First tine using carboy... Ahhh

[bwatts4200]

So I an using a carboy for the first time and I check it this morning and it's a mess... And the water is out of the lock and it is bubbling over with foam... What should I do?

 

[birvine]

First off, do not worry. Clean up a bit, make sure the carboy is somewhere where overflow won't hurt anything. If you can, get some tubing (3 ft or so) that fits over the inside part of your airlock and put the other end down into a container with water. Make sure it is big enough to catch overflow.

When ferm subsides, clean and re-install the airlock properly.

Then, leave the carboy for a total of 3-4 weeks before bottling.

B

 

[bwatts4200]

so the lack of water in the lock isnt going to hurt anything?

 

[Seven]

Use a blow off tube for the first few days of fermentation. Once the fermentation slows down after a few days you can replace the blow off tube with an airlock.

 

[jamboparty]

so the lack of water in the lock isnt going to hurt anything?

At this point, you've got such a vigorous fermentation that it's constantly blowing OUT the airlock, so there's not much chance of bacteria working it's way back in (against the flow) through the airlock. You'll be OK with a blowoff until the activity calms down a bit, at which point you can put a sanitized airlock back in place.

 

[birvine]

No. There is so much outward pressure from the blowoff that almost nothing can get in. By immersing the end of the blowoff tube into a jar or similar with water in it does that job just to be safe.

B

 

[bwatts4200]

Fixed it! Thanks guys!

 

[birvine]

Fixed it! Thanks guys!

View attachment 38676

Be careful that Curious George doesn't knock over the pitcher. Maybe put it in a milk crate.

B

 

[SwampassJ]

Be careful that Curious George doesn't knock over the pitcher. Maybe put it in a milk crate.

B

Beat me to it. Cat's will bat the **** out of anything that bubbles. I'm still waiting for the day that I blow an airlock while the cats intently watching it, the cat will never go near it again.

 

[Chefencore]

Fixed it! Thanks guys!

<img src="https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38676"/>

Yeah, now just get it outta the light!!

 

[bwatts4200]

It goes into the closest just out of the picture.. No light and no cat!

 

[phillyhomebrew]

After years of fermenting primary in a carboy, I've gone back to primary in buckets. Clean up is much easier, and you don't have to deal with that kinda accident.

/2cent

 

[SwampassJ]

After years of fermenting primary in a carboy, I've gone back to primary in buckets. Clean up is much easier, and you don't have to deal with that kinda accident.

/2cent

Unless you clog the airlock with krausen and it blows the entire lid. Some good pictures on this forum from the immense pressure relief hitting the ceilings.

 

[harrydrez]

Nice cat, you could also get anti foam drops that will keep the foam from rising- they also will stop boilovers in your kettle. Most online brew shops have them. They are totally safe.