How badly did I mess up

Happens all the time when you don't have adequate headspace. Since this is your first kit I imagine you don't have a lot of extra supplies. If I were you, I'd put a towel under the jug, remove the airlock, and add some loose fitting Al foil. Clean the airlock, and re-attach when the krausen has subsided. If that crack goes all the way through, and causes the airlock to lose liquid, throw it out and purchase another one.

If you have some extra supplies, like hose and whatnot, Goolge "Blow-off tube."

 

Not much head space there, so that could be the only probably. What yeast are you using and at what temp? An aggressive yeast pitched and fermented at high temp could cause crazy amount of fermentation right off the get go.

The airlock should shave zero impact.

 

Na, you didn't screw the pooch on this one. Find a local home brew store and get a new air lock. Also, get a 1.5 or 2 gallon bucket and a lid to do your fermentations hence forth. I think many people would advocate blow off tubes, and they have a point, but you can't brew an x gallon batch in an x gallon container. You need to brew in a x+1 gallon container. I would also recommend to upgrade to 5 gallon batches. The amount of effort is the same as a 1 gallon kit. But you get 5 gallons of beer. The cost break down of 5 gallon kits is also cheaper.

 

The problem appears to be that you are brewing a 1 gallon kit in what looks to be a 1 gallon fermenter. I typically brew 5-5.5 gallons in a 6.5 gallon bucket, about 15-23% headspace, and I use a blow off tube. NB appears to be selling 1 gallon jugs with airlocks and kits to make 1 gallon of beer primarily to new brewers who may not know about blow off tubes. That adds up to a big mess.

 

A blow-off can be used for the entirely of the primary fermentation.

You should not get any off-flavors from the blow-out. However, the ambient temperature, and consistency thereof, will have an effect on the finished product. Yeast create heat as they multiply, and this can raise the temperature of your wort 5ish degrees higher than ambient. Higher temperatures than the yeast is rated for, or large fluctuations, can produce more esters and fusel alcohols.

I wouldn't sweat it too much, as you're past the time to make a difference, and this is your first beer. Enjoy the process, learn from it, and carry on

 

You can use a 3 gallon carboy or mr beer/brew demon. 1 gallon is really not 'perfect', its not large enough. You will not have enough head space for even a non-aggressive fermentation. A 3 gallon carboy is around $24 on morebeer, Id look into it.

 

It'll come off, just soak it in warm water with PBW (homebrew store will have it) or OxyClean Free (without fragrance or detergents).

 

If you plan on sticking with using glass carboy's get a carboy brush. Its got an angled head so you can scrub the parts that start the bottleneck.

 

Just so there is no misunderstanding, when you say clean it, if you mean the jug with the beer still inside, then, no, don't clean any of the krausen except what is on the outside of the jug for now. The rest will come off after the jug is empty.

 

Bonus for saying badly instead of bad and cussing in the title!

 

I agree with the posts that recommend a larger fermenter like 2-3 gallons for brewing 1 gallon batches.

I am guessing that the jug in the pictures is the jug from Northern Brewer?

http://shop.northernbrewer.com/shop...nt/fermenting-equipment/small-batch-fermentor

The above item states: “NEW! This fermentor also comes with a length of blowoff tubing - simply insert it where the airlock goes to make active fermentations safer and cleaner.”

So, it appears that Northern Brewer recognizes that this jug is ‘too small’ for active fermentations and that a blow off tube should be used in those circumstances.

I am of the opinion that a larger fermentation vessel is a ‘better’ solution for future batches.

Cheers!

 

Yeah, your beer will turn out just fine!!

Cheers!

 

This 2 gallon bucket comes in at less than 10 inches over all. A blow off tube would be more low profile than an airlock.

 

You can (assuming your fermentation is actually winding down), but you can also just leave the blow-off attached. Whatever you feel comfortable with.