier -

kelper · Sep 24, 2019

I've just bought larger FVs after an overflow. But don't push the airlock in so far that you lose an inch of headroom! It only needs to be snug as the seal is under very little pressure. The common FVs are a bit small for a 40-pint brew if it gets very lively.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

Chippy_Tea said:
Blow off tube as mentioned earlier -

Thanks, will need to get or make one of those in the near future, I hope to eventually get up to that size of fv.

PaulRob · Sep 24, 2019

kelper said:
I've just bought larger FVs after an overflow. But don't push the airlock in so far that you lose an inch of headroom! It only needs to be snug as the seal is under very little pressure. The common FVs are a bit small for a 40-pint brew if it gets very lively.

Thanks, my airlock sits level with the underside of my lid. As mentioned before, I will gradually move up to bigger fvs.

kelper · Sep 24, 2019

Chippy, where did you get that FV? It seems to have masses of headroom!

Overflowing fermentation. Advice please.

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