Vigorous fermentation

[Bowhunter64]

I brewed an all grain wheat beer over a month ago and had a very vigorous fermentation it plugged the air lock so many times I can't remember but I attributed it to too small of a fermenter so this time I got a larger pail and had plenty of head space but am having the same issue! Is there any other airlock that would work better? I have a 2 chamber lock and one of those 2 piece ones.

 

[jeffpn]

Try fitting a tube to your airlock base and running it into a sanitized bucket of water. Do that until the fermentation settles down.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

use a blow off tube for 3 days then put on your airlock, or ferment at a much cooler temperature

 

[EbonHawk]

Or start fermenting in pails. Just loose-fit the top, or cover with cheesecloth or something. (I prefer a loose-fitted lid.) I've been collecting free food-grade pails from the grocery store; they just give them away, and all I have to do is clean out the leftover icing or honey glaze and they're good-to-go.

 

[Bowhunter64]

Thanks guys I'll give some of these solutions a try!

 

[flars]

Sounds like you may be letting the fermentation get to warm and therefore to vigorous. Which yeast was used in this brew and what was your fermentation temperature for the first four days?

 

[Bowhunter64]

Nottingham ale yeast at 66-67 deg and this eruption started within 12 hrs of pitching and lasted for about 16 hrs then slowed down to normal for 8 hrs and then quit all together!

 

[flars]

Nottingham has a fairly wide temperature range. Fermenting at 58° to 62°F will keep the esters low unless you are looking for the more fruity and estery aromas. Fermentation will be a little less vigorous at the lower temperatures.

 

[Bowhunter64]

The first 2 batches I did foamed over like that and turned out awesome so I'm not complaining just wanna controller the mess.

 

[Nosybear]

You need either a bigger vessel or a blow-off tube. Fermenting cooler will result in less active yeast but will give you a different beer.

 

[GernBlanston]

You need either a bigger vessel or a blow-off tube. Fermenting cooler will result in less active yeast but will give you a different beer.

Agreed. Use ferment temperature to produce the beer character you want, period. Then you can adjust the vessel size / blow off system accordingly. Don't manipulate ferm temps for the sole reason of krausen control.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I always use a blow off tube, its 1/2" and allows more c02 to escape at once

 

[Nosybear]

You need either a bigger vessel or a blow-off tube. Fermenting cooler will result in less active yeast but will give you a different beer.

Agreed. Use ferment temperature to produce the beer character you want, period. Then you can adjust the vessel size / blow off system accordingly. Don't manipulate ferm temps for the sole reason of krausen control.

Dang, Gern agreed with me. I must be wrong....