First AG overflow

[GTengineer10]

So I decided to make BierMuncher's OktoberFAST Ale. I went to the HBS and they didn't have the Safale - 04. The guy working suggested I use WYEAST 1007 German Ale yeast. I didn't think I had much choice and went with it. I'm sure there are better choices of yeast I could have used, but it is too late now.

Anyway I pitched the yeast late Monday evening and shoved it in the fermentation chamber. I check this morning before I have to head out the door and low and behold beer is all over. Luckily the lid stayed on, and everything seems to have been coming through the airlock. Now I asked the guy at the HBS if he thought I should use a blow off tube since up to this point I haven't been anywhere near needing one and he was convinced I didn't need one.

After seeing the mess I had to clean it up and figure out what to do for a blowoff tube. I was struggling with how to connect it. So I put my siphoning tube on my airlock. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit over the opening so through some tinkering turned a straw into a connector.

So I spent all this time putting this makeshift blowoff tube together and it seems that I have not gotten any overflow anywhere near the tube since. Is it normal for there to be vigorous bubbling and then for it to just stop? Also, if I needed to take any actions to keep from contaminating the beer that would be nice to know.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Yep. The CO2 that was being expelled at a rather rapid rate should have kept infection down to a minimum. I would suggest putting a blowoff tube on all your batches. If using a bucket, you could attach the tube directly to where the airlock would go. I think that is 3/8"; try to get some tubing that fits a bit tight and has a relatively thin wall to give you the most inside diameter.