Think I should have used a blow-off tube! Help defuse the bomb!

SabreSteve

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So yesterday brewed a brown ale at 1.060 OG and pitched 2 packets of Nottingham ale yeast. Was pleasantly surprised to see it bubbling away this morning. Just got home and my wife tells me "your beer is about to explode" thought she was being cute or dramatic. She wasn't. I went downstairs and this is what I saw:
IMG_20200902_181817.jpg
My fermenter looks like it's about to explode! Help! Is there any good way to release the pressure without risking a geyser? If I could just defuse it I could swap out for my other airlock or rig up a blow-off tube.
 
It looks like you're screwed. Wrap a towel around the airlock and very gently pull it out, then jump back because that sucker's going to blow.
Took your advice and gingerly removed it. Didn't spray but it was definitely foaming pretty aggressively. Used my spare airlock and siphon tubing to rig up a quick blow-off tube
IMG_20200902_184919.jpg
I'm hoping I didn't lose too much wort and that it'll be ok from here on out
 
Some of my 3 piece airlocks will accept a hose on the inside post. If yours will, slide a clean one on and put the other end in star san or neutral spirit like vodka. Or, just clean up the mess, pull out the airlock and insert hose into bucket and star san.

Well you beat me to it. Well done! It'll be fine.
 
So yesterday brewed a brown ale at 1.060 OG and pitched 2 packets of Nottingham ale yeast. Was pleasantly surprised to see it bubbling away this morning. Just got home and my wife tells me "your beer is about to explode" thought she was being cute or dramatic. She wasn't. I went downstairs and this is what I saw:View attachment 11706My fermenter looks like it's about to explode! Help! Is there any good way to release the pressure without risking a geyser? If I could just defuse it I could swap out for my other airlock or rig up a blow-off tube.
I think we've all had these moments!

- I remember when I sent beer straight to the celining and it rain down for a whole 10-15 seconds! Crazy mess! You had a close call there! lol - Sounds like you recovered well. :)
 
I think we've all had these moments!

- I remember when I sent beer straight to the celining and it rain down for a whole 10-15 seconds! Crazy mess! You had a close call there! lol - Sounds like you recovered well. :)
Definitely scary. Don't think I'll ever pitch a wort 1.060 or above without installing a blow off tube again
 
So last night I could hear the tube bubbling away in the sanitizer from up in the living room. This morning at 5 I checked on it before leaving for work and there was no activity. It's been pitched less than 48 hours. Can someone who's used Nottingham before tell me is this typical?
 
Buckets are notorious for not sealing well. I'm sure it's fermenting away inside just not as vigorously. Notty is a beast of a yeast.
 
Buckets are notorious for not sealing well. I'm sure it's fermenting away inside just not as vigorously. Notty is a beast of a yeast.
I mean your probably right. We know I got some kind of seal though. We have photographic evidence of that:D
 
So last night I could hear the tube bubbling away in the sanitizer from up in the living room. This morning at 5 I checked on it before leaving for work and there was no activity. It's been pitched less than 48 hours. Can someone who's used Nottingham before tell me is this typical?
I just had a three-day fermentation using liquid English yeast - not unusual.
 
I just had a three-day fermentation using liquid English yeast - not unusual.
I had planned on waiting a full 14 days to take a FG reading and bottle in order to lose less beer to my hydrometer. Would it be worth it to check it at 7-10 days instead? Normally wouldn't be trying to rush it but bottling early would mean having an empty fermenter just as I start my vacation and have more ample time to brew...
 
I had planned on waiting a full 14 days to take a FG reading and bottle in order to lose less beer to my hydrometer. Would it be worth it to check it at 7-10 days instead? Normally wouldn't be trying to rush it but bottling early would mean having an empty fermenter just as I start my vacation and have more ample time to brew...

That should be fine. Notty can finish and clear really fast. The only concern I have about such a fast fermentation is that the temperature may have risen quite a bit, and nottingham gets odd off-flavors at over about 68F. I ferment it at 62F or so, if I use it (I don't use it very often anymore).
 
Anytime I use an English yeast the heavy action is over a few days after it starts.
 

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