I'm using a Craft-a-Brew brew kit (you have to start somewhere) to make a chocolate milk stout. Since beginning fermentation yesterday, the cup of water where the CO2 comes out has been bubbling FURIOUSLY, and the water had been turning brown and filling with foam. Does any one have experience with this kit/beer, or one similar? Is this normal?
You've got krausen bubbling up into your airlock. Sounds like that beer needs a blow-off tube. What's the ambient temp where you're fermenting? Higher temps will cause a more vigorous fermentation. EDIT: Scratch that, it seems as though you may be using a blow-off already....? If so, it isn't abnormal. However, the temp question is still important.
like John said, you have krausen creeping into your airlock. this is not unusual but not desirable either. your beer is probably too full in the bucket or carboy. if there is not enough head space in the bucket the krausen will crawl right out. this is a problem because you now have a conduit of sweet wort leading from atmosphere right into your not yet finished beer. fruit flies, bacteria etc. can navigate this path. again, use a blow off tube. and a bigger fermenting vessel. or less wort. also, move it to a cooler area. some yeast are more vigorous fermenters. warm temp, in addition to causing other headaches, will always make fermentation more aggressive. Cheers.
