high krausen?

What went wrong? Was this supposed to happen? Should I throw it out? What do I do now?

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Legman
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high krausen?

Post by Legman »

I've been reading where sometimes people have the problem of their fermenter blowing apart with beer on the ceiling, floor and walls. And that you should use a blowoff tube instead of a airlock.
I'm only on my 10th batch and as of yet, the krausen in my fermenter only has risen a couple of inches each time. So far each of my batches have came out just fine. So my question is, what causes these huge krausen messes and do I really need to change to a blowoff tube?
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slothrob
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Re: high krausen?

Post by slothrob »

Blowoff is usually caused by high OG, high protein content (lots of wheat malt, for instance), too high temperature, and/or some yeast strains. Imperial Stouts cause the biggest mess, and seem to blow off due to their high OG. Wheat beers can also be problems, probably due to their high protein and the enthusiasm with which wheat beer yeasts ferment.

Even knowing that, an occasional beer will sneak up on you.
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brewmeisterintng
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You took the words out of my mouth

Post by brewmeisterintng »

I just read the first post and immediately though about my previous batches of wheat and stouts. Those are where I have seen the majority of my Krausen. I do have a thumper tube set up just in case I see it going up the side of the carboy. I then simply replace the air lock with the tube until fermentation slows.
I don't use a bucket so I have never experienced the lid "blowing" off. This only occurs when the air lock gets plugged and pressure builds. I have had the air lock fill with gunk and look like an ice cream cone as it was foaming out the top.
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More Krausen

Post by manplant »

For the record, the Wyeast 2565 Kolsch produces a robust Krausen even at OG's in the 1.040 range and at low ale temps in the 63-66 F range. I run tubing from the airlock into a pitcher of star san solution.
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