First 5 Gal Batch - Explosion!

[BRGriffith]

Hello All!

I'm brand new to this forum and also a novice home brewer. So first of all, thanks to everyone here sharing their knowledge and experience! This is a great forum. Now that I've said that, on to the problem.

Saturday evening I put together my first 5 gallon bucket batch of my personal favorite red wine from my 1 gallon experiments. Specific gravity was 1.105 with Pasteur Red yeast. I stirred everything up and placed the lid and airlock on tight. Fermentation began as expected mid Sunday with nice, consistent bubbling.

But all good things can't last. This morning at 5 AM I heard a very loud bang from my kitchen and came to find that the lid had been blown off my bucket, making a huge mess. So I sanitized everything and made sure to stir very well to try and keep the bubbles down, then lightly refitted the airlock. My plan is to have the airlock blow off, if anything, rather than the lid.

So my question is this: Is it going to be okay? Also, I'm at work now, so if this happens while I'm not home, will it be okay until I get back around 5?

Thank you all for reading,

Cheers.

 

[ffemt128]

During the initial fermentation, many of us including myself will only set the lid on the bucket. During this stage the yeast needs oxygen function. I don't go under airlock in a carboy until the wine has reached a sg of 1.000 or lower.

 

[BigDfromTN]

During the initial fermentation, many of us including myself will only set the lid on the bucket. During this stage the yeast needs oxygen function. I don't go under airlock in a carboy until the wine has reached a sg of 1.000 or lower.

^^^ Same Here.

 

[BRGriffith]

Okay, then hopefully it will stay safe. So, just a question regarding this advice: Wouldn't just setting the lid on the bucket cause an overflow and a mess? Or does the fact that there's no airlock on it allow gasses to escape quicker so that doesn't happen?
Thanks for the info.

 

[ffemt128]

Okay, then hopefully it will stay safe. So, just a question regarding this advice: Wouldn't just setting the lid on the bucket cause an overflow and a mess? Or does the fact that there's no airlock on it allow gasses to escape quicker so that doesn't happen?
Thanks for the info.

The only time you would need to worry about an overflow is if you when you are stirring. I only genltly stir, no vigorous stirring. The explosion you experience was due to a build up of carbon dioxide which is by product of fermentation. Setting the lid and not snapping down will allow these gasses to escape.

 

[BigDfromTN]

Okay, then hopefully it will stay safe. So, just a question regarding this advice: Wouldn't just setting the lid on the bucket cause an overflow and a mess? Or does the fact that there's no airlock on it allow gasses to escape quicker so that doesn't happen?
Thanks for the info.

Let me begin this with a Welcome to the Forum. Should have said that earlier.

I just loosely lay the lid on top of the primary. I have never had a problem with overflow. I also have plenty of room between top of must and rim of bucket. ONE time I had an eruption in a carboy. Cant exactly remember why. I think it was when I added some nutrient and stirred a fermenting batch. I just wiped the carboy down, mopped the floor and let it go.

When you get home, I would just loosely lay the lid on the primary until it reaches the 1.000-1.010 range then rack to secondary and then apply the air lock. I have peeked at a must in primary and it would be just rolling in there. Had I locked it down it may have been a problem?

Best of luck and let us know how it comes out.

 

[BRGriffith]

Thank you both for the advice. I'll definitely do that and hopefully I can get some great wine and some experience from this!

 

[peaches9324]

just place a towel over it or if the temp is low I place a towel over with the lid 1/2 on the bucket after it warms up I take the lid all the way off, just leaving the towel and welcome to the forum.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Your starting SG is a bit too high, also. If you keep it below 1.100 (I shoot for 1.092) it will behave better.

And, like others have stated, loose lid on a bucket!

 

[peaches9324]

Your starting SG is a bit too high, also. If you keep it below 1.100 (I shoot for 1.092) it will behave better.

And, like others have stated, loose lid on a bucket!

It may of been a port style wine a port style wine will start with a higher sg there was nothing wrong with the high sg you just have to treat it the right way

 

[cpfan]

BRGriffith:

How big is your primary? If you start a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon primary it will probably overflow.

Steve

 

[Arne]

As your ferment takes off and warms up, the must will grow. You need to leave some headspace for it to expand into. Don't worry about it too much, most of us found this out the hard way too. If you are fermenting in a nice part of your house, like the kitchen, I would get a big garbage bag set the primary in it, and pull it up just a bit around the bottom of the primary. If you do get a overflow, you can just change bags and wipe the bottom of the primary. This works great if you just leave the lid on loose or cover the primary with a towel or clean cloth. I usually put an old towel over it, then just sit the lid on top. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[BRGriffith]

Some bad news.. When I got home yesterday, I found that it had blown the lid off again, and most of what I added to the juice was on the floor, so I had to toss it. Well, lesson learned. The good news is that I'll be starting a new batch tonight!

BRGriffith:

How big is your primary? If you start a 5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon primary it will probably overflow.

Steve

It's a 6.5 Gallon Ale Pail with marks up to 5 gallons. Stupid me not only left the lid and airlock on tight, but also filled it to about 6 gallons, thinking that would be enough head space.

Arne:
That's a fantastic idea, and I will definitely be employing that technique on my new batch.

Thanks to everyone for the advice,
Cheers.

 

[ffemt128]

Some bad news.. When I got home yesterday, I found that it had blown the lid off again, and most of what I added to the juice was on the floor, so I had to toss it. Well, lesson learned. The good news is that I'll be starting a new batch tonight!



It's a 6.5 Gallon Ale Pail with marks up to 5 gallons. Stupid me not only left the lid and airlock on tight, but also filled it to about 6 gallons, thinking that would be enough head space.

Arne:
That's a fantastic idea, and I will definitely be employing that technique on my new batch.

Thanks to everyone for the advice,
Cheers.

Just set the lid on. Don't seal it tight...

 

[Xandra]

I've had best luck just putting a flour sack dishtowel over the bucket and holding it in place with a big rubber band. I like the dishtowel 'cuz it doesn't shed pieces of dust like a regular towel can.