do i need a blow off tube?

The internal temp of that beer is probably pushing 80. There is a very good chance the fermentation will get even more violent. A blow off tube is a very good idea. If you have a basement, you should probably also move the beer down there during the active stages of fermentation.

 

Yeah, a beer that big, with only a gallon of headspace, at that temperature is a recipe for blow-off.
I would rig a blowoff hose and also try to get the temp down. Wort temps in the upper 70s aren't going to do great things for your beer.

 

You can replace the airlock with a tube that has an outside diameter just barely larger than the lid's airlock rubber grommet inner diameter (so you get an interference fit). Off hand, I can't remember what size that is.

 

When I began brewing nobody told me about big blow-off tubes.... I used a small tube attached to an airlock.

My fermentation room was an interior room of our house that my wife also used as a photography darkroom.

3rd batch was a very happy and hoppy American porter. The airlock blew off and put a permanent dark brown stain two feet in diameter on the ceiling. It also sprayed thousands of little brown bits of yeast all over the darkroom.

Yes use a blow-off tube or risk mopping your ceiling.

 

Probably only a minuscule risk for infection as long as you sanitized the tubing. If you are concerned about the loose fit, wrap some folded plastic wrap around the tubing and then insert it. You will have positive air pressure inside the bucket until fermentation slows or stops, so you bad air won't try to get in. After fermentation slows, you can switch back to the airlock then.

But try to get the temp of that bucket down to somewhere into the mid to upper 60s if you can. Just a bit of a caution: If you can get the wort temp down you'll have to watch the level of the liquid in your 'airlock' container because the contracting air inside your bucket could cause a little bit of negative pressure until the temp stabilizes (although your off-gassing of CO2 inside the fermentor could balance it), although it's highly unlikely for any suck-back of the liquid as long as your tube is long and the airlock liquid is well below the fermentation bucket.

 

The only way to know for sure is to wait till it happens, at which point, it'll be an academic question. You'll need a blow off tube in your bag of tricks anyway, you might as well do it now.

 

s-05 fermented that warm is a recipe for fusel headache beer.

 

Because when it's fermented too warm too early, it makes a lot of fusels. It's possible the fusels won't bother you. I wouldn't be able to drink more than one beer without getting a neckache and headache.

 

I doubt you'll get anywhere near Heady using Us-05. If you were using conan/vermont ale yeast (which is what the Alchemist uses), you might be a little closer as far as ferm temps, but 72 ambient is still probably too high.

 

Swamp cooler? I guess?

I've always used a temperature controlled fridge or a cold basement, so I can't really make any practical suggestions for you.

 

You can bungee cord some ice packs to the side of the bucket

 

This may not be a good solution for this batch of beer but for future batches maybe a Cool Brewing Insulated Fermentation Bag is what you need. You place your fermenter in the bag and add ice (e.g., frozen 2 liter soda bottles) to provide cooling.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/cool-brewing-insulated-fermentation-bag.html

Cheers!

 

I just saying that IF you are able to set up some way to cool your bucket, the air inside that bucket will contract when it cools, and that will lower the air pressure inside the bucket and the resulting negative pressure will try to equalize by pulling outside air any way that it can. Therefore, your blow-off tube will try to suck liquid out of the blow-off air lock container in an attempt to find air to equalize the pressure. If your liquid container is close to the bucket's level, the ease of sucking back this liquid will be something that you want to watch out for. If your air lock liquid container is below your fermentor bucket, then you should have no worry. Since it sounds like you will not be able to find a way to cool the fermentor, then this entire thing is a moot issue.

 

swamp cooler and a blow off tube will help greatly. Cooler , bucket , pail or any thing you can put the fermenter in then add water and ice. I used to use frozen soda bottles and kept 1/2 dozen in the freezer , use 3 and swap out as needed.