Blow off issue. Help needed.

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by jaymacattack1, Apr 16, 2013.

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  1. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    So I did our brew on Sunday night. Followed everything to a T. We built a blow off tube but our beer still blew up.
    I looked last night and everything was fermenting pretty crazy. The blow off tube seemed to be working well and bubbling. Then this morning there was a mess everywhere .

    I used the smaller hose that came with my kit. Could it been that? Should I go out and buy a 3inch hose?

    Any help would be amazing.
     
  2. TheMonkfish

    TheMonkfish Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2012 Chad

    Are you using a glass carboy? If so, 1" ID vinyl tubing (from the hardware store) fits perfectly inside the carboy neck.
     
  3. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    No plastic one. I put the rubber bung in with the airlock then attacked a small tube. The one that came with the kit. Do you think it was too skinny to let off enough CO2.

    the blow off jar was bubbling like crazy last night
     
  4. pointyskull

    pointyskull Zealot (675) Mar 17, 2010 Illinois
    Trader

    I recently drilled a second hole in my fermenting bucket lid to accommodate a length of 1/2" tubing. I fitted it with a rubber gasket and it's nice and snug.

    So now I use both the the bubbler/airlock and a blowoff tube...
     
  5. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Congrats, you have robust fermentation . . . I love watching those bubbles.

    Not exactly sure of your setup, but a 1/2"ID hose (Home Depot, $3) will fit on the center stem of a 3 piece airlock. It's a little tight, but it you dip it in hot water it slips on. This should handle most situations. If you really have krasuen (solid particles) coming out of the tube, it may be easier to toss it rather than try and clean. Remember, sanitation is just as critical as before.
     
  6. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    yeah maybe we should of just took the stopper off cleaned it out when I saw the gunk. the hose we had we had to cut a slit in the side to get it on. The hole is about the size of a pen. I think it might of been too small to push through all the CO2.

    what do you think?
     
  7. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Definitely clean the bottom of the stopper or airlock. The opening inside your primary can get clogged with krausen and you may end up with a tiny or no opening to off-gas. If your tube is not clogged with particle matter, it should handle just about any amount of CO2. If you are using a jar for an airlock, don't dip the exhaust end of the tube extra deep in your liquid (this minimizes the water pressure the gas must overcome to escape).

    As long as you have lots of gas escaping you are probably safe from bacteria creeping in. But please make sure your nasty old hands are sanitized when handling any of the parts that go inside the primary.

    Here is what's going on inside your primary:

    [​IMG]

    You do not know if your krausen is still rising or has peaked (which it will within ~24 hours). It is possible for the krausen (solid particles) to fill up your headspace and the CO2 will force them out the airlock. This can become very messy and that's when you will need a bigger diameter tube. As long as your tube is not clogged, the gas will vent.

    On the plus side, every time you see a bubble, there is ethanol being created.
     
  8. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    You do not know if your krausen is still rising or has peaked (which it will within ~24 hours). It is possible for the krausen (solid particles) to fill up your headspace and the CO2 will force them out the airlock. This can become very messy and that's when you will need a bigger diameter tube. As long as your tube is not clogged, the gas will vent.

    This is exactly what happened. We used a carboy as the primary. I will look into either using our primary bucket, since there is more space and or get a larger tube.


    On the plus side, every time you see a bubble, there is ethanol being created.
    Love it but now we need to start all over.
     
  9. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    This is exactly what happened. We used a carboy as the primary. I will look into either using our primary bucket, since there is more space and or get a larger tube.

    Okay, I didn't realize you were using a carboy and could see the activity. If all of this is from a kit, I'm guessing the carboy is 5 gallons and you have a 6.5 gallon bucket w/lid. Most kits are set up for 5 gallon brews and these two items work well together. It is meant to use the bucket (at 6.5 gal) for your primary . . . this gives you about 30% of your bucket for headspace for the krausen to play. You can still get krausen to overflow from a 6.5 gal bucket, but that is less likely. Once carbonation starts, a blanket of CO2 forms inside and protects your beer from air.

    If your glass carboy is 5 gallons, this is meant to be a secondary. When filled, the brew should take up almost all the space. There will be little (somethings none) CO2 produced in the secondary, so you want to minimize headspace and oxidation problems.

    By all means keep some 1/2" tubing around and I find the 3 piece airlock to be reliable for the bucket lid. Also, remember that from this point on, air is the enemy. Take extraordinary means to prevent exposing your precious beer to air.
     
  10. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    Hello Port Largo. Your 100% right. Thanks a lot for all your help. Wanted to do this for years and glad there are some people out there not to snobby to help a new guy out.
     
  11. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    You are very welcome . . . and you are officially a home brewer.

    I would suggest you just let the beer ferment in the carboy, and when finished (2-3 weeks), carefully rack to your bucket for bottling. Here are some good bottling techniques: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11.html

    As an aside, I brewed for years before I understood much of what's described in this thread. In spite of that, my first brews were still better than anything you could buy in 7-11. So you are well ahead of the game.
     
  12. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    Amazing. Thanks a lot again.

    Im sure Ill ask something else ha ha ha
     
  13. nickfl

    nickfl Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2006 Florida

    One tip I didn't see anyone mention, if you are attaching your blowoff tube to your 3 piece airlock body, make sure to break off the little strainer at the bottom of the airlock. Otherwise it can get clogged with krausen and cause problems.
     
  14. TastyAdventure

    TastyAdventure Initiate (0) Nov 13, 2012 Kentucky

    what happens if you just leave it be and don't do anything to your blow off?
     
  15. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    It makes a huge mess. And you really don't want wild bugs getting into the blown off material and having a path back to your wort/beer.
     
  16. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    This is what my brew was doing this morning:
    [​IMG]
    Regarding of plastic or glass carboy, this is the tube you need. Without it, mine would have blow its top for sure!!!
     
  17. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    I disagree I use a 1/2" (or maybe even 3/8") hose over a broken airlock base (no X) and it has blown through it many times without incident. It would take one hell of a chunk of stuff to get wedged in that...
     
  18. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    Ok next question. Did another brew. This time used the pail with the lid. No mess. I switched it over to the carboy after about 2 weeks. When I was done the brew I check the hydrometer and it was around 5%. Now its about 1%. Does this mean the yeast didn't really make any alcohol? Is there a way to fix that this point and if not what should I do next time differently?

    Thanks everyone.
     
  19. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    What were your Original Gravity and Final Gravity readings? If you're looking at some percentage scale ("potential alcohol" maybe?) on the hydrometer, that's the wrong one. The scale you want is for Specific Gravity. Google up some pictures/instructions if you're not sure.
     
  20. jaymacattack1

    jaymacattack1 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2013 Canada (ON)

    Yeah Vike I think im clue less with this thing then. When I toss it in after the brew it was around 5% and after 2 weeks its 1%. I will google it .
     
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