Fermenting Question

[3stall]

My past couple ferments have foamed out of airlock. Am I doing something wrong causing this or is it normal. Last batch was my fisrts using a yeast starter. Prior to that all pitches were either liquid vials or smack packs.

Mainly brewing extract kit with specialty grains from more beer or midwest brewer.

Appreciated help/ input.

[spiderwrangler]

If you have very little headspace, this will happen. Larger fermentor, blow off, or a foam aid will prevent this.

[DBear]

everything else equal different yeasts differrent results. WY3787 kaboom, 3711 not so much

[spiderwrangler]

yeast starters often will give a more vigarose ferment too...

[mike____]

Say it with a German accent, spider...

[3stall]

Will the foam over have any negative affect on beer.

[BDawg]

Generally, no. The pressure is forcing stuff OUT of the fermenter, so it's ok.
[edit]
However, history has shown that these can literally explode as the krausen plugs up the works and CO2 continues to build until KABOOM! Its all over the room--
Many wives have become exceptionally pissed when their nice coat is ruined by a yeast explosion in the closet.
Glass carboys HAVE broken, too.
[/edit]

A blowoff tube really is the best remedy (after you clean it up really well. A spray bottle of Star-San is gold in situations like this).

HTH-

[spiderwrangler]

Say it with a German accent, spider...

I did, you just didn't hear me correctly. As BD says a foam out usually isn't a big deal, when it does become a bit dodgy is when you get blockage and it blows your airlock completely out, then slows down before you notice it happened. IF the airlock is still in place, you're fine, put some liquid back into your airlock and let it finish. If your airlock is lying on the floor, sanitize it, put it back in and cross your fingers. Light particles (as in weight, not the dual nature of photons) will not fall into the beer through the stopper/grommet as long as it is fermenting [German]VIGA-ROSELY[/German], but heavier bits and/or fruit flies may.