Exploding fermenter

I recently made a batch of wit beer and everything went great with the brew. I added a vial of white labs yeast to the fermenter and within hours had one of the most vigorous fermentations that I have ever had, which lasted all through the next day and overnight. When I woke up in the morning, I found the lid of my bucket on the kitchen floor and sticky wort all over the place. I guess the airlock plugged up and the pressure blew the top off. I sanitized the lid and replaced it. It's been 4 days since then and I have not seen any further activity from the airlock. Is the batch ruined from exposure to air and bacteria, and is it normal to see no activity after such a great display of fermentation previously? Any help would be appreciated.

Post a picture of the explosion so we can analyze this more thoroughly for you. However, you should be fine.

What yeast type was it? I've used a Belgian White Labs strain that was crazy. It would ferment almost in one day.

Some people do the whole primary fermentation without a lid, you're good. Unless your cat got in there...

Calico wit

DerekJ said:

Post a picture of the explosion so we can analyze this more thoroughly for you. However, you should be fine.

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I will post a pic in a few.

Bytor1100 said:

What yeast type was it? I've used a Belgian White Labs strain that was crazy. It would ferment almost in one day.

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I used Belgian wit liquid yeast.

fishfoolz said:

I used Belgian wit liquid yeast.

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I have used that yeast 3 times in the last 2 months and the fermentation always seems to go crazy at the start. I get wort pushed up through my airlocks. It just seems to be a very active strain.

I always recommend using a blowoff tube for the primary, at least until the krausen recedes fully.