And Boom Goes The Dynamite, Big Fermentation Question

[TheeMattSmith]

I made my first high gravity beer yesterday. 1.094. I made an appropriate starter and visible fermentation started within 4 hrs. I awoke this morning with a puddle on the floor and some crazy ass fermentation activity. It was pretty cool except for the mess and the beer loss. I have lost at least a gallon of beer with this.
My question is this

Is this "Normal" for a high gravity beer? If so I will just use a larger carboy. Thanks, now it's time to mop.

Cheers

[DannyW]

You can keep it under control with cooler temps, a larger fermenter, or some foam control drops. Or just plan to mop up after big beers. I learned the hard way to put mine in a tray to catch overflow like that on really big beers with big pitches.

[Ironman]

Blow off tube

[TheeMattSmith]

Yup, yup, yup. Used a blow off tube, out had overflowed my catch growler. My fermentation temp was set for 67. I'm not upset about the mess, it's the beer loss that makes me cry. I just want to avoid future losses. I think I will just find a larger carboy our other vessel to ferment in. thanks.





I'm thinking about cats again

[spiderwrangler]

What size batch in what size carboy?

[TheeMattSmith]

5.5 in a 6 I've had oozing with lower gravity beers before but this batch was just going crazy.

[spiderwrangler]

Yeah, a half gallon head space get's filled with krausen pretty quick. Anti foam would help, as suggested previously...

[HoozierDaddy]

Yeah I won't put more than 5.25 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy. I use foam control also and it seems to help.