Uncontrollable blowoff - let it ride?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Lukass, Apr 3, 2016.

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  1. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    I've got a dark saison fermenting with WLP670 co-pitched with crooked stave Surette dregs. Think I filled it too high. 6 gallons into a 6.5 gal carboy. Anyways, came down this morning to the airlock pushed off and a geyser of krausen spewing out the top. Normally I use a blowoff tube but didn't expect this much activity I guess. Stupid me.. It's currently somewhere between 68-70F. I feel like it's almost too late to add a blowoff tube at this point and I can just let it ride as an open fermentation for a while, at least until activity subsides. Thoughts?

    My reasoning is the krausen will keep out anything wild from the outside. This is also going to be a sour, so why not leave it open for a bit, right? ...Or wrong?

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm also losing lots of krausen, which I've heard mixed opinions on if that's good or bad. I've gotta use whirlfloc next time...
     
  3. chavinparty

    chavinparty Zealot (653) Jan 4, 2015 New Hampshire

    It'll be fine. I had the top blow off a plastic fermenter in my living room once. Lid gasket ended up on the opposite side of the room. Krausen on the ceiling. You get the picture. Open fermented over night foam dumping onto the floor and I was worried about it but it turned out to be an awesome scotch ale.
     
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  4. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    you can always harvest the krausen. this is a great time to test your on the fly brewing skills. if you have a few hours get a wort ready for fermentation and add the collected krausen. it will take off in a matter of hours. maybe 2. if you don't have much time consider a simple DME wort.

    you can have your very own Burton Union System with a bit of planning.

    as for what do do, let it ride. when the krausen dies put a cap on it. many breweries practiced open fermentation. it's really not as a big a deal as it's made out to be, but those brewers did take care of the surrounding environment which you likely have not. if krausen is going out there isn't too much risk of anything else going in. keep you pets and children away. don't let it get sloppy or you will have real bugs, ants.
    Cheers.
     
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  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Given the time of the year I would suggest that you just let it ride.

    If it was during a warmer time of the year where flying insects (e.g., fruit fly season) was more of a concern I would have strongly suggested that you insert a blow off tube.

    Cheers!

    P.S. Next time consider adding some Fermcap to the wort in the fermenter. It does a fabulous job mitigating krausen and it has no flavor impacts to the beer.
     
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  6. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    How is this beer going to be sour? Surette is just brett.
     
  7. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    If it were me, I'd clean it up and attach a blow-off tube (just for peace of mind). Fermcap-S can be your friend in these situations.
     
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  8. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    You sure about that? The Surette I tasted had definite sourness.. My plan is to let this one go for 8-12 months to let the bugs (pedio) do their thing.
     
    #8 Lukass, Apr 4, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2016
  9. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for all the responses, and reassurance. A few hours after posting the krausen fell back enough that I was able to put a clean bung and airlock on it, and it's been steadily bubbling away since. Smells great. All is good
     
  10. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I suppose I should ask which Surette.
     
  11. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Hm, I didn't even know there were different Surettes until now. It was the 'provision saison'. I built the dregs up from a 200 ml starter to a 400, then decanted and co-pitched with the WLP670. Hopefully there's some pedio in there
     
  12. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    TBH I havent had the beer since learning I am allergic to brett, and haven't had it since the first run in 375ml bottles. I don't remember it being sour, but it looks like it is. My bad! :flushed:
     
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  13. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    No problem. But man, allergic to brett?? I know for a lot of people that wouldn't be a problem, but for those funky beer lovers out there..
     
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  14. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    How do you think I figured it out? :angry: At first I thought it was pedio, I seemed to have reactions from sour beers only. I finally had a reaction from on of my home brewed brett beers. But there is enough good beer out there I can do without.:slight_smile:
     
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  15. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    The fact that fermentation was that vigorous, I wouldn't be too worried at all!! Unless you had it in a filthy room with crap in the air!
     
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  16. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Yea, at least it's a healthy ferment! It's in a clean basement closet, fermenting steadily now. The 2 things I learned from this are: never put 6 gal wort into a 6.5 gal carboy, and use whirlfloc
     
  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Why?

    Cheers!
     
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  18. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    I too learned the same thing when I made a Graf beer. Fermentation was nuts for 2 full days and krausen was constantly coming through the blow off tube and blew the the stopper off repeatedly. That was nuts.
     
  19. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Use a defoamer in the fermenter. Whirlfoc wouldn't prevent this.
     
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  20. Doomsayer52

    Doomsayer52 Initiate (0) Nov 29, 2014 California

    Wouldn't the whirlfloc just help with clarity, not krausen?
     
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